The Spring Grant

We will notify all applicants of their application status. Here is an overview of the timeline:
‍
July 14, 2024: Applications close.
August 14, 2024: All applicants are notified of their status.
August 28, 2024: Successful applicants must submit program documents and banking information.
September 2024: Funds are sent to successful applicants.

We want you to share your unique story, including your goals and the barriers you've faced to achieve them. We recommend highlighting the following as you complete your application:

1. Barriers to advancement you've experienced; these can be either societal challenges or difficult personal circumstances.

• Examples include (but are not limited to): low income background; discrimination based on disability, racial or cultural background, or other forms of marginalization; personal hardship.

2. How you demonstrate self-determination, meaning that you:

• Show discipline, consistency and commitment to your goals.
• Can provide examples of tenacity and perseverance to achieve your goals and overcome specific circumstances.
• Can provide examples of participation in educational and professional activities to advance towards specific goals.

3. Articulate your goals, including:

• Have clear objectives and an understanding of steps required for achievement, including how the grant will support.
• An explanation of achievement of this goal will support long-term success.
• How attaining this goal contributes to the betterment of your network, community or society in general.

The grant can be used to fund activities in education, employment, or the arts. Recipients have used the grant to attend global conferences, obtain career-specific training, and create entrepreneurial and creative arts projects. Some additional ways funding can be used includes, but is not limited to:

Education

• Post-secondary education courses
• Learning and networking opportunities
• Training programs
• Leadership courses
• Learning tools (such as laptops, textbooks, and other materials)

Employment and Entrepreneurship

• Professional learning and networking opportunities
• Leadership programs
• Technical training or certification courses
• Team or community projects related to employment goals
• Association membership fees
• Fellowship programs

Arts

• Tools/supplies (such as art equipment, musical instruments)
• Skills development programs
• Association membership fees
• Costs associated with a studio or working space

If your application is successful and you are selected as a recipient, we will confirm the total you will receive from Spring and your required contribution (as indicated in your application).

After receiving your banking information and proof of your contribution (via a bank statement or screengrab), the money will be transferred directly to your bank account to manage on your own.

About five months after you receive the grant, our team will reach out to you to complete a brief report to gather data on the grant's impact and have a conversation to hear about your progress in achieving your goals.

We don't require your project to last six months; we understand your goal may take more or less time to achieve. We ask that you start implementing your plan within the six months after you receive your grant. This might be attending a one-day event, a semester-long course, or the start of something bigger. If you don't plan to start implementing within six months, we ask you to apply for the grant at a later date.

If your plan changes after you submit your application, let us know! We're open to discussing with you to understand what your new plan looks like.

For this type of funding, the CRA mandates that you contribute a small percentage of the total funds requested.

You will select the contribution percentage that makes sense for you (between 1-25%). The contribution amount you select will have no impact on the success of your application.

No, Spring funding is exempt from income calculations for recipients who are also part of the Ontario Disability Support Program or are receiving Ontario Works payments.

You can use your chosen or preferred name on your application, and we affirm your identity. However, your legal name will be required in the program documents.

You must be living in Ontario, but you do not need to be Canadian to apply for Spring. Should your application be successful, we will need you to provide an account with a Canadian bank to receive funds and SIN number (either permanent or temporary) for tax purposes.

Yes, but restrictions apply. Previously successful applicants can re-apply and are eligible to receive the Spring Grant funding once per calendar year, up to 3 times.

Submittable is a secure and trusted grant management platform that Cannonbury Foundation is using to manage the grant process. As an applicant, you must create an account with Submittable to apply. Once you have an account, you can access the grant application, save your progress, and view status updates. Should your application be successful, Submittable will also be used to collect grant documents and reporting.