Grant Funding Process

Apply for CPO funding today!

CPO’s grant funding process is CLOSED for 2023. Please check back again next year.

In 2021, as part of CPO’s Board-approved Diversity Audit, we committed to revisiting our funding model. We engaged Mehari Consulting to work with the Funding Review Committee to recommend a new model of funding, based on stakeholder consultations and best practices. Mehari Consulting put forward a revised outcomes-based model that relies on call for proposals (CFPs). This year, we are phasing in the core recommendations of the funding model, this is subject to our strategic plan.

Our 2023 Call for Proposals is launching on February 10, 2023 and applications are due by 5PM on Monday, March 13, 2023.

Download, complete, and submit your application to cpo@ottawa.ca.

Updates

We have updated our application form and created additional tools to help you submit a strong funding application:

To help with your application, we have a Budget and Workplan template available. It is also linked to the application form above.
You can find the presentation for the information sessions here.
You can also find our “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) document here.

Funding Streams

We will be offering three funding streams. Below are each of their criterias as well as their funding amounts.

Micro grants

Targeting small, grassroots organizations
Research
New or existing initiatives

For one-year projects, up to $15,000

Non-renewable grants

Direct program delivery
Research
Enhance current services

$30,000 to $60,000

Multi-year systems level/collaboratives

Research
Partnership developments
Creation of community best practice
Pilot a model to implement across agencies
Create pathways to connect communities to services, service co-ordination
Co-creation systemic change within institutions

Up to $160,000 / year

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations

Organizations must be incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation (this includes Métis Charter, Inuit or other Indigenous communities that are registered as not-for-profit corporations without share capital in Canada).
Organizations that do not meet the above requirement are encouraged to partner with a "sponsor" agency who can apply on your behalf and manage the funds. For more information, email us at cpo@ottawa.ca.
Organizations must demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
Organizations and grassroots groups who can demonstrate capacity for reach, knowledge and validated by the communities they serve.
Organizations must be based in Ottawa and serving residents of Ottawa.

Project

Vision

Ottawa is a community in which individuals, families and neighbourhoods are safe and feel safe.

Mission

To contribute to crime prevention and enhanced community safety and well-being in Ottawa through collaborative, evidence-informed initiatives.

Priority Outcomes

The priority outcomes below are to be achieved by CPO-funded agencies. These outcomes fall under the 4 pillars outlined in CPO’s strategic plan. Our hope is to achieve more holistic and coordinated, community-based approaches that are customized to address the needs from the individual- to societal- and systemic-levels. Organizations requesting funding need to ensure that their project aligns with one or more of outcomes below.

Gender-Based Violence

Social and community norms shift to combat gender-based violence.

Young people are equipped to form (and maintain) safe and healthy relationships.

Enhanced capacity to address online gender-based violence, abuse, trauma, exploitation, and harassment.

Youth

Young people (& families) are meaningfully engaged in their communities through employment, education, mentorship and social/recreation programs.

Young people have the skills and supports to overcome systemic barriers, to lead, and participate in decisions that impact them.

Parents and Caregivers (particularly mothers) have the social, spiritual, economic, health, and mental health supports to care for their families.

Neighbourhoods

Neighbourhoods have a safe and welcoming physical environment.

Residents and service providers are cohesive, engaged, and able to respond to emerging community needs.

Vulnerable Adults

Vulnerable adults have access to services and meaningful connections that support self-sufficiency.

Vulnerable adults have access to meaningful social connections to address isolation, elder abuse/fraud, addiction/mental health, trauma, or homelessness.

Approval Process

Staff assess for application completeness and determine basic eligibility.
Eligible applications are assessed by staff against assessment grid and placed Strong, Medium, Low – Medium and Strong files are recommended for further review.
Grant review committee (GRC) members (a decision-making body composed of one board member, 4 community members with expertise in each one of our 4 Pillars of work: Youth, Neighbourhoods, Gender Based Violence, and Vulnerable Adults) will review staff recommended files.
GRC and staff meetings are chaired by a board member for final recommendations.
Recommended files are presented to board for approval.

Important dates and deadlines

Registration is now CLOSED. Our information sessions will be held virtually on Zoom.

Click here to register for the February 16 – noon information session.

Click here to register for the February 28 – 6 pm information session.

Monitoring

We will be providing appropriate support to grantees based on their experience level and grant stream.

Orientation of funding agreement and expectations prior to signing contract.
Verbal reporting of budget and progress mid-project.
Annual reporting using a CPO-provided template.
Quarterly check-in for recipients of micro-grant and non-renewable grant to assess needs and support appropriately.

Applicant and Grantee Supports

We will be providing appropriate guidance and supports.

Need Inspiration for a Project? Check out these reports!

CPO has funded local research over the years, examining different issues that relate to community safety. Below are links to some reports, which have recommended further projects/activities/research.