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COVID-19 Funding Opportunities
Funding Available for Short- and Long-Term Needs Emerging From COVID-19
McConnell Foundation
The McConnell Foundation supports Canadians in building a more inclusive, innovative, sustainable, and resilient society. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Foundation is offering two sources of support for the nonprofit sector in Canada: The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will provide grants of up to $75,000 to 1) provide short-term support for community organizations facing increased demands, and 2) help organizations respond to new opportunities during the first few months of the pandemic and recovery period. Grants are also available through the new Organizational Rebuilding stream of the Foundation's Social Innovation Fund to help charities and nonprofits prepare for or implement significant organizational change so that they can better serve their communities during and following this time of crisis. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will be accepting applications from May 5, 2020, for approximately one month, but the duration of the granting window will be based on the timing of quality applications received. There is no deadline to apply for Organizational Rebuilding grants. Visit the Foundation’s website to find out more about these two funding programs.
Grants Address Animal Welfare During COVID-19
Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation
The Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation supports Canadian animal welfare organizations working at home and abroad. Currently, the Foundation is focusing all support on matters involving animals and their well-being and rescue relating to situations that have arisen due to the circumstances around COVID-19. Canadian registered charities are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a continuous basis. Visit the Foundation’s website to submit an online application.
Program Enables Artists to Share Their Work Online
Canada Council for the Arts
Digital Originals, an initiative of Canada Council for the Arts and CBC/Radio-Canada,
aims to help artists, arts groups, and organizations pivot their work for online sharing. Artists, groups, or organizations can either adapt their existing work or create a new work for digital dissemination to the Canadian public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Micro innovation grants of $5,000 are provided. Funded projects will be housed on a dedicated CBC/Radio-Canada website. In addition, CBC/Radio-Canada will feature selected projects for showcase on at least one of its digital platforms. Selected projects for the curated CBC-Radio/Canada showcase will receive a supplemental amount of $1,000. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until June 15, 2020 or until the budget has been allocated. Visit the Canada Council for the Arts website to download the program guidelines and application form.
Funds for Funeral Response and Organizations Working With Grieving Families
Funeral Service Foundation: COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund
The Funeral Service Foundation’s COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund has two pillars of support: emergency assistance and grief support. The Fund will provide grants for immediate needs within funeral service including emergency response to significant loss of life, grants to organizations providing services and resources to families with unresolved and complicated grief due to loss during this crisis, and grants for other important needs as funeral service continues to serve families during this rapidly evolving crisis. U.S. nonprofit organizations and Canadian registered charities are eligible to apply; non-exempt organizations such as funeral homes or funeral service-related businesses may apply through a fiscal sponsor. Applications may be submitted at any time and are reviewed weekly. Visit the Foundation’s website to access the online application forms for nonprofit organizations as well as funeral service professionals and related businesses.
National Funding Opportunities
Support for Environmental Projects Across Canada
TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation funds environmental projects across Canada. The Foundation supports a wide range of environmental initiatives, with a primary funding focus on environmental education and green space programs. Eligible projects include schoolyard greening, environmental education projects, outdoor classrooms, tree planting, urban greening projects, park revitalization and programming, community gardens, and citizen science initiatives. The majority of grants are between $2,000 and $8,000. Eligible applicants include registered charities, educational institutions, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. Applications must be submitted online by January 15 and July 15 of each year. Visit the TD FEF website to start an online application.
Funding Promotes Diversity, Technology Education, and Food Sustainability
SkipTheDishes Corporate Giving Program
SkipTheDishes, a food delivery network, engages with nonprofits, social enterprises, and educational institutions across Canada to support causes that reflect the company's community goals. Interests include diversity and inclusivity, education and skill development in technology, and food sustainability, including food poverty solutions, sustainable packaging, and long-term environmental initiatives in the food industry. Support is provided through partnerships. Partnership inquiries may be submitted online at any time. Visit the SkipTheDishes website to learn more about their corporate giving program.
