Grant Application Guide

Date	Funding Cycle Description
Tuesday, December 11, 2018	Student Nutrition Program grant applications available on Student Nutrition Program web page.
December 2018 – February 2019	Student Nutrition Ontario – Toronto Community Development Animators and school board staff are available to answer questions about applications and renewals.
Friday, February 15, 2019	Applications are due at 4:00 p.m. (for September 2019 funding).
February 2019	Student Nutrition Ontario – Toronto partner staff review applications and may contact applicant if further information is required to assess the application or renewal.
April 2019	Student Nutrition Ontario – Toronto partnership finalizes funding decisions for eligible applicants.
May 2019	Municipal funding allocations report is prepared for the Toronto Board of Health and City Council for approval.
Early June  2019	All applicants are notified by mail if they will/will not receive municipal and/or provincial funding.
September 2019	First of 3 funding installments sent to programs; 2nd and 3rd in January 2020, March 2020.
Friday, October 25, 2019	Late grant applications and appeals for 2019-2020 due at 4 pm (for January 2020 funding). Appeal form is available at www.toronto.ca/health/nutrition.
November 2019	Student Nutrition Ontario – Toronto partner staff review late grant applications and appeals and may contact applicant if further information is required.
Late November 2019	Student Nutrition Ontario – Toronto partnership finalizes funding decisions for late grant applications and appeals.
Early December 2019	All late applicants and appellants are notified by mail if they will/will not receive municipal and/or provincial funding
January 2020	First of 2 funding cheques are mailed to funded late applicants; Second cheque in March 2020

 

The City of Toronto grant funding to Student Nutrition Programs is available for those programs that currently receive municipal funding. Each year, the number of grants and their dollar amount awarded changes depending upon the funds available and nature of applications submitted. The goal of the grant is to improve the nutritional quality of the food served and to increase the number of days that programs operate. The focus of student nutrition programs is to ensure access to food to those with the greatest needs, within the context of universal access to all.

Funding Criteria

All programs receiving a municipal and/or provincial grant are required to meet the criteria outlined below. Programs will be monitored for adherence to the criteria for nutritious food, food safety, and financial accountability.

Nutritious Food

A cycle menu is planned based upon the Nutrition Guideline and offers a variety of healthy food choices, suitable to the cultures of your community.

• Meal menus include at least three of the four food groups, including: Vegetables and Fruit, Milk and Alternatives.
• Snack menus offer two to three food groups, including the Vegetables and Fruit food group.

A Public Health Dietitian may visit your program and is available for consultation regarding program menus and meeting the Nutrition Guideline.

 

Food Safety

When the program is running, there must be one person on site who has attended the Student Nutrition Program Food Safety and Nutrition workshop within the past two years. All volunteer Student Nutrition Program coordinators and other and volunteers are encouraged to attend this free training offered by Toronto Public Health.

A Public Health Inspector will inspect the kitchen facility and/or food preparation areas.

 

Access

The program is universally accessible. It is offered to all children/youth regardless of their ability to contribute financially.

• The program is non-stigmatizing or efforts to reduce stigma are made.
• All children/youth are made to feel welcome and respected.
• The location of the program is safe, clean and comfortable.
• Measures are taken to ensure that all children/youth are aware of program.

 

Financial Accountability and Liability

• The site must have a separate bank account for the nutrition program. Where not possible, please contact the Toronto Foundation for Student Success or the Angel Foundation for Learning for assistance.
• Each cheque must be signed by two signing officers, one being the site authority.
• The program must submit monthly financial and activity reports on how the grant was spent.

 

Budget

Programs must operate according to number of children/youth estimated to attend the program AND the number of days the program is operating as stated on the application. Any changes to numbers estimated on the full application or renewal application must be reported ( refer to “Contact Information” section of this Guide).

• A budget is completed to estimate program costs.
• A minimum of 70% of program costs must be spent on food.

 

Contributions

The local program committee ensures that youth and/or parents are informed of the total program costs and are asked to contribute as much of the cost as possible to ensure the sustainability of the program.

• The local program committee may organize fundraising activities in the school or program site as part of contributions. Fundraising involving food sales should be focused on healthy food choices.
• The School Food and Beverage Policy (PPM 150, The Ministry of Education) outlines food and beverage standards related to on-site school fundraising.
• For a youth Student Nutrition Program, the local program committee may request non-financial contributions from youth to facilitate life skill development and to provide the opportunity for youth to be actively involved in the program. For example, participation in fundraising, shopping, cooking and cleaning.

