Community Grants

Social Infrastructure

WRCF defines social infrastructure as the system of shared spaces, experiences, and resources that enable people to connect with each other, the bridges necessary to build trust and civic participation, to create a sense of belonging and wellbeing. It’s the system that enables sustainable widespread community development.

There is growing evidence that social infrastructure is associated with more social cohesion, and an improved sense of belonging and wellbeing. With our region on track to grow to over one million people by 2040, there needs to be a solid social infrastructure in place to “grow our community as our community grows.” If you want to learn more about social infrastructure, WRCF has a section of their website that includes articles, blogs, videos, and other resources for you to access here.

The Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) Community Grants program is focused on the ways that meaningful social interactions strengthen the social infrastructure within and across Waterloo Region. The activation of spaces through programming has the ability to bring people together to create engagement, opportunities for learning and growth, and improve social cohesion within and across communities.

In 2026, we have approximately $700,000 available to be distributed to organizations based in and serving Waterloo Region residents. Trinity United Church (Kitchener) is partnering with WRCF again in 2026 and is contributing funding. In addition, annually, we invite WRCF Fundholders, and other partners to financially support this work with us, and more funds may be provided. Last year, with their assistance, we were able to disburse approximately $1,000,000 to nonprofits through Community Grants.

Note: Approximately $500,000 of the funds available are from the WRCF Community Fund and are eligible to be distributed to activities located anywhere in Waterloo Region. $30,000 of the funds available are from the Cambridge Community Fund and are eligible to be distributed to activities located in Cambridge, and $80,000 of the funds are available through the North Dumfries Community Fund and are eligible to be distributed to activities located in North Dumfries.

 

About the 2026 Community Grants Program

WRCF’s Community Grants will address social infrastructure through grants that support applications that are developing, enhancing, or reinforcing activities that bring people together around shared interests in spaces that are publicly accessible, whether they are formal civic spaces like libraries and community centres, or informal gathering places like parks and public squares. All who use these spaces should feel welcome, respected, safe, and accommodated, regardless of who they are, where they come from or their abilities.

The activity that your organization applies for:

  • Will either:

    • Create opportunities for meaningful interactions among diverse groups that might not otherwise interact, creating opportunities for people to connect from different backgrounds and foster broader community ties, or

    • Leverage programming between two or more organizations that introduces people to new opportunities, skills, and members of the broader community. By working together, the organizations are able to share resources that link and support people in new ways, or

    • Establish or reinforce a network between organizations to increase the level of programming offered overall in community; share resources to augment services; or deliver a wider range of options for people to connect, learn, or have fun together, or

    • Support the enhancement of a shared space that is used by more than one organization with the ability for the enhancement to be linked directly to increased usage. 

  • Cannot be for a one-off activity; however, it can be a new idea that you are hoping to build upon. So, think of activities that you have in place already to connect and strengthen people that your organization supports, OR it can be the start of a new way to build meaningful relationships. Both fit the application criteria.

  • Must be able to show the connection between the proposed activity and strengthening social infrastructure locally.

See the Community Grants Application Guidelines, linked below, for more information.

 

Information Session: Community Grants

We hosted an information session on February 26, 2026, at 12:00 PM (EST). You will find a recording of the webinar below

As part of WRCF’s ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, we are working to deepen our relationships with Indigenous‑led and Indigenous-serving nonprofit organizations throughout Waterloo Region. To help advance this work, we intend to launch a pilot fund in Q3/Q4 2026 dedicated to supporting Indigenous‑led and Indigenous-serving organizations within the region. These organizations will be eligible to apply for this grant stream alongside any other WRCF grant opportunities. Additional information will be shared once finalized.

 

How can you apply?

Community Grants will be accepting applications between February 23, 2026 and March 30, 2026 at 3:00 PM (EST).  

Click here to apply
 

Guidelines to help you apply

  • Organizations receiving funding must be located in Waterloo Region and serving Waterloo Region

  • Applications will be accepted for two levels of grants:

    • Spark - $5,000 - $10,000 (Note: Requests below $5,000 will not be considered)

    • Scale - $10,001 - $30,000

  • Funding must be used for eligible expenses occurring between July 1, 2026 and August 31, 2027

  • Only one application per organization will be considered across three WRCF grant streams: Arts Grants, Community Grants, and Racial Equity Grants

  • Applicant organizations must be:

    • Registered charitable organizations;

    • Qualified donees recognized by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA); or

    • Nonprofit organizations working with a Charitable Partner that is a registered charitable organization or qualified donee

  • To determine if your organization is eligible, and to understand how the funding can be used, access the Application Guidelines (pdf)

  • Download a Budget Template (xls)

  • Download the application questions prior to applying, here: Application Questions (pdf)

  • Download the evaluation questions that you will complete if you receive funding, here: Evaluation (pdf)

  • If you are working with a Charitable Partner, download the WRCF Charitable Partnership Agreement form (pdf)

(Note: You have the option of submitting a verbal application. If you prefer to submit a verbal application, and/or need translation services, please contact grants@wrcf.ca no later than March 13, 2026 at 3:00 PM (EST) to set up a time to do this.)

To learn more about Community Grants, contact us at grants@wrcf.ca or 519-725-1806 x 206.

 
 
 
 

WRCF is dedicated to upholding professional, ethical, and regulatory standards as we work to deliver on our vision and mission, while staying true to our values. We expect partners and organizations we fund to share our commitment to these standards. By applying for funding through WRCF, you are indicating that your organization complies with the regulatory requirements to work with your population(s), and within the legal and ethical framework appropriate for your organization.

For other funding opportunities from Waterloo Region funders, please visit www.wrapply.ca

 

Here is a list of organizations that received support through Community Grants in 2025

 

  • A Better Tent City

  • Alison Neighbourhood Community Centre (Fiddlesticks Community Centre)

  • Ayr-Paris Band

  • Ayr Rockets Girls Hockey Association (Township of North Dumfries)

  • Ayr Summer Fun Hockey Skills Program (Township of North Dumfries)

  • Bereaved Families of Ontario - Midwestern Region

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Waterloo Region

  • Book Clubs for Inmates

  • Brain Injury Association Waterloo-Wellington

  • Brown's Community Park Committee (Township of North Dumfries)

  • Cambridge Public Library

  • Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health

  • Crow Shield Lodge

  • Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region

  • Family & Children's Services of the Waterloo Region Foundation

  • Freedom Centre

  • Greenway-Chaplin Community Centre

  • Hearts Open for Everyone (Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre)

  • Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp & Retreat Centre

  • HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre

  • Hospice Waterloo Region

  • Interfaith Counselling Centre

  • Kinbridge Community Association

  • North Dumfries Garden Club

  • Peace for All Canada (Conrad Grebel University College)

  • Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services

  • Preston Heights Community Group

  • Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington

  • rare Charitable Research Reserve

  • Reception House Waterloo Region

  • Sanguen Health Centre

  • Services and Housing In the Province

  • Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region

  • SHORE Centre

  • Social Development Centre Waterloo Region

  • Spectrum

  • Strong Start

  • The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery

  • The Literacy Group of Waterloo Region

  • The Working Centre

  • Tiny Home Takeout - St. Mary’s Parish

  • Waterloo Region ACORN (ACORN Institute Canada)

  • Waterloo Region Family Network

  • Wilmot & Wellesley Resource Centre

  • Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region

  • YMCA of Three Rivers

  • YWCA Cambridge

Note: Charitable organizations in brackets represent the charitable partner working in partnership with the non-qualified donee.