2019 Investor Rights Call for Applications

No, you need only be a nonprofit corporation, university or community college. If you are a nonprofit with charitable status, please include your registered charity number on your application.

The Foundation will not fund work for a commercial venture or government-run project or program. The Foundation will consider applications from Indigenous governmental organizations.

No, applications need to be made by a nonprofit organization, a university or a community college.

Yes, if administration of the grant can be done through an appropriate accountability structure, e.g. through a law firm in trust or an incorporated nonprofit. If your grant request is approved, the Foundation will require you and your partner to provide a Memorandum of Agreement that sets out clear roles and responsibilities for each of you.

Yes, organizations outside Ontario can apply for an Access to Justice Fund grant. The Access to Justice Fund is a national fund.

Yes, we will accept joint applications. However, you must indicate clearly which organization will assume lead responsibility for the grant if it is approved (this is the organization that will be expected to sign the Foundation’s Letter of Agreement).

No. However, we do encourage partnerships, so if your project lends itself to partnerships we encourage you to look into those possibilities. If, in your application, you indicate the intent to partner with another organization, you should include a written statement of commitment from the partner(s).

We recommend that all applicants review the Foundation’s vision, mission, and approach and consider our Annual Report and projects we have funded in the past.

Applications to the Access to Justice Fund may provide a benefit anywhere in Canada. It may be local, regional, provincial, or national in scope. You should indicate the geographic community that will benefit in your application.

No. All projects must have a legal component. 

No. The Foundation will not fund litigation. 

No. The Foundation will not fund costs directly related to lobbying, advocating, or promoting a particular position on a legal or public policy issue. 

Yes, we will fund core operating costs if they can be shown to be directly related to the project. Rather than cover such costs on the basis of a flat percentage, we prefer to fund on the basis of actual need, so your application should demonstrate the connection between the project and the expense.

We will not fund capital expenditures for immoveable assets (i.e., buildings). Usually, applicant organizations will be expected to include equipment or office furniture expenses as in-kind contributions.