Healthy Lands Guidelines
The health of Southern Ontario’s natural and working lands is threatened and subject to increasing pressure from industrial, urban and agro-industrial development. Our goal is to ensure its integrity through conservation that preserves biodiversity, supports sustainable working lands and nurtures community. Informed discussion and integrated thinking among a broad range of stakeholders is necessary to achieve this goal. Yet the current debate remains narrow in focus, contentious and obscure.
We believe that non-profit organizations are key to resolving difficult conservation issues in Southern Ontario. They are at the centre of the land-use debate through their policy analysis, community engagement and scientific research. They are promoting alternative visions and best practices that reflect deep ecological and social values. They are reaching out to diverse interests – citizens, business people, landowners, developers, farmers, aboriginal peoples, governments, community leaders – to find common ground and shared goals.
We want to assist these organizations in their work. The Healthy Lands program is designed to support organizations that are: exploring and developing innovative approaches to tackling tough land-use problems; actively seeking opportunities for ongoing dialogue, collaborative learning and reflection; and inspiring people and communities to contribute to positive change. Specifically we are interested in proposals that:
Make Connections – we are interested in supporting efforts that contribute to integrated thinking and action. Activities funded may include promoting urban-rural connections, advancing coordinated regional planning and encouraging collaboration among a broad range of diverse interests.
Inform the Conversation – the Foundation seeks to ensure that the conversation about human use of ecosystems and landscapes is informed at all levels. Activities funded may include examination of smart growth policies and practices, bioregional mapping, applied research and education on the importance of land-use and natural resource issues.
Strengthen Organizations – we acknowledge that organizational capacity is inextricably linked to effective program delivery and therefore needs to be nurtured at the same time. As such, we will consider supporting a number of organizations to increase the breadth and depth of their work by helping them to seize new opportunities or address chronic limitations.
Engage Communities – We are interested in fostering organizations’ efforts to engage their communities in their work and empower communities to act on issues and in processes that affect their lives. Activities funded may include assisting communities to develop a vision for their future, enhancing participation in public processes and providing communities with analysis, tools and technical expertise.
Who is eligible to apply?
As a charitable foundation registered with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation can only offer support to organizations with charitable status. If you have an idea that advances the goals and objectives of our program but your group does not qualify, please contact us. We may be able to offer support or assistance in other ways.
What is the application process?
The Foundation will review applications for the Environment Program twice annually, once in the spring and once in the fall. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Environment Program Director in advance to discuss their proposals. Applying to this program is a two-step process.
Step One - Letters of Interest
Interested organizations should first send a letter of inquiry to the Foundation. The letter should briefly outline the nature of the application the organization wishes to submit, as well as a work schedule, approximate budget and the amount being requested from the Foundation. The letter should not exceed 3 pages. Please complete and attach a Metcalf Application Cover Sheet to the front of your letter. Foundation staff will review letters of interest, and identify those proposals it wishes to pursue. Please provide two paper copies of the letter of interest, printed double-sided, and submit an electronic version in Word to: ruthr@metcalffoundation.com.
Step Two - Full Application
Based on the letters of interest, we will invite organizations to submit full applications. This is not a guarantee of funding. Those organizations invited to submit full proposals should develop an application not to exceed 6 pages containing:
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a short summary of the organization's objectives and history;
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a statement of your overall vision;
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a statement of your project goals and objectives including why they are important and how they contribute to your vision;
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the broader conservation and/or organizational context of the proposed initiative;
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a brief rationale for, and description of, project activities;
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a description of how your project activities contribute to making connections, informing the conversation, strengthening organizations and/or engaging communities;
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the anticipated short-term outcomes that will occur as a result of the activities you have undertaken and how you envision tracking your progress;
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the potential challenges and opportunities to achieving your project’s overall goal and how you plan to address any unforeseen factors that may arise as your project unfolds;
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what you want to learn from undertaking this project and how you envision doing this;
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a description of project team, project workplan and key partners.
In support of your 6-page application, you should also include:
- the Metcalf application cover page;
- brief bios of key project staff;
- a list of board members;
- a completed financial and statistical template with information on other sources of financing already secured or being sought and on a long-range financial strategy for supporting the project;
- the organization's most recent financial statements
A separate letter of introduction may be included. We do not encourage the inclusion of additional printed material, e.g. annual reports or newsletters. This material will not be forwarded to our advisory committee. Please note that we are unable to consider incomplete applications for funding. Please provide eleven paper copies of the proposal, printed double-sided, and submit an electronic version, in Word, to:
ruthr@metcalffoundation.com.
How will applications be assessed?
Applications will be reviewed by the Foundation’s Board and staff, assisted by an advisory committee from the community. Projects will be evaluated on the basis of:
- the organization's history and track record,
- the proposed activities' iteration of Metcalf Foundation's program goals,
- the organization’s readiness to undertake the proposed work,
- potential project results and likelihood of success,
- the potential to learn about new approaches and practice.
How will we learn from our work?
Successful applicants set indicators of success in partnership with the Foundation at the start of the grant. They meet annually with us, so we can jointly discuss how we will learn from our work and monitor progress and results. We will also host a group meeting of all successful applicants and seek opportunities for grantees to share their work and learnings more broadly.
We reserve the right to review our ongoing commitments if circumstances arise in which the project is unlikely to be realized. These circumstances could include failure to undertake activities or to meet goals as described in the proposal, the departure of senior leadership or severe financial difficulties.
Deadlines
Please see Deadlines.
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