United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) is launching our Community Real Estate initiative. The Community Real Estate Initiative aims to sustain not-for-profit (NFP) organizations in the pursuit of their missions by enabling control over their locations through ownership and public partnerships, providing sustainable community space. UWGT interventions will:
- Protect not-for-profit organizations from market pressure, making them more resilient to displacement to ensure communities have sustainable access to the services to address local poverty and needs.
- Empower not-for-profit organizations and UWGT to expand their ownership of real estate assets to improve long-term sustainability of the sector across the GTA and meet emerging demand for community services in high growth communities.
The Key Elements of the Community Real Estate Initiative Includes:
- Enabling the development of 10 new community hubs across the GTA to meet increasing demand for community services.
- Supporting the ownership, revitalization and securing of long-term sustainable community service spaces, through alternative financing solutions including loans and grants
- Building community sector capacity and expertise in real estate, to support organizations in developing, leasing, owning and operating social purpose real estate.
As part of this long-term vision, UWGT is currently inviting applications for our 2024 Expanding Community Service Space Capital Grant. These grants are intended to support the work of community service organizations by increasing and enhancing community service space capacity in locations that are not-for-profit owned or in partnership with public and not-for-profit institutions. UWGT is also interested in supporting mixed use projects where assets can be used to create deeply affordable housing and community service space.
Project Objectives
The program objectives of UWGT’s capital grants are to enable pre-development and project implementation across not-for-profit real estate projects.
- Enable pre-development work on the acquisition, development or renovation of community service space. This will support costs related to the early stages of project development and may include “soft costs” related to pre-construction activities including consultant fees, pre-construction design, surveys, and feasibility studies.
- Enable small capital project implementation through fit out of newly acquired community service space or redevelopment of existing sites to expand service delivery and capacity. Projects cost may include “hard costs” like mechanical, electrical and plumbing.
Funded projects that align with UWGT’s mission and vision to support community services that address poverty will be prioritized. Projects applying for capital project implementation should be in NFP owned facilities or in partnership with public institutions. Collaborative initiatives that enhance service coordination and connect community services to affordable housing are encouraged, with priority given to projects that include the following:
Project Priorities
- The project aligns with UWGT’s mission to address poverty;
- The project will create environmentally and financially sustainable community space that will be protected for an extended period of time;
- The project will take place on sites owned by not-for-profit organizations;
- The project will be completed within a reasonable timeframe from the receipt of the grant and demonstrates funding readiness;
- The project will address unmet needs in specific geographic areas or populations;
- The project involves multiple partners and promotes coordination community of services;
- The project will create or enable mixed-use development including housing and community services
Is my organization eligible?
To be eligible your organization must meet the following criteria. Please note that priority will be given to community service organizations that have been funded by UWGT within the past 2 years or organizations that have participated in the School of Cities Accelerator Program.
- Be an incorporated not-for-profit organization and/or registered as a charity by the Canada Revenue Agency
- Have a signed audited financial statement or a review engagement (for organizations with budgets under $100,000) that has been conducted by a licensed public accountant for the calendar year 2023 or fiscal year 2023/2024.
- Have been in operation for at least 24 months
- Provide services out of a physical location in one or more of the following geographic areas: Peel Region, Toronto, or York Region
- Provide services out of an not-for-profit owned location or space leased from a public institution or non-profit organization
- Provide services to people living in, or at risk of poverty
- Provide social or community services as your primary mandate
- Is a UWGT funded agency or SPRE Accelerator Program participant
- For-profit organizations
- Full-day childcare
- Government or government agencies, boards, or commissions as primary recipients (projects may be in partnership with these organizations)
- Hospitals and long-term-care facilities as primary recipients (projects may be in partnership with these organizations)
- Grant-making foundations
- Individuals
- Organizations that could be deemed discriminatory, as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code
- Organizations whose purpose is solely related to political activity, as defined by the Canada Revenue Agency
- Organizations without a clear demarcation between religious and community service functions as evidenced in the organization’s by-laws, articles of association or letters patent
- Organizations without a head office or program service location in Peel Region, Toronto, or York Region
- Professional Associations
- Residential facilities that are licensed and regulated under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act and funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
- Residential facilities that are funded or managed by Corrections Canada
- Residential facilities under the Homes for Special Care Act
- Retirement homes regulated by the Retirement Homes Act
- Services mandated by the Child, Youth and Family Services Act
- Unions
The Expanding Community Service Space Capital Grant will fund projects for the following streams:
- Pre-development work for large and small capital projects (e.g., consulting, feasibility studies, architectural drawings, etc.)
- Large capital projects: $3,500,000 or more in anticipated construction cost
- Small capital projects: $3,500,000 or less in anticipated construction costs
- Is anticipated to be completed within 5 years of receiving funds
- Implementation and construction of small capital projects (e.g., construction costs, furniture, fixtures and equipment)
- Small capital projects: $3,500,000 or less in anticipated construction costs
- Will be completed within 24 months of receiving funds.
- Projects must be located on a property owned by a not-for-profit or by a public institution (municipal government, public agency, etc.).
- Projects must include a community service space component and will result in the expansion and/or enhancement of community services.
