business plan3.2 planning assumptions this business plan is based on the following key assumptions:...

Business Plan 2014/15 – 2016/17

Approved by the OTF Board of Directors December 3, 2013

Submitted to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport October 2013

Ontario Trillium Foundation 800 Bay Street, Fifth Floor, Toronto ON M5S 3A9 Telephone: 416.963.4927 Toll-free: 1.800.263.2887 Fax: 416.963.8781 TTY: 416.963.79 www.otf.ca

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario

http://www.otf.ca/

ONTARIO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION

BUSINESS PLAN 2014/15 to 2016/17

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………. Mandate…………………...……………………………………………………………...… Strategic Directions of the Foundation……………...……………..………………… Overview of OTF’s Current and Forthcoming Programs/Activities…..…….…… Resources Needed to Meet Goals and Objectives………………………………….. Risk Identification, Assessment, and Mitigation Strategies………………………. Environmental Scan……………………………………………………………………… Human Resources………………………………………………………………………… Performance Measures and Targets…………………………………………………... Financial Budget and Staffing………………………………………………………….. Information Technology / Electronic Service Delivery Plan ……………………… Initiatives Involving Third Parties……………………………………………………… Implementation Plan……………………………………………………………………… Communications Plan……………………………………………………………………. Organizational Charts……………………………………………………………………. Appendices:

Appendix A – The Foundation’s Strategic Framework

Appendix B – A review of the Foundation’s accomplishments for 2012/13

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Mandate The Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canada’s largest grant-making foundation, is an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. The Foundation’s Mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities throughout Ontario by strengthening the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. To this end, the Foundation provides funds in a cost-efficient manner with community involvement in decision-making (16 local Grant Review Teams) to eligible Ontario charitable and not-for-profit organizations working in the Arts and Culture, Environment, Human and Social Services, and Sports and Recreation sectors.

2. The Foundation’s Strategic Directions

Looking Ahead 2014/15 will be the third year of OTF’s three-year strategy “Investing for Impact”, which has advanced the Foundation’s goals to achieve impact and value for money in its investments and to implement changes in our processes and systems to demonstrate fairness, transparency, and accountability for our granting decisions. During 2014/15 we will begin preparing to renew the Foundation’s priorities and strategies for the next three-year period. We plan to refine the Foundation’s strategy for the years 2015/16 to 2017/18, in order to more clearly demonstrate a social return on our investments in communities across Ontario. OTF’s strategic directions will continue to focus on impact and value for money; a more consistent, intentional, and transparent model of assessing grants; and demonstrating that the not-for-profit sector is a good investment for making positive change in building healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario.

In addition to continuing to meet current goals, in 2014/15 we will develop our next three-year strategy around three “pillars”:

1. Developing and executing a clear theory of change. Based on indicators from the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) we will articulate a measurable definition of healthy and vibrant communities, and will develop a theory of change for the Foundation that aligns our investments with improving outcomes for wellbeing. This refined strategy will enable OTF to use our granting resources to promote Ontario as a leader in the CIW indicators related to our mission and to demonstrate results.

2. Building a balanced Investment Portfolio, to ensure an appropriate balance in the types of initiatives OTF invests in – from small seed grants or capital projects, through scaling up of successful models, to transformative projects focused on collective impact. To better meet the needs of applicants, we can streamline our application, decision-making, and monitoring processes to minimize administrative burden on the sector while ensuring appropriate oversight of public resources.

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3. Creating social investment partnerships. To support collective impact and transformative change by: 1) leveraging our investments through co-funding or parallel funding and 2) collaborating on shared approaches to measuring impact.

The three pillars are described in Section 2.1 of the Business Plan, and there is a comprehen-sive description of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing in Section 6.

Current Strategy Our current strategy, “Investing for Impact” (attached as Appendix A), has guided the Foundation’s work since 2012/13, in alignment with government priorities and in support of the policy directions of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. To ensure the successful implementation of the new Strategic Framework, the Foundation developed a Strategy Map and a Balanced Scorecard. These tools now guide an organization-wide Operational Plan that clearly links all internal and external strategies and activities to our Mission and Mandate, and enables more effective monitoring of our progress. Within this context, the Strategy Map identifies three main goals (described in Section 3 below) that focus on bringing value to our key stakeholders – the Province of Ontario, the not-for-profit and voluntary sector, and our applicants and grantees. These goals are supported by key objectives that will guide our successful implementation of our strategy “Investing for Impact”.

