Community programs for municipalities and local governments

Ranked programs

33 open, ongoing or intake-based programs, best score first.

1. Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF)

   Ministry of Infrastructure

   Formula-based funding for small, rural and northern municipalities for core infrastructure; $400 million to 423 communities in 2026.

   OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $10M
   50

   Top pick

2. Northern Ontario Resource Development Support (NORDS) Fund

   Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth

   Provides each of Northern Ontario's 144 municipalities an annual capital allocation to offset the impacts of resource development (forestry, mining, aggregates...

   OpenOntarioGrantsUp to $400K
   43

   Strong

3. Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF)

   Ministry of Sport

   $500 million cost-shared program to repair/upgrade existing sport and recreation facilities (Stream 1) and build new or signature facilities (Stream 2).

   OpenOntarioGrantsUp to $10M
   41

   Strong

4. FedNor - Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP)

   FedNor

   FedNor's NODP funds community economic development, SME business growth and a municipal/First Nation economic-development-officer initiative (CIINO) in Northern Ontario...

   OngoingFederalGrantsUp to $170K
   40

   Strong

5. NOHFC Enhance Your Community Program

   Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)

   Funds community infrastructure projects in Northern Ontario.

   OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $2M
   39

   Strong

6. NOHFC Rural Enhancement Program

   Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)

   Funds quality-of-life projects in rural Northern Ontario communities.

   OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $500K
   39

   Strong

7. Great Lakes Local Action Fund

   Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

   Project funding for community-based action that increases climate resilience and protects or improves water quality in the Great Lakes, including wetland, shoreline and...

   OpenOntarioGrantsUp to $100K
   38

   Strong

8. Municipal Energy Plan Program

   Ministry of Energy and Mines

   Funds Ontario municipalities to develop a new community energy plan (Stream 1) or update an existing energy plan (Stream 2). It does not fund implementing existing plans.

   OpenOntarioGrantsUp to $90K
   38

   Strong

9. Celebrate Canada Funding Program

   Canadian Heritage

   Funds community activities held on National Indigenous Peoples Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day.

   OpenFederalGrants
   36

   Worth a look

10. Commemorative Partnership Program (Community Engagement and Community War Memorials)

    Veterans Affairs Canada

    Funds remembrance initiatives and the construction, restoration or expansion of community war memorials. Several streams with year-round and fixed-deadline intakes.

    OpenFederalGrantsUp to $25K
    35

    Worth a look

11. Enabling Accessibility Fund - Express Workplace Accessibility Grant (EWAG)

    Employment and Social Development Canada (Service Canada)

    Funds immediate workplace accessibility updates that support hiring, retention or continued employment of persons with disabilities. Projects can remove barriers through...

    OpenFederalGrantsUp to $50K
    34

    Worth a look

12. Ontario Trillium Foundation: Grow Grant

    Ontario Trillium Foundation

    Multi-year funding for established non-profits to scale proven community programs.

    OpenOntarioGrantsUp to $200K
    34

    Worth a look

13. NOHFC Community Events Program

    Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)

    Funds events that promote economic development in Northern Ontario.

    OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $15K
    32

    Worth a look

14. Fire Protection Services Reimbursement: Unincorporated Ontario

    Ministry of the Solicitor General

    Reimburses municipalities for providing emergency response services (collisions, hazmat, structure fires, rescue and more) in unincorporated areas of Ontario between...

    OpenOntarioGrants
    30

    Worth a look

15. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program - Events component

    Canadian Heritage

    Funds community events that promote intercultural or interfaith understanding, discuss multiculturalism and racism, or celebrate a community's history and culture such...

    OpenFederalGrants
    29

    Worth a look

16. FedNor - Build Communities Strong Fund, Local Impact Stream (Northern Ontario)

    FedNor

    Non-repayable funding for shovel-ready community projects in Northern Ontario that deliver public benefits.

    Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $1M
    28

    Worth a look

17. Indigenous Transportation Initiatives Fund for Indigenous Communities and Organizations

    Ministry of Transportation

    The Indigenous Transportation Initiatives Fund (ITIF) is an application-based funding program for Indigenous communities and organizations pursuing...

    OpenOntarioGrants
    28

    Worth a look

18. Ontario Transit Investment Fund (OTIF)

    Ministry of Transportation

    Time-limited, application-based funding for up to 5 years to support the start-up and growth of transit services, especially in smaller and rural communities.