The Expanding Community Service Space Capital Grant will NOT fund projects if:
- The project is located in a property that is leased in the private market (i.e., the project is located in a retail storefront owned by a for profit landlord)
- The project is located in a property with legal claims against it. (please note, property and title searches will be conducted to ensure eligibility)
Definitions
- Predevelopment Work: These are costs related to the early stages of project development and may include “soft costs” related to pre-construction activities including consultant fees, pre-construction design, surveys, and feasibility studies.
- Small Capital Implementation Costs: These are costs primarily associated with the physical construction of the proposed capital project including but not limited to foundations, wall assembly, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, finishes, furniture, fixtures and equipment.
- Community Service Space: Is non-residential space, that is used to support programming, service provision, events and agency operations.
How much can I apply for?
Funding Term:
Up to 2 years (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2027)
Funding Range:
- $50,000 – $250,000 per project
- Applicants may apply for more than one project, however it is unlikely that more than one project will be funded per organization, given the limited amount of funding.
How will my application be assessed?
All applications will be reviewed by committees comprised of UWGT staff, volunteers, and sector experts. The review committees will select eligible proposals that meet the assessment criteria, demonstrate evidence-based outcomes, and drive UWGT’s strategic priorities to meet community needs across Peel Region, Toronto, and York Region. The review committees may request further information from applicants.
Applicants will be notified of decisions in March 2025. Funding contracts will commence on April 1, 2025.
Assessment Criteria
Community Benefit and Alignment
- Organizational alignment with the overarching purpose of our funding with a demonstrated focus on poverty alleviation.
- Clear description of the specific project opportunities: numbers of people to be served by expansion, services at risk of displacement that will be protected, additional programming to be offered, improved quality of service, improved ability to reach structurally disadvantaged groups or other related impacts.
- In-person access for people living in neighbourhoods and/or geographies with high concentrations of poverty; limited community service infrastructure or projects that protect community space in neighbourhoods
- Ability of program or initiative to address populations living in poverty who face systemic barriers to equal access, opportunities, and resources due to disadvantage and discrimination. Examples include Indigenous peoples, Black peoples, racialized peoples, women, the 2SLGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities.
- Projects that support the development of deeply affordable housing and community services will receive special consideration
Project Budget
- The project budget is clear and identifies specific needs for UWGT funding
- Budget is appropriate, reasonable and demonstrates contributions from other sources of funds or sufficient guaranteed funds to effectively implement the project
- Projects must demonstrate cost due diligence through a competitive bidding process for applicable predevelopment work and construction budgets
- Construction budgets should be broken down by divisions and include payment schedules
Agency Capacity to Deliver the Project
- Demonstrated history of working with the population to be served. Culturally reflective services will be strongly considered.
- Demonstrated basic organizational health: good governance; financial management and oversight; compliance with human resource policies and practices; and risk management.
- Demonstrated ability to steward UWGT funding, including a record of timely and accurate reporting to funders.
- Where the organization leading the project has policies in place to guide reconciliation, equity and inclusion
- Where the organization leading the project has demonstrated community representation at the Board, senior management, and/or staff levels
- Where the project or organization lead is focused on supporting Black, Indigenous and other structurally disadvantaged communities
- Support from the partners for collaborative applications, this can include letters of support.
Project Plan and Feasibility
- A clear project plan that provides details on the following will need to be provided:
- Project overview, tasks, key deliverables, milestones and objectives
- Detailed project budget and financing planDetailed operating plan
- Detailed risk matrix with mitigations
- Details on the management team and coordination plan for work to be completed
- Details on existing key project stakeholders and partners at the time of application (i.e., Funders, consultants, construction manager, etc.).
- Project plans must be feasible and in a prepared state of readiness, demonstrating a likelihood of success.
- Small capital implementation projects where existing zoning is in place or the rezoning process underway will be prioritized.
- Sites owned by community service organizations and public/non-profit partnership will be prioritized.
Impact Measurement & Evaluation
- A plan to monitor and evaluate project impacts is provided
- An evaluation of organizational learning will be provided
- Evidence of connection between project design and identified objectives or impacts
- Measurable outputs and impacts relevant to the funding request. For example, measurable impacts can include the following:
- Square footage of community real estate acquired, preserved or constructed
- Percent increase and number of visitors accessing community services space
- Additional program or service offerings and/or hours provided
- Number of residents accessing services that reflect target demographics
How do I apply?
Deadline: January 10, 2025 by 5:00 pm.
You will be required to complete your application in SurveyMonkey Apply (SMA). Paper applications will not be accepted. The application will take time to be completed and can be saved and returned to at any point. Please submit one application per project if your organization is seeking funding for more than one project.
Contact us at communityrealestate@uwgt.org if you would like to receive the questions in an alternative format.
The full application is accessible through a web-based platform compliant with Accessibility for Ontarians Disability Act.
If you face any barriers in accessing the platform or require a different format for the application, please contact communityrealestate@uwgt.org.
Important Dates
| Information Sessions: | November 20, 2024, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
| Application Deadline: | January 10, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. |
| Notification of Decisions: | March 2025 |
| Commencement of Funding Contracts: | April 1, 2025 |
How can I get more information?
Information session
United Way Greater Toronto will hold a virtual information session on November 20, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Contact Us
Still have questions? Please send us an email at communityrealestate@uwgt.org and our team will get back you!
Note: Phone support can be provided via a platform with live captioning and can be scheduled during the day and early evening.