3. Overview of OTF’s Current and Forthcoming Programs/Activities In the current year to date, OTF is meeting 2013/14 Business Plan objectives and performance targets. Information on the achievements of the previous year is contained in Appendix B: Review of 2012/13 Achievements.

3.1 Core Business – Investment of Public Funds OTF currently has three main investment vehicles – Community grants, Province-Wide grants, and Future Fund grants (placed on hiatus in 2013/14 due to a $5 million budget cut). As well, in 2013/14 we continued to administer the Community Capital Fund (CCF), a $50 million, one-time capital funding program to support investments in local infrastructure priorities in diverse cultural communities across Ontario. In the third quarter of 2013/14 OTF also introduced a new Youth Opportunities Fund, a $5 million annual program funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) to address the needs of GTA youth facing multiple barriers to success, part of the province’s new Youth Action Plan.

3.2 Planning Assumptions This Business Plan is based on the following key assumptions:

The Foundation’s plan will support the overall policy direction of the Government of Ontario, as well as the Vision and Strategies of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

In response to our research findings and trends in grant applications in recent years, OTF will continue to emphasize the importance of enhancing the capacity of not-for-profit and charitable organizations.

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The need for OTF to measure and demonstrate the impact of its grants and of the Foundation as a whole will remain high.

A robust infrastructure to support effective granting and reporting on results is critical.

The Government of Ontario will provide OTF with an annual core allocation of at least $115 million in 2014/15 as well as the subsequent two years. If the core allocation remains at $115 million, the Future Fund Granting Program will remain on hiatus.

The achievement of the outcomes outlined in this plan will only be possible with a granting and operating budget that allows for the full implementation of the plan’s activities.

There will be sufficient numbers of Grant Review Team appointments and renewals to allow for effective functioning and decision-making.

3.3 & 3.4 Goals, Objectives, Programs, and Activities OTF has identified three goals, each with supporting objectives, that will direct its activities over the next three years: Goal 1:

Deliver high-value and accountable investments of public funds.

Objective 1: Leverage our investments in alignment with our Strategic Framework.

Align granting decisions to the sector priorities and local areas of granting focus in the Strategic Framework.

Align the Strategic Framework to key long-term indicators of community change reported on by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW).

Meet overall organizational targets (see Section 8).

Leverage OTF financial resources through a new Social Impact Partnerships strategy to strengthen collaboration with other funders, including public and private sector partners.

Objective 2: Ensure consistent, transparent, and equitable granting practices.

Continue to refine the application assessment process to increase equitable access to OTF funding, strengthen volunteer engagement in local decision-making, and ensure consistency across the province.

Identify and implement changes to granting allocations and programs that will provide a better balance in the Foundation’s investment portfolio and more streamlined processes, tied to higher impact.

Improve customer service by clarifying communications to applicants on the rationale for granting decisions.

Objective 3: Complete the implementation of recommendations arising from the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Fully implement new approaches to enhance OTF’s quality assurance, risk management, and monitoring policies and practices, including enhanced internal audit activities.

Implement strategies to ensure compliance with AODA requirements at the Foundation.

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Goal 2:

Enhance the Public Benefit sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners. Objective 1: Develop new collaborative initiatives with other funders in both the private and public sectors.

Continue to work with the new Office of Social Enterprise, Economic and Social Development Canada, and others to leverage OTF’s investments in youth social entrepreneurship across Ontario.

Implement the Foundation’s new strategy to leverage other funder contributions in support of community initiatives.

Objective 2: Strengthen information systems to support access, integration, and operations.

Continue the implementation of an Electronic Service Delivery system, including a re-design of the GAIMS grants management platform to improve customer service and overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Continue to improve the ways in which OTF shares its learnings as a grant-maker and helps voluntary sector organizations share information.

Continue with the new strategic initiative launched in 2013/14 to develop a shared infrastructure and approach to measuring the collective impact of the not-for-profit and voluntary sector, including closer alignment with the long-term indicators of community change reported on by the CIW.

Objective 3: Generate and share new ideas and insights to achieve greater impact.

Identify and pursue opportunities for more open sharing of OTF data and knowledge with external stakeholders.

Continue to explore opportunities to act as a convenor, to bring grantees and other organizations together, and to encourage networks, partnerships, and other new ways of working together, with a focus on fostering collective impact initiatives and common approaches to measuring impact.

Goal 3: Support applicants and grantees to maximize their impact. Objective 1: Measure and tell the story of grantee and Foundation performance.

Enhance how OTF measures its performance based on the comprehensive framework for foundation effectiveness developed by the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Implement a new reporting system to improve how OTF measures the results of its grants, based on the sector priorities in the Strategic Framework.

