Council Initiatives Fund (CIF)
Learn about how to qualify and apply for the Council Initiatives Fund (CIF).
Eligibility criteria
- Organizations or individuals that are eligible to receive financial support or have received financial support in the year from other City sources (i.e. annual operating budget or other Grant Programs) for the proposed request, are not eligible to apply for CIF funding.
- CIF Funding will typically be for City Celebrations, Economic Development/Image Building Initiatives, and Community Projects. All CIF applications must fall into one of the following three categories:
- Residents in need
- Youth focused
- Free events open to the public (i.e. no admission fee)
- Qualifying applicants are eligible to submit one (1) CIF request per year.
- CIF Funding requests will be provided to organizations and/or individuals that are in good standing with all City bylaws and standards (i.e. FEST review, outstanding invoice review, etc.).
- The maximum funding amount per application is $10,000, with Council having the ability to make exceptions with simple majority support of Council.
Read the CIF policy
Refer to the Council Initiatives Fund (CIF) Utilization Policy adopted by City Council at the April 14, 2025 Regular Council Public Hearing for more information.
Apply for the grant
CIF applications will be considered four times a year, with a submission deadline for each intake.
New online application process
Applications can be submitted through our new online grant website.
Features of the new website
- Save draft applications
- Status tracking
- View past applications
Use a desktop or laptop computer to access the site—not a mobile device.
| Application Intake Session | Submission Deadline | Council Meeting | Event / Initiative Start Date |
| Intake # 1 | January 31 | March | April 1 onwards |
| Intake # 2 | April 30 | June | July 1 onwards |
| Intake # 3 | July 31 | September | October 1 onwards |
| Intake # 4 | October 31 | December | January 1 onwards |
Application submission
Submit your completed application through the online grant website before the submission deadline of the applicable intake session for your event or initiative.
Contact
If you need further assistance, contact [email protected].
Application review
Each application will be reviewed by a Council Initiatives Fund Standing Committee (“CIF Committee”) comprised of City Councillors, in accordance with the CIF Policy and within the available funding. Recommendations made by the CIF Committee will be brought forward to Council for approval.
Final approval
Mayor & Council will consider the recommendations made by the CIF Committee and provide final approval. All applicants will be notified of Council decision within 60 business days of the application submission deadline by the City Clerks Office.