Housing Stability Funding

The 2026 to 2035 Housing and Homelessness Plan focuses on advancing a coordinated system that delivers housing solutions and supports for residents with low and moderate incomes. This means preventing homelessness before it happens, increasing and sustaining safe housing options that respond to residents’ needs and should homelessness occur, that it be brief and nonrecurring. This funding opportunity is intended to strategically invest in priority gaps within the housing and homelessness system where targeted funding can have the greatest system-wide impact, in particular for CIF priority groups.

In your application, please describe how your project connects with existing Regional programs and services and how it supports or complements them.

For example, does your project support: 

• Residents living in community housing, including Housing York Inc. communities
• Residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness, who regularly access drop-in programs, receive supports from York Region Outreach and Encampment Response Services, Integrated Support Program, Homelessness Prevention Program and/or Housing Stability Program
• Residents residing in a York Region funded Housing with Supports facility or York Region funded emergency or transitional housing facility
• Residents in receipt of Social Assistance, such as Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program, or
• Residents accessing other York Region programs and services

This funding opportunity provides funding to community organizations to deliver services that help residents obtain housing and remain stably housed through one of the following streams:

Stream One: Upstream Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Stabilization

This funding helps prevent homelessness before it occurs and supports housing stability for residents living in community housing, as well as York Region residents who are on, or eligible for, the Region’s subsidized housing waitlist. It provides timely and appropriate services to help individuals and families maintain stable tenancies, including:

• Homelessness diversion and eviction prevention for residents at imminent risk
• Early identification of housing instability, Life stabilization services, such as mental health, physical health, employment, financial empowerment or community safety programs that support community housing residents remain stably housed

Stream Two: Targeted Supports for Underserved People with Complex Needs

Tailored, inclusive supports for people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness (please see definition above), facing multiple barriers, including:

a) Health, Mental Health and Addiction Supports

• Innovative, low barrier and trauma informed approaches to improve access to health, mental health and addiction services
• Eligible activities may include peer support, community building initiatives (i.e., projects that promote social inclusion and community connections), harm reduction services, specialized staff or training and improved referral pathways
• Services must be inclusive, accessible and culturally and linguistically appropriate

b) Multi disciplinary Programs and Partnerships

• Holistic, intensive supports for people with complex needs
• Collaboration with partners beyond the traditional homelessness system (e.g., Public Health, Paramedic Services, Legal or Court Services, York Region Transit, employment agencies)

Applications for Stream Two must serve individuals who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and who can demonstrate ties to York Region.

Programs must be delivered by organizations with demonstrated experience in housing stability programs and homelessness prevention or in partnership with agencies that have this expertise. All projects must demonstrate how proposed activities will contribute to housing stability outcomes for York Region residents and align with the Region’s 2026-2035 Housing and Homelessness Plan. While funded activities may include health, mental health, addiction, employment, community safety or other supportive services, applicants must clearly demonstrate the relationship between these activities and improved housing stability.

Services must target CIF Priority Groups and be delivered using evidence-based, culturally appropriate and trauma-informed approaches. Services should be delivered using a client-centered approach and include strategies to enhance housing stability for York Region residents in the long term. Access to services should be free, timely, high quality and equitably available.

3.1 Eligibility Requirements

Agencies must meet the following general criteria to receive Community Investment Fund (CIF) funding:

• Be either a non-profit organization or a registered charity for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada)
• Be incorporated under the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 15, or the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (S.C. 2009, c. 23), or, for those applicants that are not incorporated, a Flow-Through partnering arrangement must be made with a not-for-profit incorporated organization
• Is governed by an incorporated board of directors democratically elected, active, with no more than three members related by blood or marriage and can provide a current list of members
• Have established and documented financial management systems in place and provide the latest annual audited financial statements or a review engagement report
• Provide evidence of insurance coverage that is acceptable to the Region upon request
• Comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code in hiring practices and in the provision of all services
• Comply with relevant federal, provincial and municipal laws including Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005