Media Initiatives in Canada and the U.S. Supported
Google News Initiative: North American GNI Innovation Challenge
The Google News Initiative (GNI) works with the news industry to help journalism thrive in the digital age. The North American GNI Innovation Challenge, focused on the theme “Sustainability Through Diversity,” supports projects that generate growth and diversification of revenue for local media who elevate underrepresented audiences and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within their journalism. Google will fund selected projects up to $300,000 and will finance up to 70% of the total project cost. The Challenge is open to organizations of every size—digital natives, startups, NGOs, industry organizations, broadcasters, traditional news organizations, freelancers, and sole proprietors—that aim to produce innovative, original journalism and to enlighten citizens with trustworthy journalistic content, and whose projects focus on encouraging a more sustainable news ecosystem. Organizations must be based in Canada, the United States, or U.S. Overseas Territories. The application deadline is August 12, 2020. Visit the GNI website to learn more about the Challenge.
Funds for Canine Research and Projects Promoting Responsible Dog Ownership
Canadian Kennel Club Foundation
The mission of the Canadian Kennel Club Foundation is to improve the canine-human relationship and the health of Canadian dogs by empowering communities to educate their members on responsible dog ownership and enabling canine health research. The Foundation offers funding through two programs: Health Research Grants support research into the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in dogs. Individual researchers or research teams affiliated with a host institution are eligible to apply. Pawsitivity Grants fund projects dedicated to promoting responsible dog ownership and strengthening the human-animal bond. Registered charities are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply for Health Research Grants is July 1, 2020. Applications for Pawsitivity Grants may be submitted at any time and are awarded on a “first come first serve” basis each year. Learn more about both programs by visiting the Foundation’s website.
Regional Funding Opportunities
Funding Strengthens Company Communities
CN Stronger Communities Fund
The CN Stronger Communities Fund is committed to helping build safer, stronger communities by providing support in the communities in which CN operates in Canada and the U.S. Canadian communities include locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The Fund provides support in the areas of health and safety for young people, transportation education, environmental sustainability, and diversity. Canadian registered charities and U.S. nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. There is no deadline to apply. Visit the CN website to review the FAQs and begin an online application.
Support for Environmental Education and Conservation in British Columbia
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
The mission of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is to improve the conservation outcomes of British Columbia's fish and wildlife, and the habitats in which they live. The Foundation funds on-the-ground conservation projects and environmental education through a number of programs. The following programs have upcoming deadlines: The Public Conservation Assistance Fund supports projects that maintain, conserve, or restore indigenous fish and wildlife species and their habitat. LEAP Grants provide project-based funding for BC high schools, specifically, science courses or courses with a focus on environmental learning or career courses focused on providing students with opportunities in environmental/conservation sciences. The application deadline for these two programs is June 15, 2020. Habitat Acquisition Grants fund projects that acquire land to secure the value of these areas for conservation of fish and wildlife habitats and populations. The deadline to apply for this program is July 17, 2020. Visit the Foundation’s website for details on each of these programs and to learn about additional funding opportunities.
Funds Enable Nova Scotian Children to Participate in Sports
KidSport Nova Scotia
KidSport Nova Scotia helps kids overcome the financial barriers preventing or limiting their participation in organized sports. KidSport provides funding of up to $300 per child, per calendar year to help offset the cost of organized sports registration and equipment. Recipients must be 18 years of age and under. Families must meet income requirements in order to be eligible for support. The upcoming application deadlines are July 2 and September 3, 2020. Visit the KidSport Nova Scotia website to apply online or download the application form for one of thirteen regional chapters.
Giving Program Benefits Company Communities in Alberta
FortisAlberta Community Investment Program
The FortisAlberta Community Investment Program provides donations and sponsorships in communities within the company's service area in Alberta. The company’s areas of interest include safety, education, the environment, and wellness. FortisAlberta also offers several grant programs to support community naturalization and tree planting, energy efficiency projects, and environmental programs for students in elementary or junior high schools. Applications may be submitted online at any time. Visit the FortisAlberta website to review the guidelines for each program.
