The York Region Tourism Fund, established in 2022, aims to enhance tourism across York Region by encouraging visitations and participations at local events. The Fund also encourages strong partnerships between different organizations in the York Region tourism sector.
2025 funding has been fully-allocated and applications are now closed for this year.
Funds of up to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00 CAD) per project will be available to support community-based tourism events. Funding requests will be considered and allocated based on evaluation from the Fund Review Committee on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The number of organizations selected will be determined by the strength of applicant pool and the availability of funding. Funding must be used to complement and leverage other resources (cash and in-kind support such as donations, volunteers) to support the project.
Consideration will be given to new projects that meet the following objective: delivery of events, product packages and thematic campaigns that support tourism arts and culture in York Region.
Registered charitable organizations and non-profit/not-for-profit organizations are eligible to apply for this fund. This includes but is not limited to, local municipalities, business improvement areas, chambers of commerce, boards of trade, destination marketing organizations, arts associations, community groups, etc.
Organizations must meet the following criteria in order to receive funding:
Collaborations between organizations is encouraged. At least one partner must meet the eligibility criteria. Organizations must submit only one application form.
Collaborative applications with two or more eligible organizations will be considered, however only one organization must serve as the applicant. Collaborative proposals should clearly define roles of each organization and any funding amounts to be transferred by the applicant to the collaborator.
The following organizations are not eligible for funding:
Project budget requested for funding can not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00 CAD). Funding can only be used for eligible direct personnel and non-personnel project costs for the proposed project. Eligible projects will be funded up to 50 per cent of the total costs of the project to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00 CAD).
DIRECT PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONNEL PROJECT COSTS
Direct personnel costs for delivery, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project:
Direct Non-Personnel Costs:
Restricted & Ineligible Costs:
Applications will not be considered for the following:
Applicants are required to identify all funding sources in their project budget in their application.
The application process includes two stages:
Please Note:
The Preliminary Application form involves completing the following:
Section 1: Contact Information: Organization/Community Group
Provide the name and contact details of your charity or non-profit/not-for-profit organization.
Section 2: Contact Information: Project Lead Contact
Provide the name and contact details of the individual that will be your organization’s key contact and project lead for this project.
Section 3: Contact Information: Signing Authority Contact
Provide the name and contact details of the person from your organization who has signing authority for legal documents related to this application and proposed project. All contact information will be used for funding application purposes only.
Section 4: Project Information
Provide a title/name for the proposed project; the specific location(s) where the project will take place; and the start and end date of the project. All approved projects are expected to be completed by December 31, 2025.
Section 5: Project Summary
This section should provide an overview of your proposed project. This should include:
A. Problem Statement: Highlight the specific issue that you are aiming to address and outline the ways in which your proposed project will help.
B. Project Goal: State what you hope to accomplish by the end of this project.
C. Project Objectives: Outline the SMART objectives that your project will aim to meet as you move towards the ultimate project goal.
D. Target Audience: Identify the specific community or group you hope to impact through the proposed project. Define that target audience by highlighting relevant characteristics of this group, including but not limited to demographics, values, attitudes and behaviours, geographic area(s) of the target audience. Additionally, provide the number of people that will be impacted by your project.
Section 6: Project Delivery
The answers in this section should clearly explain why your organization/community group is well-suited to deliver this project. Here you will also explain how the project will be delivered by identifying who else is working with you and what their role in the project will be.
You will also be required to outline the proposed work plan (a summarized version) by listing the key steps required to carry out your project.
A. What skills, expertise, experience and accomplishments make your community group/organization well-suited to deliver this project?
For this question, consider the following:
B. Identify all stakeholders in the proposed project and how each of them will be involved in its delivery.
Define the following groups and explain the specific role each group will play in your project:
C. List the key steps your group/organization will take to deliver your project.
Outline your proposed project work plan by listing the key steps that will be taken in delivering your project as well as the related actions and activities for each step. Your work plan outline should provide a clear picture of how the estimated amount of funding needed for your project will be used.
Section 7: Project Impact
Explain the potential impacts and outcomes of your proposed project, how your group/organization expects to measure and quantify these impacts and how those results satisfy the objectives of the YRTF program.
A. What are the intended impacts and/or outcomes of the proposed project?
Outline the expected results of your proposed project. The project outcomes should be specific, measurable and relevant to the project and the objectives of the YRTF program. Include anticipated short and long-term results.
B. How will your group/organization measure (quantitatively and/or qualitatively) these impacts and/or outcomes?
Explain how you will monitor and evaluate the success of the project’s delivery. Discuss the different methods, strategies and techniques you will use to capture both qualitative and quantitative data.
C. How do the intended impacts and or/outcomes align with the objectives of the York Region Tourism Fund?
Describe how the intended outcomes of your project satisfy one or more of the core objectives of the York Region Tourism Fund as outlined in the ‘Fund Objectives’ section of this Application Guidelines document.
D. What are the potential risks to this project and how will these risks be mitigated?
Identify the potential issues that would threaten the delivery and success of the project. Highlight the steps that will be taken to lessen these risks.
