Grants

The Community Foundation accepts Grant Applications once a year. The dates for the 2026 grant period are:

Application Period Opening: TBA

Application Period Closing: TBA

SAVE THE DATE | 2025 Grant Reception: TBA

To apply for a grant from the Thunder Bay Community Foundation, you must be a qualified donee as per the Canada Revenue Agency. Below is a list of qualified donees:

• A registered charity
• A registered national arts service organization
• A registered Canadian amateur athletic association
• A registered housing corporation resident in Canada constituted exclusively to provide low-cost housing for the aged
• A registered Canadian municipality
• A registered municipal or public body performing a function of government in Canada
• A registered university outside Canada that is prescribed to be a university, the student body of which ordinarily includes students from Canada
• A registered charitable organization outside Canada to which His Majesty in right of Canada has made a gift
• His Majesty in right of Canada, a province, or a territory; and
• The United Nations and its agencies

If you received a grant in the previous year, you must complete all obligations to be able to apply for new grants.

To visit the application portal click here.

In your application, you will be required to submit the following forms:

• Most recent Financial Statement (Unaudited statements can be used if no audited statements are available)
• Most recent Annual Report (A report can be submitted similar to one an Executive Director would give at an AGM)
• A list of your Board of Directors
• Project Budget

To download a copy of our 2025 Grant Application Package, click here.

General Requirements

• Applicants must be registered charities within the meaning of the Income Tax Act
• Applicants must do the majority of their charitable work within the District of Thunder Bay
• Applications may be for existing programs and services, new and innovative programs or other charitable works. Please see specific criteria for each grant as described below
• Applicants must demonstrate that they do not currently have the financial resources to fund the project under consideration
• Large provincial or national charities must demonstrate that the project is uniquely beneficial to Thunder Bay
• Applicants must use the funds within one year after the date of receipt. Funds must only be used to support the project specified in the successful application. If the project is ongoing, applicants must demonstrate the ability to support the project under consideration after the Foundation’s funds have been spent
• Applicants agree that the Foundation may review the documentation and progress of the project
• Applicants must recognize the Thunder Bay Community Foundation in an appropriate manner. Grantees are required to follow the TBCF grant recognition procedure that is highlighted in their grant agreement
• Previous grant recipients must complete and return a project update on their current grant before any new applications can be considered

General Limitations

• Grant(s) are not awarded to individuals
• Grant(s) are not awarded for projects that promote the aims of a specific religion, ideology or political party
• Grant(s) will not be awarded to a charity that does not fulfill the criteria of a previous grant

You’ve been awarded a grant from the Thunder Bay Community Foundation – now what?

All Grant Recipients are asked to provide the Foundation with a direct deposit form, grant agreement, and final report. The process of submitting these forms is very simple – sign into your grant portal account, locate your approved grant on the applicant dashboard, and click “Edit.”

The final report is due once the project is complete and prior to applying for a grant in the following year. If you received a grant, but have not completed the project prior to the next granting cycle, please contact the Foundation.

If you have any questions about your grant obligations, please contact the Foundation at (807) 475-7279.

A requirement of all grant recipients is that their grant must be recognized in some way. This gives us the opportunity to show the community the impact your grant had. Here are several ways you could recognize your grant, the Thunder Bay Community Foundation, and our very supportive donors:

• Annual Report
  • List the the Foundation in your annual report as a sponsor/funder and/or include a thank you in your annual report to the Foundation.
• Program Specific Marketing Material
  • Include the Foundation in your marketing material specific to your program. If you need a logo, email amollicola@tbcf.org.
• Your Stories – Chronicle Journal
  • Thank the Foundation through a submission to the Your Stories section of the Chronicle Journal where community members can highlight local activities. Your organization can not only highlight its activities and successes it can thank its donors and supporters.
•  Editorials
  • Editorials can be submitted highlighting your program and thanking the Foundation within the article.
• Social Media/Website
  • Thank the Foundation through social media or on your website.