Grants & Bursaries

Scroll down this page for information on the following grants and student awards as follows:

  1. Maple Leaf Community Fund – accepting grants until April 2, 2024 
  2. OCF General Fall Granting – applications open late August 2024
  3. OCF Student Awards – accepting applications until May 1, 2024
  4. Community Services Recovery Fund – applications now closed

Questions?  Please contact: 226-667-6404 or info@oxfordcommunityfoundation.org

OCF/LCF MAPLE LEAF COMMUNITY FUND
In Honour of Harvey and Erma Beaty

Maple Leaf Foods is a national corporation with local roots. The company’s rich history traces back more than 100 years through the amalgamation of some of Canada’s most notable food companies. Maple Leaf Foods has always been a champion for food security.

This Donor-Advised Fund honours the late Harvey and Erma Beaty. Harvey founded Cold Springs Farm in Thamesford, ON in 1949 and shepherded Cold Springs’ growth from a small farm to a major agri-food enterprise, which eventually became part of Maple Leaf Foods. We remember the farm and the Beaty’s, including Harvey’s business acumen, concern for the environment and tremendous generosity, especially demonstrated when Cold Springs established this fund in 1994.

Through this fund, $50,000 is available to support the capital-related needs of food security programs that promote dignity and build individual and community capacity. This includes:

  1. Food Literacy– providing people with the information, understanding and skills to provide healthy food for themselves and their families. (e.g. nutrition/food safety/meal planning)
  2. School & Other Nutrition Programs– promoting, educating and allowing people to access healthy meals. (e.g. School breakfast/lunch/after school programs; nutrition and fitness programs.)
  3. Sustainable Initiatives Beyond Conventional Food Bank Models– initiatives that establish a reliable supply of nutritious food and promote self-sufficiency. (e.g. social enterprises that support food security; community gardens; social profit enterprises with a focus on food security including training programs for unemployed, at-risk youth and single parents)

Important dates:

  1. Accepting applications until April 2, 2024
  2. Successful applicants will receive their grant by mid July 2024 and must use the funds as intended by January 31st of the year following the granting year
  3. A report must be submitted on the project by the end of February of the year following the granting year.

The funding is available to both Oxford and Middlesex counties (Ontario, Canada); therefore London Community Foundation and Oxford Community Foundation partner on the application intake and vetting process.  We are utilizing London Community Foundations application system for applications.  
To apply, go to:  Maple Leaf Community Fund Application

NOTE: Organizations whose mission substantially involves alignment with political campaigns (candidates); religious organizations; individual or for-profit businesses; or lobbying/advocacy groups are ineligible to apply.

 

OXFORD COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (OCF) GENERAL FALL GRANTING

About the grants:  OCF’s mission is to help make Oxford better.  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. These permanent funds help people invest in the community and in the causes they care about most.

AREAS WE FUND

 

Oxford Community Foundation is pleased to announce $27,824 available in 2023 in grants to support a wide variety of programs in Oxford County.

Of the $27,824 available, $11,323 has been allocated to specific areas as follows:

  1. $3,300 for the environment
  2. $2,000 for youth mental wellness
  3. $1,000 for Tillsonburg initiatives
  4. $1,000 for Norwich initiatives
  5. $2,523 for amateur sports and recreation
  6. $1,500 is available from one of our newest funds, the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce Fund, for not-for-profit and charitable organizations supporting these pillars:
    • Education for Small Business
    • Mental Health
    • Creation or Enhancement of Public Spaces
    • Initiatives that build a stronger Woodstock community.

The remaining $16,501 is available to support a wide range of community priorities including arts and culture, education, the environment, heritage, health and wellness, social and community services, throughout the eight municipalities in the county of Oxford.

TYPES OF INITIATIVES WE FUND

Projects that improve services for the public served by:

  1. Addressing of root causes through an innovative and practical approach to a problem contributing new understandings.
  2. Filling a gap in community programs or responses.
  3. Promoting collaboration and sharing among agencies.
  4. Strengthening organizational capacity or sustainability.

Examples of past grants made can be found on our website under the Grants & Bursaries “Past Recipients” tab and in our annual reports found under the “News & Media” tab.

CRITERIA

Grant applicants must make services available without discrimination.  Applications will be assessed without consideration of the gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, creed or disability of the applicant.   

Grants will not be recommended by the Grants Committee or approved by the Board of Directors where it is the opinion of the Committee or the Board of Directors that either the mission of the organization requesting the grant or the nature of the grant itself may not be conducive to community enhancement or which, on the contrary, may serve to foster division within the community.  The essential mandate of the Oxford Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the County of Oxford. 

ELIGIBILITY 

Organizations must be a qualified donee as defined under the Income Tax Act to be eligible. Examples of qualified donees include registered charities and municipalities. Your charitable registration number must be provided.  For more examples of qualified donees, please go to the CRA website

If you are not a registered charity, your organization may wish to establish a formal agency relationship with a registered Canadian charity who can act as your sponsor.  The registered charity must complete the application and provide their charitable registration number.

APPLICATION:  OCF 2023 Fall Survey

IMPORTANT DATES:

  1. August 21 -> September 28, 2023 at 4 p.m. – Applications Accepted
  2. November, 2023 – Notification of funding
  3. December, 2023 – Executions of agreements and disbursement of funds
  4. June 30, 2024 – project completion and reports due

STUDENT AWARDS

Thanks to caring and generous donors, awards will be distributed to Oxford County graduates as follows:

  • Joland Family Fund Bursary
  • WDDS Rosemary George DSW Bursary
  • Oxford Manufacturers Skills Development Bursary
  • George & Lorna Roberts Bursary
  • Pat & Barry Smith Leadership Award
  • Tyler Arts Athletic Team Player Award (IDCI)
  • Laurie Hawkins Bursary (IDCI)
  • Cassandra Hawkins Bursary (St. Mary’s)
  • Klosler Family Fund Bursary

Dates:  Accepting applications until May 1, 2024.   

Information about each award: 2024 OCF Student Awards

Application: 2024 OCF Student Awards Application

For questions or information, please contact us at info@oxfordcommunityfoundation.org or see your School’s Student Services Department.

COMMUNITY SERVICES RECOVERY FUND

Community Services Recovery Fund

Important Dates:
  • Jan 6 to Feb 21, 2023: Applications now closed
  • Feb 21 to May 12, 2023: Reviews completed
  • May 12 to 31, 2023:  Agreements and payments
  • May 12, 2023 to June 30, 2024: Project timeline and final reporting

Visit Community Services Recovery Fund for more information, the application guide and application portal.

 

 

 

Questions?  Please contact:   

Oxford Community Foundation 

226-667-6404
info@oxfordcommunityfoundation.org
447 Hunter Street, Woodstock, ON  N4S 4G7

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