Introduction

More core funding available for Ontario’s nonprofit justice sector

The Foundation’s new Catalyst program is a multi-million dollar program that offers eligible organizations the chance to apply for core funding for a three-year time period.
March 6, 2018

More core funding available for Ontario’s nonprofit justice sector

Colourful pyramid made out of stacked, hexagon blocks
The Law Foundation of Ontario announced a new funding program today that provides an opportunity for more nonprofit organizations to receive core funding to better advance access to justice in Ontario.

The Foundation’s new Catalyst program is a multi-million dollar program that offers eligible organizations the chance to apply for core funding for a three-year time period. Core funding refers to financial support that covers basic or ‘core’ organizational costs, including salaries of permanent staff, facilities, governance, communications, and expenses for day-to-day work.

“The Foundation understands how important core funding can be to organizations, and to the communities they serve,” explains Linda Rothstein, the Foundation’s Board Chair. “That type of funding is elusive these days, and we hope that providing more of it will act as a catalyst to improve access to justice – hence the name of the program.”

The goal of the Catalyst program is to strengthen the nonprofit justice sector by providing organizations with a three-year funding cycle, which will create space to innovate, evolve, and respond to emerging needs.

The Catalyst program builds on and extends the Foundation’s past practice of providing core funding to a small number of organizations (including organizations that the Foundation was instrumental in creating). Organizations that have received core funding in the past as well as new organizations will be eligible for funding under the Catalyst program.

The call for applications is open now and applications are due June 1. Granting decisions will be made in the fall and the new Catalyst grants will begin in early 2019.

For full details, including granting criteria and the application process, visit the Catalyst program webpage.