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Grants Committee

Purpose

Established in 1998, the Grants Committee's mandate is to review and make recommendations to Council on applications requesting grant funds from the City. Approximately 30 to 35 applications are reviewed each year with an annual budget currently set at $32,000.

Each grant program has different funding criteria and allotments; please review the guidelines and policies carefully 

General Grants Program

The General Grants Program supports the not-for-profit sector in its efforts to contribute to the enrichment of community life in Orillia. Applicants must demonstrate that they are a registered charity or non-profit organization and that they are involved directly with volunteers and their efforts. 

All grant applications are referred to the Grants Committee by Council.

For more detail, download Policy 4.2.1.1. - Guidelines - Grants Committee.

General Grants Application Form

Funding Limits
The maximum grant funding for each eligible applicant is $1,500 annually.
Deadlines
There are three deadlines for the General Grants Program: February 15, May 15, and October 15 annually. Should the 15th fall on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline will be end of day the next business day.  
Questions?
Please call or email Brad Scott, Financial Analyst: 705-329-7237 

 
Cultural Festivals and Events Program

The Partnership Program for Cultural Festivals and Events provides tiered funding to not-for-profit organizations that present culturally and historically significant programming and activities within the City.  Under this policy, organizations requesting funding are required to submit a Festival and Event Grants Application.  Those seeking Tier 2, Tier 3 or multi-year funding are also required to submit additional information using the Supplemental Application.  

All grant applications are referred to the Grants Committee by Council.

For more detail on eligibility, download Policy 4.2.1.2 - Partnership Program for Cultural Festivals and Events

Festival and Event Grants Application Form

Supplemental Application Form 

Funding Limits

Tier 1: Smaller, community focused activities: up to $2,500

Tier 2: Medium-sized, multi-day activities with a regional audience: $2,501 to $5,000

Tier 3: Large, multi-day, tourism-based activities: $5,000

See page 4 of Policy 4.2.1.2 - Partnership Program for Cultural Festivals and Events for detailed information on each tier.
Deadline
There is only one deadline for annual applications to the Partnership Program: October 15. Should the 15th fall on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline will be end of day the next business day. 
 Report Form 
Under Policy 4.2.1.2, festivals and events receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 funding (more than $2,500) are required to submit a follow-up report within 90 days following the completion of their event. Click here to request the form.
Questions?
Please call or email Jacqueline Surette, Manager of Culture: 705-325-4530
Committee Members
The Grants Committee consists of four members of Council.
Regular Meeting Dates
The Grants Committee generally meets three times annually at the call of the Chair.
Agendas, Meeting Links & Recent Minutes

Next Meeting:  At the call of the Chair following the October 15 intake deadline. 

Recent Minutes:

March 10, 2021

June 30, 2021

October 27, 2021

November 9, 2021

March 10, 2022

June 13, 2022 - DRAFT Minutes - Please use this link to view the recorded meeting.
Contact

Brad Scott, Financial Analyst: 705-329-7237 for General Grant inquiries.

Jacqueline Surette, Manager of Culture: 705-325-4530 for Cultural Festival and Event inquiries.

Jocelyn French, Committee Secretary: 705-325-7544

We attempt to make our website documents accessible, however, some of these documents may not completely meet the AODA accessibility requirements. If you require assistance or communication support, please contact Jocelyn French, Committee Secretary at 705-325-7544.

The grant forms are provided in Portable Document Format (.pdf) and can only be saved using Adobe XI.  Unfortunately, earlier versions do not have the capability to store information for future reference.  Adobe Reader is available free from the Adobe Systems Website and is available for Windows, MacIntosh and Unix systems.  If you have any difficulty downloading the Adobe Reader, the Adobe site also offers customer support.