The Kindred Charitable Fund

The Kindred Charitable Fund is inspiring peaceful, just, and prosperous communities. Eligible congregations or charities can apply for a grant to fund projects that contribute to housing, hunger, and mental health. Applications are open and received October 1 – October 31, 2025.

General Information

The Kindred Charitable Fund is an initiative of Kindred Credit Union (Kindred) that inspires peaceful, just, and prosperous communities. Funded projects must be congregation or community based and should contribute to one of the following themes: Housing, Hunger, Mental Health. Please see Eligibility Criteria to determine if your organization or project qualifies.

• The Kindred Charitable Fund endowment is owned by Abundance Canada – charitable registration number 129253308RR0001.
• Kindred Credit Union welcomes and encourages eligible applications from organizations who support underbanked groups, in particular: Indigenous peoples, racialized newcomers, single mothers, and persons with disabilities.
• The amount for any individual grant may range between $2,500 and $10,000.
• Applicants are limited to one application for one grant per year.
• Requests for sponsorships, bursaries, or advertising will not be accepted.
• Applications are open October 1- 31, 2025.
• Types of funding: Kindred will consider awarding funds to applications which could include: operational funding, program specific funding, new or start-up projects, or an ongoing project or activity.
• The application deadline for 2026 grants is October 31, 2025. All successful applications will receive an email confirming receipt.
• All qualified applications are reviewed and decisions awarded by the Grants Committee.

In recent years, Kindred has seen a sustained increase in the number of applications to the Fund. During the 2025 grant cycle we received and evaluated 100+ grant applications representing $950,000+ in funding requests, and the Committee awarded 17 projects a total of $160,206 in grants. We anticipate another large pool of applications for consideration this year, and encourage all applicants to see our Suggestions to Help You Apply section. If you have questions, please reach out to our team.

See the 2025 Kindred Charitable Fund grant recipients along with short descriptions of their projects.

Eligibility Criteria

1. To be eligible for grants from the Kindred Charitable Fund all applicants must be a registered charitable organization or qualified donee as defined by the Income Tax Act. The charitable number is required with the completed application. This number and the charity’s status will be confirmed with the Canada Revenue Agency as proof of registered charitable status.
   
   
2. The charitable organization must:
   • Be based on Ontario;
   • Be governed by an active, ethical, and responsible board which conducts regular meetings;
   • Receive an independent audit or financial review at least annually;
   • Make available, upon request, any information required by the Committee including annual reports which provide detailed information on program activities and finances;
   • Must disclose whether they are a Kindred Member.
     
     
3. Grant recipients must ensure that projects directly contribute to at least one of Kindred’s Charitable Fund social impact themes. We recognize that many projects may connect with more than one theme listed above, and we encourage applicants to select the social impact theme that is most directly connected to or impacted by their project.
   
   
   • Housing
     The affordability of housing for first-time homebuyers, those on fixed incomes, or supporting those accessing emergency shelters or transitional housing is critical to all our communities. We work with many partners to find solutions that provide safe and healthy places to live for all.
   • Hunger
     From farms to food banks, community gardens to processors, distributors and consumers, the food systems of our communities are key to our health and well-being. We engage with many different partners to improve access and sustainability of food for the benefit of all parts of the system.
   • Mental Health
     Mental Health – including specific mental health supports and services for families, individuals and communities, etc. 

Submission and Reporting Requirements

1. 1. Submissions should include only the completed Kindred Charitable Fund Grant Application. Please do not send additional documents unless requested.
   2. The applicant will make available, upon request, any information required by the Grants Committee including annual or other reports which provide detailed information on program activities and finances.
      • • *New* in 2026, we now require submission of a link to your most recent public financial statement. Please do not submit your financial statements directly to our team. We ask for a link to a public record, either on your website or in a public annual report, or through the public Canadian Revenue Agency Charities webpage.
   3. The Committee will not consider incomplete applications.
   4. Grant recipients for 2026 will be notified by email or by phone by December 31, 2025. Grants will be released upon receipt of a completed Funds Request letter (provided by Kindred).
   5. Reporting Requirements: All grant recipients must submit a report that details the results of the project and progress toward expected impacts within the target community. A template for the report will be sent to the recipient by Kindred. Copies of any publicity and media coverage should also be included. If grant monies are not used by December 31, 2026, the organization will be required to return the funds to the Kindred Charitable Fund.
   6. Kindred reserves the right to publicize and promote grant recipients and projects. This includes names, amounts, and other project details. Grant recipients are expected to acknowledge Kindred’s contribution in all marketing and communication materials where appropriate.

Suggestions to help with your application:

• To increase the transparency of our selection process, listed below are key considerations used by the Committee in evaluation and decision.
  • Geographic location: Kindred has eight branches across southwestern Ontario, and we strive to support local projects in these communities.
  • Theme: Kindred strives to balance support across our three social impact themes.
  • Previous grants received: Kindred takes into consideration if your organization has received a Charitable Fund grant in the previous year.
  • Underbanked clients: Kindred strives to support organizations that provide resources and programs to underbanked groups, in particular: Indigenous peoples, racialized newcomers, single mothers, and persons with disabilities.
  • Grant Writer: in an attempt to make this process more equitable, we are asking applicants to indicate whether their application was prepared by a designated/professional grant writer, whether internal to the organization or externally hired.
• All qualified and complete applications are reviewed, and decisions awarded by the Grants Committee.

If you have any questions regarding your application or project, please contact our team.