Evaluate the results of the Community Capital Fund.

Continue to strengthen how OTF tracks and reports on longer-term indicators of community health and vibrancy, in partnership with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, Community Foundations Canada, and other partners.

Objective 2: Promote the achievements of OTF, our grantees, and the Public Benefit sector.

Enhance communications strategies to support more effective knowledge sharing and better demonstrate the impact of OTF investments in communities across the province.

Continue to support grantee and volunteer recognition events in communities across the province.

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Promote positive media coverage of the province’s investments made through OTF and of the work of our grantees.

Increase access to the growing information and knowledge base available through OTF’s website and social media outlets.

Objective 3: Engage the best people to build a dynamic culture that inspires excellence.

Strengthen employee and volunteer engagement across the organization, building on the results of the 2013/14 Employee Engagement Survey and OTF’s first Volunteer Opinion Survey.

Enhance IT systems and support to enable more effective information sharing and collaboration among OTF staff and volunteers.

Increase leadership development at the staff, management, and volunteer levels.

Re-design the grant assessment and monitoring functions to create more opportunities for granting staff to engage in community capacity building activities.

4. Resources Needed to Meet Goals and Objectives Key financial resources include revenues from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport of $115.0 million in each of 2014/15, 2015/16, and 2016/17, and estimated investment income of $2.5 million (2014/15), $3.0 million (2015/16), and $3.7 million (2016/17). In addition, funds are expected each year from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services and at least one private sector foundation, for granting under the Youth Opportunities Fund. Expenditures are estimated as follows: Granting in core programs of $105.0 million in each of 2014/15, 2015/16, and 2016/17 and approximately $5 million in each year for the Youth Opportunities Fund. Total operating costs are estimated to be $16.2 million in 2014/15, and $16.1 million in 2015/16 and 2016/17. In the current year (2013/14), revenues are forecast to include $115.0 million from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and $2.2 million in investment income; expenditures are estimated at $105.1 million for granting in core programs, $5.0 million for Youth Opportunities Fund grants, and $16.5 million in operating costs. Staffing resources are discussed in Sections 7 and 9.

5. Risk Identification, Assessment, and Mitigation Strategies Key risks, their likelihood and impact, and mitigation strategies are described in Section 5 and grouped into seven broad categories:

Strategic, policy, and performance risks

Governance and organizational risks

Legal and compliance risks

Operational and service delivery risks

Workforce risks

Information technology and infrastructure risks

Any other risks

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6. Environmental Scan OTF has many external stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, other Ontario Government ministries, MPPs from all parties, grantee and applicant organizations, voluntary sector organizations, private sector partners, and users of OTF-funded programs and services. The Foundation maintains awareness on an ongoing basis of key trends and challenges facing its stakeholders. This is done through various means: information collected through grantee reporting, needs assessments, and evaluations, as well as from external sources including Statistics Canada data and research reports. The Foundation also supplements its knowledge base on trends and other stakeholder input through consultation and convening activities. The key developments and trends related to the Strategic Framework (externally-focused) and Strategy Map (internally-focused) that are the foundation of the current Business Plan are summarized in the Environmental Scan section of the document under the following headings: External Developments and Trends:

Legislative, regulatory, and policy environment

Fiscal environments and economic outlook

Labour market trends

Demographic shifts

Trends in the not-for-profit and voluntary sector (including information on the Canadian Index of Wellbeing)

Trends in the four sectors OTF invests in

Internal Developments and Trends:

Program reviews, audits, surveys, and related changes

Cost and program delivery

Accessibility of OTF services The Foundation also monitors the various factors that influence and inform OTF’s communica-tions environment.

7. Human Resources The introduction of the Strategy Map in 2012/13 year included attention to human resource implications. As well, over the past several years, significant progress has been made around implementation of the recommendations in the Auditor General’s report. As a result OTF increased its staff complement in the areas of risk management, quality assurance, information systems, monitoring performance, and volunteer engagement and support. Where possible this was accomplished through reallocation of existing human resources. During this time of ongoing fiscal constraint, the Foundation is grateful to continue to have an excellent labour relations environment and a skilled and dedicated staff and leadership team. OTF employees are not unionized and are not eligible to participate in the Ontario Government Pension Plan. As a result, our workforce is nimble, and our overall salary and benefit costs are lower than institutions carrying costly pension liabilities.

