FAQs

Eligibility

Is my project eligible for a grant?

To be eligible for a grant from The Winnipeg Foundation, your organization must have a registered charity number and your project must primarily serve the citizens of Winnipeg. Please review the Policies and Guidelines, located on our website, for the type of grant you are seeking. If you still have questions, or are a qualified donee, contact one of our Community Grants Reviewers.

What do you fund?

The Winnipeg Foundation is a 360-degree funder, meaning that we support a wide range of projects across our community. Grants can cover a wide variety of expenses, including staffing, administration, materials, renovations and more. Please visit All Grant Programs to learn more about both Community and Special Program grants.

My project has already started/ended. Can I still apply for funding?

No. Grants will not be made to cover expenses incurred before the grant decision date.

How many applications can I submit?

You may submit one application per calendar year to our One-Time Community Grants program. In the case of a collaboration between a registered charity and a non-profit, or two registered charities, we will consider a second One-Time Community Grant request. For information about collaborations, see How do you define collaboration? under Applying for a grant.

You can apply to any of our Special Program Grants once per calendar year, however you may not apply for a One-Time Community Grant and Special Program Grant for the same project.

Can I request money from The Winnipeg Foundation if I have a personal dire need?

The Foundation does not make grants or loans to individuals. As a community foundation, it can only provide grants to organizations that are registered charities.

My previous project is not yet complete. May I apply for a new grant?

We will accept a new grant application only after receiving a satisfactory final report from your previous grant in the same granting program. If you have an outstanding grant in one program, you may apply for grants in other programs. For example, if you have an outstanding One-Time Community Grant, you may apply for a Professional Development Grant, but not a new One-Time Community Grant.

Applying for a grant

I forgot my password. How can I access my account?

Just click the forgot password button and enter your e-mail address as prompted. A new temporary password will be sent to you.

What do you look for in a grant application?

You can find assessment criteria for Community Grants in our Community Grants – Policies and Guidelines [PDF]. (Criteria are similar for Special Grants Programs.) Please note the application process is competitive.

For more information, watch for upcoming Grant Information Sessions or contact our Grants Team.

How do you define collaboration?

We define collaboration as either two or more registered charities, or a registered charity and a non-profit organization, jointly planning and implementing a project.

All collaborative partners must work toward a common goal(s) to increase organizational or program efficiency/effectiveness or to tackle a community issue. For the project, all partners must have a shared vision and defined roles and responsibilities, share expertise and resources, and be in frequent communication from planning to completion.

Examples of collaboration are: administrative alliances, organizational mergers, and projects that combine strengths/perspectives to tackle the root cause of pressing issues.

Coalitions, networks, and organizations considering mergers are encouraged to discuss their proposal with a Community Grants Reviewer prior to applying.

What type of information should I include in my application if I am submitting a collaboration project?

Collaboration applicants must describe the problem or community issue the partners are trying to solve. Identify your application as a collaboration and list all your partners and their project involvement from the planning to the completion of the project.

All collaborative applications must include a signed letter of agreement that clearly outlines specific roles and responsibilities for each partner. The project budget form must identify in-kind or cash resources from each partner.

What is the turn-around time on a Professional Development grant application? Can I apply for professional development for more than one staff person?

Applicants must apply at least eight weeks in advance of the proposed professional development opportunity to be eligible for a grant. You may apply for funding for one professional development opportunity for an individual or group (i.e. group facilitation, multiple staff attending the same conference, etc.) per application. Please note that grant maximums are per organization, not per person.

Where do I apply for a reconciliation project?

Our Reconciliation Grants program is now closed, however we continue to accept proposals for Reconciliation projects through our One-Time Community Grants program.

If your project addresses Reconciliation, please consult these documents as you prepare your proposal:

After a grant is awarded

I am experiencing some issues with the project funded by The Foundation. What should I do?

Connect with your Community Grants Reviewer. He or she will problem solve with you to work through a solution. If you’re not sure who your Grants Reviewer is, please email our Grants Team.

I am completing my final report, but I cannot find my original budget. Who can I ask for help?

If you haven’t saved a copy of your budget for your files, please contact our Grants Administrators at 204-944-9474 or by email.

When is my final report due?

Final reports are due within three months of your project’s completion. You must submit a satisfactory report before submitting a new request in the same grant category.

Visit the Your Grant is Approved: Next Steps page to find your final report form and instructions on how to submit it. Please submit your final report four weeks prior to your next grant application.

Other

Why does The Foundation have two grant application portals? How do I know which portal to use?

The Foundation is transitioning to a new grant application portal called SmartSimple. As a result, some of our grant programs are on this new portal, while others remain on the original portal. You can find which application portal you should use by visiting the dedicated webpage for any given grants program. The All Grant Programs page is a good place to start. Clicking the “apply now” button on each page will direct you to the appropriate application portal.

Please note that the two portals are separate and do not share the same log in information. If you are new to SmartSimple, you will have to create a profile before you can apply for a grant. Directions on creating a profile and applying for a grant on SmartSimple can be found on the Grant Application Portal – Tutorials page. Directions for applying for a grant on the original portal can be found here. To view submitted or in progress applications on the original portal, click here.

My question doesn’t appear above. Whom can I contact?

If you have a technical question related to your application (IE accessing the online application form, uploading documents, how to submit your final report, etc.) please contact our Grants Administrators at 204-944-9474 or by email.

If you have a question about your project’s eligibility or what information to provide in your application, please contact our Community Grants Reviewers at 204-944-9474 or by email.

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