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Going Forward – Increasing OTF’s Impact in Small Towns
While they often face challenges that are not as prevalent in large urban areas, many of Ontario’s small towns are on the right track, becoming and remaining vibrant, energized and successful communities. Our findings suggest that OTF should continue to focus on a few key areas to ensure this process can be accelerated and amplified.
1. Make grants that encourage and develop local leadership.
By providing opportunities for current and future leaders of voluntary organizations to develop their leadership skills, OTF can maximize the impact of our grants to small communities. Particularly effective is training that teaches them to mobilize local networks and leverage local assets.
2. Facilitate and support the convening of local organizations in small towns.
Creating opportunities for past, current, and prospective grantees and community groups to connect with each other, learn from one another and network together, can have a powerful influence on the effectiveness of their individual and collective efforts. Enabling such networks to emerge and fostering their development is an important way OTF can enhance the impact of its grantmaking in small towns.
3. Focus on volunteerism and civic engagement.
Our findings suggest that the greatest asset small towns possess is the ability to mobilize local volunteers to find solutions that address pressing community needs. OTF has a much better opportunity to help organizations to leverage these volunteer assets than in trying to attract financial support from increasingly scarce local sources.
4. Be present on the ground in the communities we are serving.
Our findings reinforce OTF’s general understanding that we are above all else a “relational” grantmaker. Ensuring that our program staff have the time they need to counsel and support local organizations, to identify opportunities for local solutions, and otherwise spend their time in the communities they serve, will ensure continued impact for the Foundation.
5. Encourage and facilitate collaboration.
Our findings suggest that organizations achieve amazing results and better success when they work together. Strong collaboration can lead to better use of scarce resources and lighten the load that community volunteers carry. By encouraging and facilitating collaboration, OTF will continue to build healthy and vibrant communities.
Who we are
The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmakers. Funding is distributed to charitable and not-for-profit organizations through two granting programs: Community and Province-Wide. Within these programs, funds are allocated in four sectors: Arts and Culture, Environment, Sports and Recreation, and Human and Social Services.
Back to Main Small Towns Page | Background and Method | What We Learned | Challenges Facing the Voluntary Sector... | Success in Small Towns | The Importance of Local Circumstances
Profiles of the Six Small Towns | Appendix 1: Analysis of OTF Granting | Appendix 2: Census Data
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