Government Funding Opportunities
Arts Training Organizations Supported
Canadian Heritage
The Canada Arts Training Fund supports arts training throughout the country. The Fund provides financial support for the ongoing operations of Canadian arts organizations that specialize in training artists for professional national or international artistic careers, at the highest levels. The application deadline is June 30, 2020.
Program Targets Workplace Harassment
Justice Canada
The Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Program funds targeted projects that help to increase public awareness and knowledge around sexual harassment in hospitality and service industry workplaces as well as male dominated industries and occupations and provide complainants with PLEI materials when dealing with sexual harassment at work. Applications must be submitted by September 14, 2020.
PathFinder: Featured Resource
A library of quality resources designed to help you develop your career path as a grants professional.
Three Things Nonprofits Should Prioritize in the Wake of COVID-19
The COVID-19 crisis has caused organizations to reassess their priorities. Where should they start? The article "Three Things Nonprofits Should Prioritize in the Wake of COVID-19" discusses why organizations need to examine their social impact, economic viability, and capacity to deliver in order to remain relevant and viable both now and into the future.
Upcoming Online Education Trainings
Live Webinars
Unless otherwise noted, all Online Education Trainings are webinars,
are 90 minutes in duration, and are scheduled to begin at 2 PM Eastern Time.
The Stages and Challenges to Expect During a Capital Campaign (NEW)
In our experience, capital campaigns are hard work. That's why it's so important to surround your capital campaign with people you trust, and why it is imperative to never lose sight of your mission. This combination of people and purpose will sustain you through the ride. Campaigns are based on process. Find out what happens in the five phases typical to most capital campaigns—the family, quiet, leadership, close-out, and public phases. Discover each phase's goals and potential challenges. In this webinar you will learn what to expect from each phase of a typical capital campaign, common challenges most campaigns face and how to overcome them, and how to care for donors. Get real-world examples of these capital campaign stages, learn how to prepare for the most common challenges before your campaign begins, and discover the process nonprofits use to raise the funds they need to grow and improve infrastructure to meet the needs of their clients and community. Executive directors, development directors, and board leaders from a broad range of nonprofit organizations will benefit from this 90-minute presentation. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2020.
LIVE Workshop: Tracking Restricted Grants in QuickBooks (DESKTOP Version and ONLINE version)
Do you receive grants that are restricted in some way? Do you struggle to complete grant spending reports at the end of these grants? Do you spend hours going through transactions and payroll reports trying to figure out which expenses were paid from a grant? And what about grants with a budget by account that must be adhered to? By simply setting up a few things, you can easily get a profit and loss statement for each of your restricted grants (compared to budget if you'd like). See reports for your grants all on one screen and in real time. All of this and more can be easily tracked right in your QuickBooks software! We are very excited to have Gregg Bossen, a CPA specializing in nonprofits, deliver one of his most popular webinars exclusively for us. In this webinar, Gregg will show you how you can easily track restricted grants in QuickBooks. Topics include how and where to set up your grantors, how to enter grant revenue, how to point expenses to a grant, how to allocate payroll to a grant, how to enter grant budgets, how to generate and memorize reports on your grants, and how to deal with future year grants received this year that make it look like you made more money than you did. Don't miss this opportunity! You will be VERY glad you joined us. The webinar for the DESKTOP version will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The webinar for the ONLINE version will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
Writing Capacity Building Grants
Capacity building grants are unique. While many best practices in writing operational or program grant requests apply to developing capacity building grant requests, there are some critical differences that need to be addressed to create the strongest application possible. During the 90-minute webinar, Alice Ruhnke will define and discuss the fundamentals of capacity building grant requests, highlight the key components that differ from "regular" grants, and outline ways to identify funders who provide capacity building grants. Throughout the session, common mistakes in writing capacity building grant requests will be discussed and remedied. This webinar is appropriate for individuals who have a basic understanding of grant fundamentals and would like to apply those concepts specifically to capacity building grants. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.
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Editor: Diana Holder
Contributing Writer: Ashlyn Simmons