Application intake now closed for Investment Readiness Program
The Investment Readiness Program (IRP) is designed to help social enterprises explore, grow and flourish across the country as they unlock solutions to pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges. The Program is supporting social purpose organizations as they recover from the pandemic and build more resilient communities for the future.
IRP funds can be used to research, launch, design, measure, and scale up social enterprises to achieve an organization’s sustainability plan to take on investment in the future.
Social Purpose Organizations — including charities, non-profits, co-ops and for-profits — that have an idea or an existing project that fits the description of a social enterprise may be eligible to apply. The program can provide $10,000 to $75,000 to create, manage, and expand social enterprises in order to get ready to accept investment. Applications were accepted through two funding streams:
- Explore stream – $10,000 – $25,000; or,
- Stabilize and Build stream – $30,000 – $75,000.
Applicant Resources
- IRP Program Guide
- IRP Application Template – note: all applications must be submitted through the SMApply portal, linked above
- IRP Budget Template
- IRP One-Pager
- IRP Glossary of Terms
- IRP Applicant Webinar (recorded)
For questions and inquiries, please contact irp@theocf.org.
Previously Supported Projects
In the first funding round, the Oakville Community Foundation and its Regional Partners have awarded over $715,550 in funding to 23 organizations. Funding details are included in our release.
Read our Press Release for Round 1 Results
The Partnership’s second allocation will support 19 social purpose organizations (SPOs) with $719,965 in non-repayable capital. Funding details are included in our release.
Read our Press Release for Round 2 Results
More About the Golden Horseshoe Partnership
The Oakville Community Foundation is the lead partner of the Golden Horseshoe Partnership. We are a consortium of eight Community Foundations – Brampton and Caledon Community Foundation, Brant Community Foundation, Burlington Foundation, Community Foundation of Halton North, Hamilton Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Mississauga, Niagara Community Foundation – and Sheridan College, a leading post-secondary institution with three campuses in the Halton-Peel region.