Applicants unable to meet the above general criteria may apply for funding in partnership with an organization that is able to meet the criteria. This is known as a “Flow-Through” relationship. Applicants seeking funding as part of a flow-through relationship must complete and submit a Collaborative Application Form with their application. Additional details are below:

• For greater certainty, and notwithstanding any of the other terms in the Guidelines or in the Collaborative Application Form, applicants that are ineligible under Section 3.2 are wholly ineligible to receive funding even through a Flow-Through Partnership

Agencies must demonstrate they are responsive to the community they serve by meeting the following criteria:

• Provide services to York Region residents from marginalized and/or vulnerable groups that would most benefit from programs and services, including but not limited to:
  • Residents living with Low Income (please refer to the definition of low income)
  • Indigenous, Black and other racialized populations
  • Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and additional sexual orientations and gender identities (2SLGBTQIA+) communities
  • Newcomers (people who have immigrated/moved to Canada in the last 5 years)
  • People living with disabilities
  • Residents living in focus areas identified under the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for York Region (Northern Georgina, Central Newmarket, South-Central Richmond Hill, and South-Central Markham)
  • Seniors
  • Women

3.2 Ineligible Applicants

The following applicants are ineligible:

• Individuals
• For-profit organizations
• Organizations engaged in political activity supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office
• Organizations where the service component is conditional upon participation in the religious activities of the organization
• Municipalities (excluding libraries)
• Provincial and federal government agencies (including broader public sector organizations, such as hospitals, universities, colleges, and school boards)
  • While ineligible for applying for funding, Broader Public Sector organizations may be involved in components of project delivery (such as providing space for programming, providing in-kind supports, etc.)
• Organizations acting in the capacity of a funding body, fundraising drives, or events

3.3 Eligible Costs

Examples of eligible costs include:

• Costs for project delivery such as program planning, staff salaries and benefits, staff training, consultant fees, etc.
• Honoraria for volunteers, volunteer training and recognition
• Rental fees for programming space
• Equipment rentals
• Program promotion and communications expenses (marketing needs)
• Childminding (for agency clients)
• Food used as part of programming
• Travel and transportation for staff & program participants
• Evaluation
• Software technologies (websites, applications)
• Small capital costs (i.e. computers, tablets, chairs)
• Supplies and materials
• Accreditation
• Interpretation and translation
• Administrative expenses (general overhead costs, supervision, professional services, insurance coverage, etc.) up to a maximum of 15% of total program costs

3.4 Ineligible Activities and Costs

• Duplication of existing funding unless it can be demonstrated such duplication is warranted and appropriate
• Costs for which an alternate source of funding is available
• Political activities supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office
• Activities which are religious or include a requirement to participate in any dimension of faith
• Construction costs
• Large capital purchases (fixed assets such as machinery, equipment, land, buildings, or other infrastructure)
• Organizational core funding or ordinary course expenses such as operating and maintenance costs
• Activities, programs, or services which do not provide a benefit to York Region Residents and/or communities
• Activities, programs, or services carried out or provided outside of York Region
• Activities completed, or costs incurred, before the start date specified in the Community Investment Fund Agreement between the Applicant and the Region
• Loans
• Debt retirement, depreciation, or deficit funding
• Income transfer/supplement to Residents (e.g., purchase of gift/grocery cards, payment of rent/utilities, etc.)
• Administrative Costs associated with project delivery beyond 15% of a project’s total budget 

As conditions of the funding, successful agencies will be required to:

1. Maintain a record of all purchases by type
2. Provide all reporting, including record of purchases or receipts, upon request from York Region following the end of the funding term

By submitting an application and participating in the selection process as outlined in the call for applications, the Applicant expressly agrees that no contract for any kind for services is formed under, or arises from, this call for application, prior to the signing of a formal funding agreement (the “Community Investment Fund Agreement”).

The Applicant further acknowledges and agrees that the information submitted through the application will be used not only to assess eligibility and alignment with CIF program objectives, but also to inform the development of the Community Investment Fund Agreement (if funding is awarded) including deliverables, timelines and reporting requirements.

