Toronto's Vital Signs Grants
Now accepting applications
Apply by Friday, May 8 at 5:00PM EDT
By investing in community organizations that build up connections and trust across differences, Toronto Foundation is focusing on one of the city’s most important vital signs: social cohesion. This is the focus of the 2026 Toronto's Vital Signs Grants. We do this by investing in community organizations that:
- Bring different people together to share ideas and experiences and collaborate on common problems.
- Create opportunities for meaningful face-to-face engagement.
- Prioritize inclusion, diversity and equity, and intentionally cultivate inclusive and respectful group dynamics.
The grant and eligibility
The 2026 Toronto’s Vital Signs Grants is a one-time grant that will support community-led work that strengthens social cohesion in Toronto. These grants support organizations with annual revenue under $500,000 that are community-led and bottom-up, especially by equity-deserving and Indigenous communities.
Eligible applicants include registered charities, incorporated nonprofits and charities partnering with grassroots groups.
Before submitting your application, please review the Applicant Guide in full. Here you’ll find:
- Grant program details
- Full eligibility requirements
- Instructions for each application method
- Frequently asked questions
A total of $300,000 is available to fund. Eligible organizations can apply for a maximum of $15,000.
We’ve created a video summary of the application details and process. Watch the video here.
We will also host three virtual office hour sessions to answer questions (ie: grant focus and eligibility), sign-up below.
How to submit an application
There are three application forms, one for each organization type. Please choose the form that best matches your organization.
Applicants may submit their application in written format, by video, orally or by ASL interpretation. Only one application submission per organization will be accepted.
Registered charities
Incorporated nonprofits
Charities partnering with grassroots groups
Key dates
Monday, April 13, 2026: Application portal opens.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 10AM: Virtual office hour session for incorporated nonprofits. Sign up here.
Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 3PM: Virtual office hour session for charities partnering with grassroots groups. Sign up here.
Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 11AM: Virtual office hour session for all applicants. Sign up here.
Friday, May 8, 2026: Application portal closes at 5:00 PM EDT.
May through June 2026: Application review and selection period.
Late June 2026: Successful applicants are notified. We review a high number of applications and, while we aim to be transparent in our process, we are not able to provide individual feedback to all applicants.
August 2026: Funding is disbursed, and projects can begin.
August 2027: Projects completed
Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Toronto’s Vital Signs Grants.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Phylicia Davis-Wesseling at grants@torontofoundation.ca