Responsive Call for Applications

1. Review the Eligibility Criteria to ensure your organization and project are eligible for this program. If you have any questions, contact grants@lawfoundation.on.ca.
2. Review the Evaluation Criteria to determine whether your project is a likely fit for this program. If you have any questions, contact grants@lawfoundation.on.ca.
3. Schedule a 30-minute consultation with a Grants Officer at least 10 days before submitting your application, by contacting grants@lawfoundation.on.ca.
4. Download and complete the Responsive Application Form and Project Budget Template
5. By April 11, 11:59 p.m. EST, email your completed application, project budget, and other attachments to: grants@lawfoundation.on.ca.

To be eligible for a grant, applicants must be one of the following:

• Registered charities or incorporated nonprofit organizations
• Canadian universities or colleges
• Indigenous organizations

Unincorporated organizations, committees, or associations may also apply if they possess a signed letter of commitment from an eligible payee.

Eligible applications must:

1. Directly benefit the people of Ontario
2. Focus on legal content, e.g. promote knowledge and services that help people understand the law and use it to improve their lives, or exercise their legal rights
3. Be signed off by the applicant’s Executive Director, Board Chair, or other appropriate authority

Eligible applications must NOT include:

• Support for specific litigation or legal fees
• Costs directly related to lobbying, advocating, or promoting a particular position on a legal or public policy issue
• Primarily administrative or core operating costs

In general, applications that have the greatest potential to advance access to justice and align with the Foundation’s statutory mandate, vision, mission, and approach, and our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion will be given priority.

Preference will be given to applications that:

1. Respond to an urgent legal need
2. Demonstrate a strong work plan for the contemplated activities
3. Support a group who has experienced injustice or inequity – past or current – and those who have experienced exclusion or barriers in society
4. Are informed, supported, and/or led by the community they seek to serve
5. Fill a gap, including supplementing existing legal resources
6. Have outcomes that can be measured, and scaled, replicated, or adapted to benefit others
7. Demonstrate the impact will be maintained or sustained beyond the grant
8. Are led by a team with the experience, expertise, and/or skills to successfully deliver results
9. Have the right partnerships in place to ensure success
10. Include a reasonable budget to successfully respond to the demonstrated need

The Foundation aims to share the Board’s decisions with all applicants in Summer 2023.

If approved, grantees must:

1. Sign a Letter of Agreement.
2. Submit reports on their grant activities at the frequency and in the level of detail as agreed with staff.
3. Produce any documents, records, or invoices required to substantiate grant expenditures and activities as requested by Foundation staff.
4. Notify staff of any changes that may require modifications to the budget, activities, or intended outcomes of a grant and obtain the Foundation’s approval.
5. Return any unspent funds that remain after a grant has been completed or once it is determined that a grant cannot be completed or the purposes of the grant cease to exist.
6. Respond to written requests by the Foundation within 60 days, or else the grant may be cancelled.

Generally, 50% of the grant amount will flow to the grantee upon the Foundation receiving the signed Letter of Agreement.

Staff shall set the payment schedule for the grant taking into account the nature of the activities covered by the grant, the Foundation’s history with the grantee, and other relevant financial considerations.

A grant is typically subject to a minimum 10% holdback until the grantee’s final report is submitted and approved by staff.