The Guelph Community Foundation provides funding grants that promote and support community initiatives and non-profit charitable organizations. We bring local knowledge, experience and a network of community relationships to our grant making.
To ensure you do not miss a funding opportunity, we encourage organizations to subscribe to our newsletter.
Not sure if you are eligible for a grant? Learn more by reading our granting eligibility and guidelines below.
Any questions regarding our granting programs can be directed to [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!
Grant Eligibility
Our role as a grant maker is to build connections between donors and the charitable sector. We build these connections through the generosity of donors who provide financial support by directing their gift to various types of endowment funds. Our funds help people invest in the causes they care about most.
Through our grants program, we seek to…
- honour the diversity of our community
- build a stronger, healthier & safer community for all citizens
- inspire a positive & enduring impact in our community
Who can apply?
Applications are invited from community organizations, agencies and institutions within Guelph and surrounding communities. Grants are disbursed to a range of registered charities and applicants must be recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency.
Funding Qualified Projects
Before filling out a grant application, email us at [email protected] so we can meet with you and help you with your application and the deadline for each program. While each grant program has its own specific criteria, we can provide general grant guidelines for insight to eligibility.
Eligible Organizations
We fund eligible organizations that have registered charitable status with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Your charitable registration number must be provided. (Note: Your organization may wish to establish a formal agency relationship with a registered Canadian charity, in which case the link must be legitimate and an acceptable agency agreement must exist as per CRA Guidelines. Additional paperwork is required. Please refer to the CRA’s website for further details on Using an Intermediary to Carry out a Charity’s Activities within Canada.
• Provide services within Guelph and surrounding communities;
• Make services available without discrimination;
• Demonstrate fiscal and management responsibility, and financial need.
Grant Recipients Selection
Grant recipients are selected in two ways:
1. Designated or suggested by the fund holder; or
2. Recommended to our Board of Directors or Grants Committee.
Grant Evaluation
As a requirement for receiving funds, all grant recipients must complete a grant evaluation. This enables us to assess the outcome of each grant and this is essential to learning and improving. This information is shared with donors on an annual basis.
Inspiring change and making a difference.
We recognize that there is no magic formula to address the many issues that affect the health and well-being of our community. We are a diverse community with many registered charities and we are faced with the challenge of deciding where best to provide our granting dollars, in order to build upon the assets of our community and achieve lasting impact. As a result, we are not able to support every request we receive.
We believe, however, that being an effective and dynamic grant maker is more than just about making good grants. It is also about strengthening our community by working with other funders, acting as a sounding board, being a convener for people and a catalyst for change. We strive to continually improve our skills as grant makers through a granting program that is balanced, flexible, creative and responsive.
How to Apply:
- Create an account in our grants portal which is what is used for all GCF grant applications.
- Check to see within your organization if an account has already been created, if you are not sure, please email us at [email protected] – only one organization account is needed per organization, multiple users are registered to each organization account and can collaborate on applications together.
- Please login to your account to see the currently available application form(s). This login is the same for all funding streams and for all follow up reports. It is also where grant request history is saved. Our portal has the ability to provide a status update on any applications currently in for review.
- If you are the successful recipient of a grant please review our Grant Recognition page for guidelines and resources.
Note – if you have any outstanding Grant Follow Ups then you may be ineligible for future funding until all requirements of past grants have been fulfilled.
2026 Grant Opportunities:
Community Grants
Applications accepted: September 01, 2026 – October 13, 2026 | Decision Notifications: December 2026
Community Grants provide funding to registered charities and eligible nonprofit organizations that are delivering programs, operational initiatives, or capital projects that address pressing community needs and strengthen well-being across Guelph and Wellington County.
Sleeman Better Water Fund | Fondation Sleeman Pour Une Eau Meilleure
Applications accepted: September 14, 2026 – October 19, 2026 | Decision Notifications: February 2027
The Sleeman Better Water Fund supports registered Canadian charities delivering projects, programs, research, operations, or capital initiatives that advance water conservation, water preservation, and access to clean water in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec.
Les soumissions seront acceptées du 14 septembre 2026 au 19 octobre 202626 | Notifications de décision : février 2026
Fondation Sleeman Pour Une Eau Meilleure soutient des organismes de bienfaisance canadiens enregistrés qui mènent des projets, des programmes, des activités de recherche, des opérations ou des initiatives d’investissement favorisant la conservation et la préservation de l’eau ainsi que l’accès à de l’eau propre en Colombie-Britannique, en Alberta, en Ontario et au Québec.
Scholarships and Bursaries
2026 Application Period: February 17, 2026 – March 27, 2026 | Decision Notifications: May 2026
The Guelph Community Foundation’s scholarship and bursary programs help reduce barriers to education by providing financial support to students pursuing post-secondary studies and training opportunities.
Musagetes – Funding for the Arts
Not Accepting Application in 2026 – More information will be available by late 2026
The Musagetes Fund supports registered charitable organizations that use arts and culture to strengthen community connections and enrich life in Guelph and the surrounding area. The fund prioritizes projects that explore new approaches to community building through the arts, with particular interest in initiatives that advance social justice, environmental resilience, and intercultural understanding.