The Region may terminate the Applicant’s participation in the CIF program for any reason including, but not limited to, the Applicant’s breach of these Guidelines or the Term and Conditions. The Region may also rescind its selection of the Applicant’s application, immediately and without liability, in the event that the Applicant fails to enter into the required Community Investment Fund Agreement with the Region as required under these Guidelines. Successful Applicants will be notified of the results of this application by email.

In the event that the Region is of the opinion that the funding amount requested in an application is excessive, then the Region may accept the quotation in part or reject the application.

All expenditures must be completed per the terms of the executed Community Investment Fund Agreement.

Please review the Additional Guidelines and Terms and Conditions for more information.

Evaluation and Selection

A Selection Committee will evaluate each application on the basis of all information provided by the Applicant. The Selection Committee will evaluate applications based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Rationale and demonstrated need for the services
• Clarity of the initiative, project goals, and key activities
• Organizational capacity to deliver services and potential linkages to broader human services sector
• Potential for impact on the identified outcomes
• Financial sustainability of the project upon the conclusion of the Community Investment Funding term

Each application will be individually reviewed and scored. York Region reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to follow up with the Applicant to seek further information and/or clarification with respect to any information included in its application. There is limited funding available and there is no guarantee any project that meets the overall criteria will be funded.

It is each Applicant’s responsibility to seek clarification on any matter that may seem unclear before submitting an application. The Region cannot be held responsible for any misunderstanding of the application by any Applicant.

Funding Agreement

Successful Applicants will be required to enter into a Community Investment Fund Agreement (the “CIF Agreement”) with York Region as a “Funded Agency”. The CIF Agreement will identify the parties’ respective roles and responsibilities and will become legally binding once it is signed, digitally or electronically, by all parties. A failure by a party to perform their duties under the CIF Agreement will be considered a breach of the agreement.

Indemnification and insurance requirements are items deemed necessary by the Region's Risk Manager. These provisions will be included in the funding agreement with York Region as well as additional requirements. 

Indemnification

The Funded Agency shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Region, its Chair, its Council members, employees, contractors, successors and assigns, from and against all actions, claims, demands, losses, costs (including all legal costs), damages, suits or proceedings whatsoever which may be brought against or made upon the Region and against all losses, liabilities, judgments, claims, suits, demands or expenses which the Region may sustain, suffer or be put to that arise directly or indirectly out of or are attributable to the Funded Agency’s omissions or failure to exercise reasonable care, skill or diligence in the performance or rendering of any work or service required to be performed by the Funded Agency, its agents and employees. This indemnification shall include any legal costs incurred by the Region on a complete indemnity basis, including those incurred to defend all prosecutions against the Region resulting from the actions or inactions of the Funded Agency.

Insurance Requirements

Without restricting the generality of the requirement to indemnify the Region, the Funded Agency shall obtain, maintain, pay for and provide evidence of the insurance coverage, taken out with insurance companies licensed to transact business in the Province of Ontario and acceptable to the Region’s Risk Manager. Listed below are the insurance requirements deemed necessary for the CIF Agreement by the Region's Risk Manager. York Region may, in its sole discretion, revise the Insurance Requirements under the CIF Agreement as it considers necessary.

Commercial General Liability Insurance

Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance must include York Region as an Additional Insured, with limits of not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) inclusive per occurrence for bodily and personal injury, death and damage to property including loss of use. The CGL insurance will include Cross Liability and Severability of Interest Clauses, Products and Completed Operations coverage (twelve (12) months) and Standard Non-Owned Automobile Liability. 

Automobile Liability Insurance

Automobile Liability Insurance in respect of licensed vehicles must have limits of not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) inclusive per occurrence for bodily injury, death and damage to property. Coverage shall be in the form of a standard owner’s form automobile policy providing third party liability and accident benefits insurance and covering licensed vehicles owned and/or leased or operated by or on behalf of the Funded Agency. 

Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Insurance

Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Insurance for non-profit agencies with a Board of Directors, must have limits of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per claim.