Section 8: Budget Projection
Provide a preliminary evaluation of your proposed project budget. This is the sum of your funding request up to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) through the York Region Tourism Fund and any other funding sources your group/organization may be directing towards this project.
Other funding sources refer to monetary donations, other grants or funding your group/organization has been awarded for the proposed project or any financial contributions from any project partners that may be working with you. You should have additional funding sources of a minimum of 50% of eligible costs, as described under Eligible Project Costs above. Therefore, your total project budget should be the sum of your funding request and all other funding sources.
i. Other funding sources do not have to be confirmed at the time of the submission of the Preliminary Application. If you have or think you may have other funding sources, please indicate the agency or provider, the amount (approximate value if unknown) and whether or not the funding source has already been confirmed or is expected (i.e. your group/organization is in the process of applying/has applied and you are awaiting a decision).
However, if you are invited by the Region, in its sole discretion, to submit a Detailed Application, the other funding sources must be confirmed at the time of the submission of the Detailed Application. If the other funding sources are not confirmed at that time, your invitation to submit a Detailed Application will be withdrawn.
ii. List any in-kind donations or support that will be directed towards the project. In-kind contributions are the cash equivalent of goods or services (e.g. volunteer time) donated to the project. Only list in-kind donations or support that are confirmed at the time of submission of the Preliminary Application.
iii. Provide a breakdown of your proposed budget for each of the listed budget categories. Briefly outline the associated actions, activities and/or items that would fall into that category. Where the total dollar amount is unknown, please estimate the amount to the best of your ability. Fill out the funding request, other funding sources (if applicable) and total project budget columns accordingly.
If a certain budget category does not apply to your budget, enter N/A in the description. You may also add other budget categories as needed for your specific project.
Preliminary Application Submission Deadline: A minimum of two months prior to the event. Please complete the application form, save as .pdf and email a copy to edo@york.ca.
HARD COPY SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Please do not send a printed version of your application. Thank you for helping us reduce waste!
Disclaimer:
If the Region determines that a Preliminary Application is incomplete, the Region may reject the application in its sole discretion. The Region is not required to seek clarification or further information from any applicants.
The Region accepts no responsibility for any reason whatsoever, including computer system failures of either the Applicant or the Region’s service provider. If the Applicant is unable to submit its Preliminary Application before the Preliminary Application Submission Deadline, and the Applicant agrees that the Region shall have no liability for delays caused by internet/network traffic, degraded operation or failure of any computer system element, including, but not limited to, any computer system, power supply, telephone or data connection or system or software or browser of any type whatsoever.
It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that it can access and exchange data with the Region’s service provider’s computer systems electronically and that it allows sufficient time to successfully access and share data with the Region’s service provider’s computer systems, having regard to the possibility of delays caused by internet/network traffic.
Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring that they plan their access to the Region’s service provider’s computer/servers, so that the Applicants can reach the Region’s service provider’s computers/servers, and submit their Preliminary Applications, before the Preliminary Application Submission Deadline.
Next steps:
Role of the Fund Recipient:
Successful funding recipients will be required to submit a final report and evaluation of their project within two weeks of the end of the event/initiative. Evaluations will determine whether funding recipients have:
Funding recipients will be provided with standardized reporting requirements and will be required to enter into a written agreement in form and content satisfactory to the Region in its sole discretion as a condition of funding.
The Region will cancel the funding approval and will not advance funds to any recipient who refuses to enter into such an agreement. Funding recipients will also be asked to provide photos or video documentation of their project activities.
Acknowledgement of Funding:
Funding recipients must acknowledge the financial assistance provided by York Region in program materials and signage, including any promotional materials used in project activities. This requirement will be discussed in greater detail after a funding decision is made and incorporated into the above-mentioned agreement.
For questions or more information about the York Region Tourism Fund, please contact Charles Banfield, Manager, Strategic Economic Initiatives.
Annual event that brings visitors and tourists to the downtown core of the Town of Aurora.
An international sporting event attracting the best artistic swimmers from around the world that was held in Markham.
A vibrant outdoor gathering featuring polo matches, live music, and community festivities, all in support of Feed Ontario’s mission to combat food insecurity across the province.
A street food festival in Vaughan featuring over 25 food vendors, live entertainment, and culinary demos.
A self-guided event in East Gwillimbury and Newmarket where visitors explore local farms and shop for fresh, local food while enjoying a scenic countryside experience.
Celebrating its 175th anniversary, this family-friendly event features a demolition derby, livestock shows, midway rides, live entertainment and a celebration of rural traditions and community spirit.
Symphony under the Stars will feature a free concert from 40+ musicians from the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, a not-for-profit critically acclaimed orchestra based out of York Region.
A cycling event meant to showcase the beauty of King Township as a cycling destination, as well as raise the profile of businesses throughout the area.
A self-guided event that invites visitors to explore King Township’s charming villages and venues while discovering and purchasing unique works from local artists.
A scenic run or walk event held in Vaughan, blending fitness to support children with arthritis through fundraising for SickKids Hospital and the Dr. Bonnie Cameron Post-Secondary Scholarship.
An annual apple-picking event that is held on a scenic 100-acre farm in Stouffville.
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