 

Local Fundraising / Community Partnerships

An operating budget should be used to set targets for fundraising. Local fundraising from businesses, faith groups, charities, or the community is required in order to supplement the funding received from this municipal and/or provincial grant.

 

Ethnocultural Sensitivity

Menus and educational components are inclusive and consider the faiths, cultures and preferences of the children/youth and their families.

 

Local Program Planning and Consultation

A local program committee is established to plan and administer the program and meets a minimum of twice a year. This committee may include, but is not limited to: school principal, parents, students, volunteer coordinators and other volunteers, as well as other interested individuals such as local business people, faith group members, community agency staff, and school board representatives. For a youth Student Nutrition Program, the majority of the committee members should be youth participants.

This committee will collaborate with a site authority, such as the principal or executive director.

This committee is responsible for:

• Choosing the type of meal to be served
• Approving the menu and budget
• Recruiting, training and coordinating volunteers
• Organizing fundraising
• Communicating with youth/parents receiving contributions
• Other aspects of operating the program

 

Confidentiality

Programs must ensure that the names of program participants and their financial contributions are kept confidential. All information on volunteers, including name, address and telephone number must also be kept confidential.

Other Principles of Program Operation:

 

Food Donations

Donated food can be used by Student Nutrition Programs as long as:

• Donated food is fresh, safe to eat and meets the Nutrition Guideline;
• Donated food does not originate from the emergency food system (i.e., food banks).

 

Environmental Practices

The program strives to achieve minimal waste through minimal food packaging, recycling, composting, etc.  These principles are reflected in program planning.

 

Choose Ontario Food First

Offer Ontario grown and/or produced foods when available and practical.

 

Nutrition Education and Physical Activity Promotion

The program incorporates nutrition education and physical activity promotion for children/ youth in the program. Information is available from a number of sources, including Toronto Public Health.

During Student Nutrition Programs, youth are involved in learning skills related to the nutrition program, for example budgeting and financial skills or healthy food shopping.

Tips for Completing the Grant Application by Computer

• In order to complete the full grant application by computer, you will need Adobe Reader, which can be downloaded for free.
• Enable Javascript.
• You should be able to save the information that you type into this form; test that you can before beginning.
• A self-signed digital identification (electronic signature) may be created by the Site Authority (school sites: Principal; community sites: Executive Director, Rabbi or other). Note: Some Mac users may not be able to create a self-signed digital identification.

How to create a self-signed digital identification:

1. Click on the red arrow in the ‘Signature’ field on the bottom of page 1 and follow the steps to create a self-signed digital identification.
2. Choose ‘Create a self-signed digital ID for use with Acrobat’.  Follow the steps to complete the process.
3. If you wish to add a PDF of your scanned signature, find the directions by following ‘Edit’ then ‘Preferences’ then ‘Security’ then ‘New’ options in Adobe.
4. If you do not wish to use this digital identification again, remember to erase its file from your computer.

Please Note: If you are unable to create a self-signed digital identification, please print the application, sign by hand, scan and submit by email.

The completed application will be reviewed for eligibility for both municipal and provincial funding, unless indicated otherwise in writing.

The Full Application Form is divided into five sections:

Section 1. Site Information

Found on page 1 of the full application form

Location type

Check the box that corresponds to your school board or use the ‘Community site’ box.

Name of School / Site

Provide the name of the school or community site where your program is located.

Address

Provide the complete Toronto address where your program operates, along with postal code, phone number and fax number.

Name of Community Group Agency

If your program is administered by a community organization, provide the name of the agency that will administer your funds. Cheques are not made out to individuals.

 

Section 2. Responsibilities and Authorization of the Site Authority

Found on page 1 of the full application form

List of responsibilities

Before signing, the Site Authority should carefully review the list of responsibilities that are being agreed upon; these are essential to running a successful program and are criteria for receiving funding.

Principal / Site Authority Signature

The Site Authority is required to review and authorize the application with a signature.  A Site Authority is the person with overall responsibility for the school or site, usually the Principal or Executive Director.  The program coordinator, Office Administrator or teacher is not an appropriate Site Authority.

All applications must include the signature of the Site Authority.

 

Section 3. Contact Information.

Found on page 2 of the full application form

3.1 Site Authority

The Site Authority is the person with overall responsibility for the school or site, usually the Principal or Executive Director. The Program Coordinator, Office Administrator or teacher is not an appropriate Site Authority.

