Funding Resources

Durham Community Foundation: Community Fund(s) Grantstream

Grantstream is Open - Apply Today!

Funding is made possible by the permanent endowment funds established by many families throughout Durham Region who love our community. Durham Community Foundation offers a broad grantmaking program to create a healthy and vibrant place for all to live. To date, Durham Community Foundation has granted over $8.0 Million to 500+ local charities. Get More Information!

Key Granting Areas: For key granting priorities please review our Vital Signs 2023 Report

Additional Granting Areas: Applications not successful in the main granting stream may be eligible for funding through a Donor Advised or Unrestricted fund on a case-by-case basis. 

Unrestricted Funding: We value your work in the community and we hope that unrestricted funding will provide you with the opportunity to allocate funds to where it is needed the most within your organization.

Submission deadline: June 30, 2026

Government of Canada: National AccessAbility Week Funding - 2027 - 2029

This funding opportunity will support projects that promote the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act and its regulations through National Accessibility Week (NAAW) activities delivered in 2027, 2028 and in 2029, that highlight the contributions of persons with disabilities, raise awareness, and promote accessibility and inclusion in communities and workplaces across Canada. The objective is to fund projects that promote the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act and its regulations through NAAW activities that:

• highlight the contributions of persons with disabilities; and
• raise awareness and promote accessibility and inclusion in communities and workplaces across Canada

Eligible organizations can apply for:

• up to $180,000 over three years for scalable NAAW projects; or
• up to $360,000 over three years for scalable NAAW projects that have regional or national scope and partnerships with diverse groups from within the disability community

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will hold virtual information sessions to provide an overview of this application process for organizations interested in applying for funding. The dates for the sessions are as follows:

• June 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (French session)
• June 18, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (English session)
• July 8, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (French session)
• July 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (English session)

Submission deadline: July 28, 2026

Government of Canada: New Horizons for Seniors Program

The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) community-based stream is a federal grant. It supports projects that are designed by seniors and for seniors in their communities. This program funds projects that empower seniors in their communities through increased social inclusion.

Eligible organizations can apply for up to $50,000 for projects that are led by seniors and are volunteer based.

Funding Objectives

• Objective 1: Promoting volunteering among seniors and other generations
• Objective 2: Engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others
• Objective 3: Expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse
• Objective 4: Supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors
• Objective 5: Providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors (Capital assistance projects may use up to $25,000 of the total approved funding, for eligible capital expenses.)

Note: Additional National priorities is available through the "Learn More" button below (see Program Objectives). Projects submitted for this grant (up to $50,000) do not have to meet 1 of the National priorities. However, if your project does meet 1 of the National priorities, it will receive extra points during the assessment process. To receive additional points only one national priority needs to be met.

Submission deadline: July 14, 2026

Government of Ontario: Ontario Sport Hosting Program

The Sport Hosting Program provides project-based funding to help applicants deliver major national and international amateur sport events in Ontario. The objectives of the program are to:

• create legacies that support sport at the provincial, regional and local level
• provide economic benefits through increased levels of tourism, expenditures and improved public infrastructure
• foster a culture of sport and physical activity in communities by creating role models and enhancing community spirit and involvement in sports
• increase opportunities for Ontario athletes to compete and participate in events in Ontario
• seek new avenues to build and develop the sport capacity of the province by providing additional ways to develop and train coaches, officials and volunteers
• create a culture of sport that engages all Ontarians

Eligible applicants - To apply for this program, you must:

• be a legal entity and have been in existence for one year or longer as of the application date
• not in default of the terms and conditions of any grant or loan agreement with any ministry or agency of the Government of Ontario
• not self-endorse your own application for the program
• be an eligible applicant under one of the three application streams for the program

Stream 1: Provincial or National Sport Organizations

• Provincial Sport/Multi-Sport Organizations recognized under Ontario’s Provincial Sport Recognition Policy.
• National Sport Organizations funded by Sport Canada.

Stream 2: event host organizations

• Not-for-profit organizations (including universities and colleges).
• Ontario municipalities.
• Indigenous organizations, First Nation, Metis or Inuit communities.

Stream 3: emerging sports

• Not-for-profit organizations (including universities and colleges).
• Ontario municipalities.
• Indigenous organizations, First Nation, Metis or Inuit communities.

Eligible events

• National events must:
  • be sanctioned by the National Sport Organization (or the International Federation in Appendix 2 from the guidelines)
  • include representation from no less than six provinces/territories including Ontario (a country may replace a province) or the National Championship for a specific sport, in a specific age group as confirmed by the National Sport Organization (or the International Federation in Appendix 2 from the guidelines). Ontario must be represented in these Championships
• International events must:
  • be sanctioned by the International Federation, as per the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee and/or Panamerican Sport Association
  • include representation from no less than two countries, including Canada and one country from outside of North America. We will provide an exemption to events for Canadian National Teams as confirmed by the National Sport Organization funded by Sport Canada

Program guidelines: 2026–2027 Sport Hosting Program Guidelines and Reference Documents

Application Deadline: July 13, 2026

ICD-RBC Foundation Scholarship Opportunity for Non-Profits

Help enable underrepresented organizations to elevate their governance oversight.

The Institute of Corporate Directors invites you to apply for the ICD-RBC Foundation Scholarship. The goal of this scholarship is to enable underrepresented organizations to elevate their governance oversight. If you are a board director or Executive Director of a registered charity whose purpose is to improve outcomes for the community the organization serves, then the ICD invites you to apply to the ICD-RBC Foundation Scholarship.

This needs-based financial assistance will provide the opportunity to attend the ICD-Rotman Governance Essentials Program. As Canada's leading program for foundational board governance education, participation in the program will provide high-level training, expanded leadership capabilities and insights from other community minded leaders. 

Applications are considered on the basis of merit, need and factor in how governance education will benefit the registered charity. Preference is given to equity-seeking organizations that serve the underrepresented.

*Each RBC funded scholarship is valued at $2500. Selected recipients are responsible for taxes and any out of pocket expenses.

Application Deadline: No posted deadline