Application process opens January 6, 2025
Starting with the 2025 grant year, the City of Penticton will collaborate with the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen to administer their municipal grants program. This partnership aims to streamline the application process, improve efficiency, and ensure strategic allocation of resources.
Municipal grant funds will be allocated annually to the Community Foundation based on City Council’s priorities and will focus on areas such as Arts, Culture & Heritage, Health, Safety & Social Services, Parks, Recreation & Sports, and Community Events. Evaluation of grants will remain focused on providing community value, aligning with City priorities, and meeting the needs of the service or event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read these FAQs carefully. If your question is not answered here, please contact grants@cfso.net for further help.
Which City grants programs will the Community Foundation deliver?
The Community Foundation will manage delivery of both the City’s Municipal Grants and Special Events Grants programs.
Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Charities and non-profits are welcome to submit an application. The Community Foundation will adhere to the eligibility criteria set out in the following City policies:
Please note that the dates set out in the “Policy Conditions” section of these documents pertain to previous year’s offerings of the program.
The timing of the City grants cycle has shifted this year. Is this a permanent change?
The timing will only shift for this current cycle. The 2026 application window will open in Fall 2025 as part of the CFSOS regular grant cycle. This will become the standard timeframe moving forward.
My organization is not based in Penticton. Can we be considered for a Municipal grant?
Yes – as long as you are able to demonstrate direct benefit for Penticton residents through your program. Funding is usually scaled according to the percentage of that benefit. For example, if Penticton receives a 25% program benefit, funding would likely be limited to 25% of program expenses, unless you are able to demonstrate that the services provided are severely lacking and needed in Penticton.
Your application should also show your intention to apply for funding from other jurisdictions that will benefit from the program.
My organization has an existing agreement with the City that provides funding for our event/project/program. How will this relationship be impacted by the change?
The City will continue to provide ongoing funding to groups that they have previous agreements with. In addition, the City may choose to provide additional ongoing funding to new groups in a given year. These groups will work directly with the City rather than the Community Foundation.
My organization requests in-kind support from the City. How will these requests be handled now?
Requests for in-kind support will now be included as part of your application’s total financial request. The process now looks like this:
- Applicants will verify the costs of in-kind requests through the City.
- They will include and itemize the amount(s) required to pay for those requests in their application budget.
- If successful with their application, the applicant will pay the City directly for the in-kind support using the funds granted for that purpose.
Will the change impact our plans to also seek funding through the Community Foundation’s grant programs?
Yes and no. The main difference is that you will only submit one application to the Community Foundation. In the past you may have planned to ask the City for $10,000 and the Foundation for $5,000. Going forward you would ask the Foundation for $15,000. Note that you are not going to ask for $15,000 specifically from City grant funding—just $15,000 for your project. The Foundation will then make a grant from its pool of available funds in the most efficient way possible.
Will the City grants application process be different with the Community Foundation now administering the program? (portal, form, etc.)
Applicants will now use the Community Foundation’s grant portal to apply for a City grant. The City and the Foundation use the same software platform for grant administration, so the Foundation’s application portal will feel familiar.
For the 2025 grant cycle, we have not made any significant changes to the City grants application forms. There may be some minor differences that we’re confident you will find easy to navigate.
When will the application forms be available?
You can access the Municipal and Special Events grants application forms on the Community Foundation’s grant portal starting Monday, January 6, 2025. Click the button on the top of this page to get started! Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
Will I have to create a new user account in the Community Foundation’s grant system?
If you have applied for a grant from the Community Foundation before, you will be able to use your existing user credentials to apply for a City grant. We were not able to transfer log in credentials from the City’s grant system, so if you are new to the Community Foundation’s grant system, you will have to create a new profile.
To do so, simply visit the system landing page, click on “Create New Account” link, and follow the instructions. If you run into trouble, contact grants@cfso.net for help.
Okay! I’m signed in to the Community Foundation’s portal. What’s next?
Once you sign in, you will be taken to your Applicant Dashboard. Click on the Apply link at the top left of the page:
In the Apply tab, look for either of the following titles in the program list, depending on the grant you wish to apply for. These should be the only active grant cycles available:
- 2025 Municipal Grants: City of Penticton
- 2025 Special Event Grants: City of Penticton
Follow the appropriate link to enter the application of your choice.
I have further questions. Who can I contact?
Please send an e-mail to grants@cfso.net. One of our team members at the Community Foundation will be happy to help.