3.2 Program Coordinator

The Program Coordinator is the person with responsibility for implementing the Student Nutrition Program on a daily basis: preparing, distributing food, planning menus, etc.

3.3 Financial Accountability and Liability

Applications must include all financial information, including three signing officers. One of the signing officers must be a Site Authority, such as Principal (for schools) or Executive Director (for Community sites).

 

Section 4. Program Information and Sustaining Your Program

Found on page 3 and 4 of the full application form

4.1 Grades JK-8: Estimated cost of food for participants & 4.2 Grades Grades 9-12: Estimated Cost of food for participants

Complete the appropriate chart describing all of the programs you are applying for.

Programs: Please note the different types of programs and their descriptions.  For existing programs, if you are unsure of your program’s current funding status, please contact your school board representative or the foundation which administers your funds (e.g. Toronto Foundation for Student Success, Angel Foundation for Learning).

Number of days a week that the program will run: Breakfast and morning meal programs receiving enhanced funding are encouraged to operate five days a week, offer meals with three food groups and offer meal programming during the morning hours. Other programs must operate a minimum of 2 days a week.

Number of days per year that the program will run:  Estimate the number of days that your program will run.  Example numbers of operating days for a program starting in the fall:

• 5 days a week: 188 days / year
• 4 days a week: 160 days / year
• 3 days a week: 120 days / year
• 2 days a week: 80 days / year

Estimated cost of food for participants: Calculate the total estimated cost of food per year.

Section 4.3 Estimated Revenue per year

Municipal and Provincial SNP grants will not cover all program costs. Your program will need to find additional sources of funds. Enter your estimated revenue in the table. Use your records from last year, including funding letter and monthly financial reports, to estimate.

Program Grants: any granting opportunities the program used including the Student Nutrition Program Government Grants.

Parent/Student Donations: these contributions are an important source of funds. You may consider requesting a certain amount per student or family, per term; contributions must be voluntary and confidential. The program should welcome all students, whether or not they are able to contribute financially.

Fundraising, Campaigns and Events: activities the school or school community undertakes to generate revenue for use in the Student Nutrition Program.

Corporate and Other Grants: includes all grants not including Municipal or Provincial.

Other Income Received: include the amount of revenue the program received from all other sources.

Enter your total estimated revenue in the last box.

Section 4.4 Estimated Costs per year

Enter the estimated costs per year for your program.

Food.  Enter the total from all programs you are currently applying for. The estimated cost can be taken from the previous table(s), page 3.

Supplies:  This includes cleaning supplies and disposable items. Do not include the cost of one-time purchases such as large equipment.

Note: Programs should make any equipment needs known to the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (for TDSB or community sites) or the Angel Foundation for Learning (for TCDSB sites). Funding for equipment is sometimes available.

Volunteers: This includes any stipends for volunteer coordinators and other volunteers involved in food preparation, shopping, financial records, attending a food safety training session, etc.

Miscellaneous:  This includes costs such as police checks and TTC tokens (optional) to enable volunteer coordinators and other volunteers to participate in the program.

Total your estimated costs in the last box.

Please Note: These are estimates only. It is not expected that programs spend this as a rule. If you have more than one nutrition program, expenses other than food may be shared across the programs. Other costs must not equal more than 30% of total program costs

 

Section 5. Nutrition

Found on page 5 of the full application form

Menus for Each Program

Programs must submit a separate one-week sample menu meeting the Nutrition Guidelines for each meal or snack program they are applying for.

Complete the Program Menu Form (page 5 of the Full Application Form). Additional copies of the blank Program Menu Form can be downloaded. Follow the Nutrition Guideline for Student Nutrition Programs in Toronto to plan your menu.

Submitting the Application

Applications and appeals may be submitted in person, by mail, fax or e-mail. Please keep a copy of your completed application or appeal for your records.

The application deadline for September 2019 funding was Friday, February 15, 2019 at 4 p.m. Applications received after this date and time will be considered as late and will be reviewed after the late applications and appeals deadline of Friday, October 25, 2019 at 4 p.m.

Both Applications and Appeals must include the signature of the Site Authority.

You will be notified by e-mail when your completed grant application has been received.

Mailing address:
Student Nutrition Program
Toronto Public Health
5100 Yonge Street, 2nd floor
Toronto, ON  M2N 5V7

E-mail address: snp@toronto.ca

Fax Number: 416-696-4301