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GRT volunteers are fundamental to achieving OTF’s mission. A challenge in this regard which is currently facing the Foundation and likely to continue into 2014/15 relates to an unanticipated increase in the volunteer workload as a result of including them earlier in the grant review process. The appointment and reappointment process has not kept up with the pace required to fill volunteer positions on GRTs; the resulting high vacancy rate puts a strain on the existing members and introduces a level of risk to the process that is challenging to manage appropriately. In response we have strengthened our ability to support our volunteers and now have a dedicated resource to focus on GRT orientation, development, and engagement. We have also recommended to the Minister that the Foundation be permitted to appoint all GRT members except GRT Chairs. Should a solution not be found and numbers of GRT volunteers continue to fall, consideration will have to be given to other means of ensuring that grant applications are thoroughly reviewed. There are four Human Resources priorities over the next three years; the priorities, and the planned activities over the next year that support them, are described in Section 7 of the Business Plan. 8. Performance Measures and Targets This section of the Business Plan sets out a small number of outcome-focused measures and quantified annual targets for OTF’s key programs, services, and areas of significant spending. The measures draw attention to the Foundation’s key outputs, and demonstrate the agency’s effectiveness, efficiency, and level of stakeholder satisfaction. As well, three of the measures – related to additional funds leveraged, the multiplier effect of OTF’s investments, and number of jobs created – indicate the Foundation’s alignment with the Government’s economic agenda. In addition to the measures noted in the Plan, OTF uses a more comprehensive set of measures internally, including numerous operational, financial, and programmatic goals that are reported on regularly through OTF Business Plans, Board and Annual Reports, and updates. In addition, each year OTF performs an in-depth analysis of its granting (by program and catchment area) and audits a selection of grants. As well, the Foundation monitors the performance of all individual grants and grantees through progress and final reports. In 2013/14 the Foundation responded to the recommendations of both the Auditor General and the Drummond Report by reviewing its approach to performance measurement, with the goal of strengthening how it measures and reports on its effectiveness in meeting its mission. Three areas for improvement were targeted:

using more of the quantitative and qualitative data reported by grantees about the results of their grants to demonstrate our impact in communities;

benchmarking organizational change and operational improvements based on the results of key research instruments such as the Applicant and Grantee Perception Reports and the Employee Engagement Survey; and

aligning OTF measures and results with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, the leading framework of indicators of community wellbeing in Canada.

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This ongoing work is reflected in the matrix of performance measures provided in the Business Plan.

9. Financial Budget and Staffing This section contains detailed information on financial performance for this year and last, and forecasts for the upcoming three years. As well, the section contains a summary of staff numbers.

10. Information Technology / Electronic Service Delivery The IT and ESD plans for 2014/15 fall into five general areas:

1. Unified Communications. 2014/15 will be the second year of a two-year, capital-intensive project in this area.

2. Cloud Computing. In 2013/14 we took our first steps towards moving our disaster recovery mechanism to a cloud-based model by 2015/16.

3. Business Systems. In 2014/15 we will launch version 2.5 of our Grant Administration Information Management System (GAIMS), and will also begin implementation of a three-year data warehouse project.

4. Electronic Service Delivery. Planned projects in this area include an OTF Extranet for volunteers and external stakeholders, and deployment of the existing Intranet to the latest SharePoint version.

5. Core Operations. Work will continue on strengthening the Service Desk and on implementation of recommendations around IT security and risk.

11. Initiatives Involving Third Parties The large majority of OTF’s third-party partners are its grantees who receive grants, a form of transfer payment. In this regard, OTF is fully compliant with the Transfer Payment Accountability Directive, and signs a statement to this effect on an annual basis. In addition, since its inception OTF has partnered informally with private, public, and corporate funders to support shared goals, priorities, and sector needs in Ontario in order to achieve its mission. Over the last year we have taken a renewed focus to accelerate and strengthen the impact of our investments by identifying and leveraging external resources aligned to our mission and Strategic Framework. Utilizing a collective impact approach, OTF is seeking more formal social investment partnership opportunities to co-fund projects for deeper impact across our sector priorities. One of the initial partnerships that OTF has successfully fostered is with the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation, which has agreed to contribute an additional $500,000 as part of a co-funding partnership with OTF through the Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF). As part of the new, more strategic approach to partnering, we are developing a Social Investment Partnerships Framework. This framework will outline how OTF engages third parties

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in a more cohesive manner, and key considerations, benefits, and challenges are outlined in this section. The framework will be finalized in the current fiscal year and implemented in 2014/15.

12. Implementation Plan The Implementation Plan for the strategies described in this Business Plan is under develop-ment and will be completed by 2013/14 year-end, in conjunction with departmental planning and budgeting activities throughout the Foundation.