    OpenOntarioGrants
    28

    Worth a look

19. Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy

    Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    A community-based program funding projects that prevent and reduce homelessness in urban, Indigenous, territorial and rural and remote communities, with decisions made...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    28

    Worth a look

20. Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Program

    Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA)

    Cost-share for rural economic development: plans, diversification, workforce, events, community infrastructure and rural small business.

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $250K
    26

    Worth a look

21. Ontario Trillium Foundation: Capital Grant

    Ontario Trillium Foundation

    Funding for equipment, renovation and capital projects of non-profits.

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $200K
    24

    Long shot

22. Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension (BCWA) Grant

    Ministry of the Solicitor General

    One-year 2026-27 grant to help police services strengthen bail compliance monitoring and warrant apprehension, with a focus on high-risk individuals. Funds dedicated...

    OpenOntarioGrants
    23

    Long shot

23. Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage - Local Festivals

    Canadian Heritage

    Funds local festivals that celebrate local arts and heritage and encourage community engagement.

    Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $200K
    23

    Long shot

24. Road Safety Initiatives Fund (RSIF)

    Ministry of Transportation

    Funding for municipalities that used automated speed enforcement to adopt other safety measures in school zones and community safety zones: traffic calming, signage and...

    OpenOntarioGrants
    22

    Long shot

25. Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative

    Canada Water Agency

    Supports local action to restore Great Lakes Areas of Concern, prevent toxic and nuisance algae, protect coastal wetlands, reduce harmful chemicals and increase...

    OpenFederalGrants
    21

    Long shot

26. Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF)

    Canadian Heritage

    Supports improving physical conditions for arts, heritage and creative innovation, including renovation projects and the acquisition of specialized equipment for...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    20

    Long shot

27. Community Wildland Fire Protection Planning Grant (formerly Ontario FireSmart Communities Grant)

    Ministry of Natural Resources

    Invitational, limited grant supporting hazard forest mapping and Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans for organized municipalities in Ontario's legislated fire...

    OpenOntarioGrants
    20

    Long shot

28. FedNor - Economic Development Initiative (EDI), Northern Ontario

    FedNor

    Funds projects that encourage economic growth in Northern Ontario's Francophone communities and that capitalize on economic opportunities made possible through the use...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    20

    Long shot

29. National Cost-Sharing Program for Heritage Places

    Parks Canada

    Cost-shares conservation and presentation work at national historic sites, heritage lighthouses and heritage railway stations through annual calls for project proposals.

    OpenFederalGrants
    20

    Long shot

30. Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF)

    Canadian Heritage

    Financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series, and to presenter support organizations; supports about 800...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    17

    Long shot

31. Museums Assistance Program (MAP)

    Canadian Heritage

    Supports heritage institutions and workers to preserve and present heritage collections, with components for Indigenous Heritage, Access to Heritage, Exhibition...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    15

    Long shot

32. Environmental Damages Fund (EDF)

    Environment and Climate Change Canada

    Funds projects that benefit Canada's natural environment in restoration, environmental quality improvement, research and development, and education and awareness, using...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    14

    Long shot

33. Federal Lands Initiative (CMHC)

    Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

    Transfers or leases surplus federal lands and buildings to eligible housing providers at discounted or no cost for development into affordable, accessible...

    Intake-basedFederalOther incentives
    6

    Long shot

Questions

How many community programs for municipalities and local governments are open right now?

Of the 81 community programs for municipalities and local governments in our database, 25 are open or ongoing and 8 take applications only in intake windows. The rest are closed, paused or of unknown status, so they are not ranked on this page. Counts reflect our last check on Nov 4, 2026; programs can change without notice.

What is the largest published amount among these programs?

Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) publishes the largest figure on this page, shown as "Up to $10M". Published figures are program maximums, caps or limits, not what an applicant should expect to receive; many programs pay a share of eligible costs and amounts depend on your project and eligibility.

Which community programs for municipalities and local governments rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (50, Top pick), Northern Ontario Resource Development Support Fund (43, Strong), Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (41, Strong). The score combines the size of the published amount, how much work an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify.

Do I have to pay this money back?

It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 25 open or ongoing programs here, 25 are in our Grants category, 0 are loans and 0 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

10 of the 25 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 15 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.

Is this an official government website?

No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.