Neighbourhood Grants Program

The Neighbourhood Grants program application submission process is now closed.

The Neighbourhood Grants program provides funding for resident-led groups to help them inspire their neighbourhoods with events or activities that advance key themes in the Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020.

The Neighbourhood Grants program will make available grants of $1,000-$3,000 to resident-led groups to help them inspire their neighbourhoods with events or activities.

A maximum of $5,000 will be available for each of the 39 identified neighbourhoods (31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and eight Emerging Neighbourhoods). See if your neighbourhood is eligible (listed below).

To learn about previously funded activities/events through Neighbourhood Grants, please download this Excel Spreadsheet Excel file.

Funded Neighbourhood Grants events/activities help to promote the Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020 (TSNS 2020) in the following areas:

  • Economic Opportunities: jobs skills workshops, certification workshops, employment forums and more
  • Healthy Lives: nutrition workshops, wellness days, gardening events and more
  • Participation in Decision Making: community speak out events, leadership training, civic action forums and more
  • Social Development:  educational workshop/forums, back to school events, neighbourhood festivals and more
  • Physical Surroundings: community beautification events, neighbourhood walking tours, community art events and more

View the TSNS 2020 Neighbourhood Planning Tables video.

View the TSNS 2020 Neighbourhood Grants Opportunity video.

The Social Planning Toronto Opens in new window is the City’s partner in providing training to grant recipients and acting as the coordinating partner for their grants.

Visit Social Planning Toronto’s Neighbourhood Grants’ for additional guides and information for funded groups.

Your Resident-led Group:

  • Is made up of members who live in one of the 39 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIA) or Emerging Neighbourhoods (EN). Find your neighbourhood!
  • Has at least three or more residents who make up the group
  • Is not a business, registered not-for-profit, or a social enterprise
  • Does not have part-time or full-time City of Toronto employees as group members
  • Is in Good Standing with the City of Toronto (no outstanding Neighbourhood Grant reports and do not owe the City of Toronto any money)

Your Activity or Event:

  • Open and free for residents of the neighbourhood
  • Take place in one of the 39 neighbourhoods
  • Held in a public space
  • One-time event or completed within a one month period

Eligible Neighbourhoods

Your group members must live in one of the following 39 neighbourhoods. Your event/activity must be held in one of the 39 neighbourhoods.

  • Beechborough-Greenbrook
  • Black Creek
  • Dorset Park
  • Downsview-Roding-CFB
  • Eglinton East
  • Elms-Old Rexdale
  • Englemount Lawrence
  • Flemingdon Park
  • Glenfield-Jane Heights
  • Humber Heights-Westmount
  • Humber Summit
  • Humbermede
  • Ionview
  • Keelesdale-Eglinton West
  • Kennedy Park
  • Kingsview Village-The Westway
  • L’Amoreaux
  • Malvern
  • Morningside
  • Mount Dennis
  • Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown
  • Oakridge
  • Regent Park
  • Rockcliffe-Smythe
  • Rustic
  • Scarborough Village
  • South Parkdale
  • Steeles
  • Taylor Massey
  • Thistletown-Beaumond Heights
  • Thorncliffe Park
  • Victoria Village
  • West Hill
  • Westminster Branson
  • Weston
  • Weston-Pelham Park
  • Woburn
  • York University Heights
  • Yorkdale Glen Park

Find your neighbourhood

Neighbourhood Grants are recommended for funding by residents and community agencies from the local neighbourhood at your local Neighbourhood Planning Table meeting or by a Neighbourhood Grants Resident Selection Panel.

Decision Making Process

  1. Your application is reviewed by City of Toronto staff to ensure that your group is eligible. For example, we check to see that all group members live in one of the 39 eligible neighbourhoods.
  2. Your application is shared with your local Neighbourhood Planning Table or the Resident Advisory Committee to make funding recommendations.
  3. We encourage your group to attend your local Neighbourhood Planning Table to present your idea and answer questions when they make their selections.
  4. The Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration reviews the recommendations for funding from the Neighbourhood Planning Tables and approves the neighbourhood grants.
  5. Report online and to your local Neighbourhood Planning Table.
  6. Funded groups will be contacted by City of Toronto and Social Planning Toronto, the Neighbourhood Grants’ Coordinating Partner.

Review Criteria

Reviewers of the Neighbourhood Grant applications will be looking for the following things:

  • Will the target group be interested in the activity/event?
  • Does the activity/event bring together a diverse group of people from the neighbourhood?
  • Does the activity/event support one of the five Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020 Theme Areas:
    • Economic Opportunities
    • Healthy Lives
    • Participation in Decision Making
    • Social Development
    • Physical Surroundings?
  • Does the group have a good plan for the activity/event? Will the group be able to carry out the activity/event?
  • Is the budget clear? Does it make sense for the activity/event?

Approvals of Neighbourhood Grant Recipients