The Ottawa Community Foundation provides multi-year grants to local organizations to support the evolution of an initiative over a period of two or three years. To be considered for a multi-year grant, organizations must submit a Letter of Intent by December 1. Following this, successful organizations will be invited to submit a multi-year grant application by February 1 for consideration by the OCF Grants Committee.

If you are considering applying for a multi-year grant, please review our Granting Guidelines and Eligibility. If you are not certain your initiative is a good fit, feel free to contact us to discuss your multi-year project prior to submitting a Letter of Intent. Please email us, or call Tais McNeill (CGP coordinator) at 613-236-1616 ext. 223 or Rebecca Aird (Director) at ext. 222. Download the Letter of Intent submission form and the Multi-Year Project Budget Form.

And finally, here are 10 tips to help your organization increase its chances of receiving a grant:

  1. Give yourself time to plan the grant-writing process. 

    Writing a grant at the last minute is a sure-way to fail. Allow yourself enough time to look over funders’ criteria, clearly articulate your objectives and explore possible partnerships.

  2. Build a relationship with your funder.

    We are a partner in your organization; therefore, it’s important to consider us in that way, not just as a provider of money. Good relationships take time and require ongoing engagement.

  3. Talk to us. 

    Think of the OCF as a partner in your process. Call us early in your planning process to discuss ideas and possible partnerships, and to ask questions.

  4. Align your project with our strategies. 

    This information is available on our website. See No. 3!

  5. Read our information.

    Review our granting guidelines and eligibility criteria. It may seem overwhelming at first so remember No. 1!

  6. Talk to others about their granting successes and failures.

    Learning from others and your community should be part of your ongoing evaluation and feedback process. Also, give yourself permission to fail, but make sure you learn from the experience.

  7. Articulate your case simply, clearly, and with a solid solution.

    Grant reviewers read many proposals and don’t necessarily know about your organization and your needs. Consider getting someone outside your organization to review your proposal with a focus on these points.

  8. Collaborate with others. 

    This point is important enough to mention again. We often read proposals from different organizations trying to tackle similar issues. Success in the not-for-profit sector often comes from working together, so consider who might be a good partner.

  9. Consider how the donor profile and donation behaviors are changing. 

    There are important changes and trends taking place in and outside the sector that may impact your charity, such as the popularity of non-charitable online platforms and the lack of loyalty to a specific organization among millennials. Stay relevant to donors and create new ways to create meaningful engagement.

  10. Remember the bigger picture. 

    Your focus and passion for your cause might blind you to the bigger picture. When making your case, make sure to communicate why what you are doing is important to the larger picture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the world.