The Region will accept in place of the above-mentioned insurance coverage, a combination of primary liability limits and umbrella insurance or excess liability limits which meet the CGL and/or Automobile Liability coverage limits noted above.

Such coverage must in all respects be satisfactory to the Region’s Risk Manager and shall be maintained continuously by the Funded Agency from either the commencement of the services or the signing of the contract, whichever is earliest. The policies must be endorsed to provide York Region with not less than thirty (30) days’ written notice in advance of cancellation or any change or amendment restricting coverage. 

Agencies shall provide evidence of this coverage on the Region’s Standard Certificate of Insurance form.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) 

The Funded Agency must be in compliance with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, throughout the term of the agreement and shall submit to the Region a valid and current Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Clearance Certificate prior to commencement of the agreement and at any other time during the agreement at the Region’s request.

Where the Funded Agency is not required to be registered with the WSIB and is not covered by WSIB Optional Insurance, the Funded Agency shall maintain Employers’ Liability Insurance in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence. 

Agencies shall provide evidence of this coverage on the Region’s Standard Certificate of Insurance form.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)

The Funded Agency must comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). Under the Act, the Region must also ensure every contractor who interacts with the public on behalf of the Region completes training on the requirements about how to serve customers with disabilities, the accessibility standards referred to in the AODA’s Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to people with disabilities. This includes all volunteers, students and employees of the Funded Agency who have a role in providing the service on behalf of York Region. Training materials are available from York Region at no cost to all Agencies to facilitate meeting this requirement.

Definitions

Administrative Costs: Ongoing expenses associated with operating or delivering a funded project. Administrative costs include items such as bookkeeping, human resources and project oversight, etc. 

Applicant: An organization that has submitted an application to receive funding from York Region under the Community Investment Fund in accordance with the guidelines, requirements and criteria set out in this document.

Audited Financial Statements: Financial reports prepared by a licensed accountant who is independent of the Applicant, who certifies that the accounting records and process of the Applicant have been audited and verified in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.

Broader Public Sector Organization: is an organization which meets the definition of a “broader public sector organization” as defined in Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 25.

Chronic Homelessness: Describes people who have been experiencing homelessness for six months or longer in the past year, or people who have experienced homelessness for more than 18 months in the past three years.

CIF: means the Community Investment Fund program.

Community Investment Fund (CIF) Priority Groups: Residents from marginalized and vulnerable groups that would most benefit from programs and services, as outlined in the October 2021 Community Investment Fund Program Framework.

Collaborative Application: Two or more organizations with a well-defined relationship applying for funding of a project in which the organizations will work together to achieve a common goal. Collaborative projects must be led by an eligible organization which accepts responsibility for the funding.

Community Investment Fund Agreement: The binding agreement that a successful Applicant will enter with the Region for funding Community Investment Fund’s Housing Stability funding program as set out in this document.

Flow-Through Partnership: An existing registered not-for-profit organization or registered charity that is incorporated under the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 15, or the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (S.C. 2009, c. 23) which acts on behalf of an Applicant to access funding for a project. The flow-through agency acts as the lead and assumes all contractual obligations, including responsibility for all aspects of the funding and the administration of funds.

Funded Agency: A successful Applicant who has entered into a Community Investment Fund Agreement with York Region pursuant to the guidelines set out in this document.

Low Income: Statistics Canada’s 2024 low-income cut-off, before tax for residents living in jurisdictions with 500,000+ populations:

• 1-person household: $31,264
• 2-person household: $38,922
• 3-person household: $47,851
• 4-person household: $58,096 etc. 

Resident: Anyone living in the Town of Georgina, Town of East Gwillimbury, Town of Newmarket, Town of Aurora, Township of King, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, City of Richmond Hill, City of Markham or City of Vaughan, in permanent or temporary accommodation or with no fixed address.

Selection Committee: A group of employees from York Region and/or other community funders with human services sector experience or expertise tasked with evaluating applications received in a call for proposals and preparing funding recommendations. 

York Region and The Region: The Regional Municipality of York.