GTA Communities

We are inviting proposals from grassroots organizations actively addressing education disparities and fostering economic empowerment for youth within their communities.

Examples:  

• Projects that partner with schools to close learning gaps and nurture career and post-secondary readiness 
• Projects that partner with local businesses and industry professionals to provide meaningful employment connections for youth  

We are inviting proposals from grassroots organizations supporting their communities in building and maintaining equitable, locally driven food systems. 

Examples:  

• Community gardens and urban farming projects 
• Public food markets that offer fresh, local food to the community 
• Community food rescue and redistribution 

To be eligible to apply for funding, your organization must be one of the following:   

• An incorporated nonprofit  
• A registered charity 
• A nonprofit applying with a charitable trustee 

With,  

A well-defined governance framework and good financial standing, supported by procedures for monitoring both revenue and expenses, and a clear charitable mandate. 

Other Key Eligibility Criteria  

• Based in the Greater Toronto Area   
• Focused on working with children, youth, and families  
• Based within the community being served, with a history of working with the community   
• Able to identify the specific team members who will deliver the proposed initiative   
• Have an annual operating budget of less than $500,000  

Not Eligible  

• Organizations with an annual operating budget of $500,000 or more  
• For-profit businesses  
• Funding intermediaries  
• Individuals  

To ensure our granting reaches grassroots, community-driven initiatives, we are supporting organizations with annual revenues at or below $500,000.  

Applicants may request up to 10% of their organization’s annual revenue, to a maximum of $15,000.  

The GTA Communities stream uses a single-round application process. Here are the steps for submission:  

1. Create an account on our online application portal  
2. Complete the 2-page form, which includes a variety of short, medium, and long answer questions (draft answers can be saved and returned to at any time)  
3. Attach requested financial documents  
4. Consider sharing additional supporting materials  
5. Once all required tasks are complete, select “submit”  

• Monday, November 17  the application portal will open.  
• *extended deadline* Tuesday, January 13 at 5PM EST: The application portal will close.  
• January-March: Application review. Applicants may be contacted with further questions by Foundation staff. 
• March 2026: Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application. 
• All projects must be completed within a year of the grant start date. 

Strong applications align with our focus areas and reflect a deep connection to the community being served. We value organizations led by people with lived experience in that community.

We value clarity over polish. Use your own voice. Don’t worry about perfect formatting or fundraising language. Just help us understand your work. 

We’re most excited by proposals that are realistic and right-sized—not trying to do everything but doing what’s proposed, well.

Finally, please know that it’s possible to submit a strong application and still not receive funding. Decisions must consider many factors—including budget limitations and portfolio balance. This is not a reflection of the value of your work. We receive far more requests than we can support, which means making difficult choices and, unfortunately, leaving some important initiatives unfunded.

As part of our due diligence process, we request the following financial documents be attached at the end of your application:  

• Audited Financial Statements (preferred) 
• Organization Annual Budget (if your organization does not have audited financials, should include at minimum a breakdown in revenues and expenses)  
• Project Budget 

Download and review our Budget Template – your organization may use this template or submit your own budget, if it follows the same format (Expense, Description, Cost, Funders, Total). Some expense items are ineligible for funding. Please refer to our Eligible Expenses Document for guidance.   

Yes. You will have the option at the end of the application to attach supporting materials to help us get to know and better understand your organization. All file formats are welcome to be uploaded. Examples include:  

• Annual Reports  
• List of Board Directors (or similar)  
• List of Funders  
• Letters of Support  
• Other materials of importance (examples: photos, a short video or audio clip)  
• Links to relevant and related content online (examples: articles, podcasts, social media posts)  

Not always. While we aim to meet approved requests in full, our annual budget may limit what we can award. When this happens, we provide a reduced grant if we are confident it will still help advance your work and support meaningful outcomes. 

For questions about the GTA Communities stream or the application process, please email info@petergilganfoundation.org.