2025 Call for Proposals Now Open

Important Deadline:

Letters of Intent Due February 21, 2025

Greenbelt Foundation Grant Application

Call for Proposals

The 2025 Winter Grant Round is open to a broad range of stakeholders and community partners who can be effective agents to advance efforts to enhance Ontario’s Greenbelt. Applicants can include registered charities or other qualified recipients such as incorporated non-profit organizations with audited financial statements, municipalities, First Nations, and conservation authorities with projects aligned to the funding streams. Organizations can apply individually or in collaboration with others. Lead applicants must be a registered charity or non-profit organization.

We are accepting Letters of Intent (LOIs) for our 2025 Winter Grant Round. LOIs are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Our Grant Guidelines provide helpful guidance on how to apply, an overview of the Foundation’s grant making approach; important considerations for applicants, and an outline of the three funding streams: Resilient Greenbelt, Sustainable Greenbelt and Accessible Greenbelt.

In addition to these three funding streams, the Foundation may support projects that respond to or inform immediate or emerging opportunities to enhance awareness or contributions made by the Greenbelt to support provincial goals.  All proposals will be reviewed in the context of their contributions towards the Foundation’s commitments to Truth and Reconciliation and addressing the challenges and solutions in managing Ontario’s growing population and the region’s climate resiliency.

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Our Approach to Grantmaking

Across the Greenbelt geography, collaboration and inclusion is encouraged to increase the impact and reach of projects in communities within and adjacent to the Greenbelt.

Given their responsibility for implementing land-use plans at the local level, collaborations with municipalities could be particularly productive. Conservation and environmental organizations with relevant ecological expertise could be instrumental in helping deliver impactful protection, restoration, and natural infrastructure projects across the region that build climate resilience.

Collaborations in implementing sustainable agriculture practices to help farmers and agri-food operators adapt to climate variability, improve soil health, and support rural economies are welcome. Reaching organizations dedicated to increasing awareness of and engagement with the Greenbelt through education, outdoor recreation, and sustainable tourism are key to supporting the Greenbelt’s longevity.

Through the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening relationships with local Indigenous Peoples and acknowledging the cultural ties to the Greenbelt’s natural landscapes, the Grant Funding Program will prioritize the capacity to honour Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the building of relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations to protect and maintain the Greenbelt and its rural economies.

Support will be provided for principles and practices that strengthen collaboration and contribute to creating more equitable communities in the Greenbelt. Specifically, supporting the interests and engagement of Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities is encouraged, including collaborative frameworks and strategies that advance efforts to create meaningful equity.

Funding Streams

Resilient Greenbelt

Resilient Greenbelt works with nature to create and improve public benefits provided by the natural systems of Ontario's Greenbelt.

This funding stream invests in projects that leverage the Greenbelt’s natural systems to build cost-effective, climate-resilient infrastructure, bolster community stewardship initiatives to increase natural cover, improve species-at-risk habitat, restore damaged habitats, protect critical water resources, apply Indigenous knowledge systems, and enhance ecological connectivity across the region.

Sustainable Greenbelt

Sustainable Greenbelt sustains the healthy communities and rural vitality provided by the agricultural and rural economic systems of the Greenbelt.

This funding stream invests in projects that generate economic activity and promote thriving rural communities that support sustainable agriculture, good soil health practices, and increases knowledge of the benefits that communities derive from the Greenbelt’s reliable local food system, its protection of farmland, and rural resilience. These activities support the long-term prosperity of the region.

Accessible Greenbelt

Accessible Greenbelt sparks and develops awareness, appreciation and engagement of the Greenbelt in residents, visitors and stakeholders.

This funding stream invests in projects that leverage the Greenbelt’s natural and cultural heritage systems for social benefit through education, public and stakeholder engagement, enhancement of recreational spaces, and promotion of the Greenbelt as a significant recreational and tourism destination. This stream increases understanding of the many benefits communities obtain from the Greenbelt, celebrates those benefits through engagement, and magnifies interest in sustaining those benefits.

Priority Areas of Focus

As the Greenbelt turns 20, the Foundation is interested in celebrating this major milestone for all that it provides and through furthering understanding of future investments needed to ensure the long-term success of the region.

The Foundation will give special consideration to applications that include at least one of the following priority areas of focus:

  1. Bolster the vision of the Greenbelt’s future
  2. Engage Communities to Celebrate 20 years of the Greenbelt

Bolster the Vision of the Greenbelt’s Future

Increase understanding and awareness of the major trends and pressures affecting the Greenbelt and surrounding region. Proposals should advance understanding of the investments needed to maintain the health of critical Greenbelt systems, enable sustainable regional growth, strengthen climate resilience, and/or enhance socio-economic benefits in communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Proposals should formulate a clear question, summarize existing evidence, signify potential solutions, and describe how the project will effectively communicate the information. Proposals should address issue(s) in one of the following subject areas:

  • Water resources
  • Food and agriculture
  • Natural systems and biodiversity
  • Liveability and effective growth management
  • Green spaces, tourism and recreation

For this priority area of focus, the Foundation can review a funding request of up to $25,000, with discretion for reviewing exceptional proposals in excess of this funding request limit. Please consult with the Foundation’s Grant Program staff if you plan to submit a request for greater than $25,000 for this project category. 

Engage Communities to Celebrate 20 Years of the Greenbelt

Animate community ideas and involvement in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Greenbelt and how it has positively contributed to their communities and local or specific constituency goals. This might include events or communications activities that bring people together united around specific or general Greenbelt-related themes. Projects should focus on community engagement and awareness raising.

For this priority area of focus, the Foundation can review a funding request of up to $10,000, with discretion for reviewing exceptional proposals in excess of this funding request limit. Please consult with the Foundation’s Grant Program staff if you plan to submit a request for greater than $10,000 for this project category.

2025 Winter Grant Round Funding Deadlines

The Foundation will begin receiving Letters of Intent for this funding program starting Thursday, January 23, 2025 until Friday, February 21, 2025. Upon invitation, full proposals will be requested of select applicants between March 18-21, 2025.

Call for Proposal Announcement

January 23, 2025

Letter of Intent Due Date

February 21, 2025

Decision on Request for Full Proposals

March 18-21, 2025

Full Proposal Due Date

April 4, 2025 @ 11:55pm EST

Advisory Committee Review

April-May 2025

Final Approval

Between June 16-18, 2025

2025 Winter Grant Round project activities and deliverables must be completed
between the months of June 2025 – December 2026.

For those projects that focus on celebrating the Greenbelt’s 20th year, project
activities and deliverables should be completed before the end of 2025.

Submission Process

  1. Review the Grant Guidelines and FAQs.

  2. Complete an eligibility quiz on the grant portal to be able to register.

  3. Register your organization on the grant portal.

  4. You will receive a confirmation of your registration and invitation to submit an application within 2 business days.

  5. Submit your LOI application through the grant portal.

  6. Foundation staff will contact you with the decision regarding your proposal.

Contact

After reading our Frequently Asked Questions, if you still have questions regarding eligibility, registration, your proposal, or a technical aspect of the application process, please contact the Grant Program staff.

Michael Rogers
Senior Grants Officer

[email protected]
Tel. (416) 960-0001 ext. 310

Disclaimer

Please note that the Greenbelt Foundation is a non-partisan, registered charity, separate from government, and has no formal role in the government's consultation process.

This project has received funding support from the Government of Ontario. Such support does not indicate endorsement by the Government of Ontario of the contents of this material.