13. Communications Plan OTF’s Communications Plan has four primary goals:

1. To communicate to all Ontario residents the story of the impact of OTF investments in community-based initiatives that enhance the capacity of the voluntary sector and increase civic engagement.

2. To ensure a strong relationship with our government funder.

3. To increase the engagement of staff and volunteers in the implementation of the OTF Strategic Framework through the Operational Plan.

4. To demonstrate OTF leadership through knowledge sharing and engagement of the not-for-profit sector.

To accomplish these four goals, the Foundation has developed a number of strategies which are outlined in this section of the Business Plan.

14. Organizational Charts Charts illustrating the governance structure and staff departmental structure are included in this section of the Business Plan.

Appendices Appendix A – The Foundation’s Strategic Framework Appendix B – A review of the Foundation’s accomplishments for the previous fiscal year

Business Plan 2014/15 – 2016/17 1

ONTARIO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION

BUSINESS PLAN 2014/15 to 2016/17

1. Mandate

The Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canada’s largest grant-making foundation, is an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, the Foundation is required, under its Memorandum of Understanding, to have programs that are consistent with the government’s policy directions. The Foundation’s Mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities throughout Ontario by strengthening the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. To this end, the Foundation provides funds in a cost-efficient manner with community involvement in decision-making (16 local Grant Review Teams), and by way of supplementing rather than replacing regular sources of income, to eligible charitable and not-for-profit organizations. According to the OTF Supplementary Letters Patent, the funds are provided to:

Help finance programs undertaken by these organizations, through time-limited, results-oriented grants; and

Help finance initiatives that increase organizational and/or community capacity. The Foundation fulfills this mandate by funding organizations working in the Arts and Culture, Environment, Human and Social Services, and Sports and Recreation sectors across Ontario. It supports grants in local communities in Ontario, as well as grants that have province-wide impact. OTF volunteers are integral to the achievement of the Mission. The up to 25 volunteers on the Board of Directors provide strategic leadership and approve or ratify all grant decisions. The up to 326 volunteers on community Grant Review Teams define local areas of granting focus and recommend grants within Board-approved policy in their catchment areas.

OTF - Business Plan 2014/15 – 2016/17 2

2. Strategic Directions of the Foundation

2.1 Looking Ahead 2014/15 will be the third year of OTF’s three-year strategy “Investing for Impact”. The current strategy has advanced the Foundation’s goals to achieve impact and value for money in its investments in Ontario communities; and to introduce changes in our processes and systems to try and demonstrate fairness, transparency and accountability for our granting decisions. During the next fiscal year we will begin preparing to renew the Foundation’s priorities and strategies for the next three-year period. Using the learnings and results to date from the current Strategic Framework, we plan to refine the Foundation’s strategy for the years 2015/16 to 2017/18 in order to more clearly demonstrate a social return on our investments in communities across Ontario. Looking ahead, OTF’s strategic directions will continue to focus on impact and value for money; a more consistent, intentional, and transparent model of assessing grants; and demonstrating that the not-for-profit sector is a good investment for making positive change in building healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario.

In addition to continuing to meet current goals, in 2014/15 we will develop our next three-year strategy around three “pillars”:

1. Developing and executing a clear theory of change;

2. Building a balanced Investment Portfolio; and

3. Creating social investment partnerships.

A Clear Theory of Change In 2013/14, OTF commissioned research by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) to establish a baseline for trends in community well-being in Ontario. Looking ahead, we will use key indicators from the CIW framework, related to the four sectors we fund, to articulate a clearer definition of what we mean by healthy and vibrant communities, and will develop a theory of change for the Foundation based on that definition. This will help the Foundation to further focus our work and align our investments to activities that yield greater results and will enable us to better measure the impact of those investments. It will also help us measure Ontario's well-being results relative to other provinces and the country as a whole, as we focus our work on making Ontario a leader in those areas related to OTF’s mission. A Balanced Investment Portfolio

The new strategy will continue to seek an appropriate balance in the types of initiatives OTF invests in on behalf of the province – from small seed grants or capital projects, through scaling up of successful models, to transformative projects focused on collective impact – based on the time frame over which we wish to have impact over the short, medium, and longer terms.

By determining the right balance we will ensure our investments meet the very diverse current

and future needs of communities across Ontario. And to better meet the needs of applicants,


we will streamline our application, decision-making, and monitoring processes to minimize administrative burden on the sector while ensuring appropriate oversight of public resources. Social Investment Partnerships The new strategy will continue to advance OTF’s efforts to leverage our investments through co-funding or parallel funding, in order to pool financial resources with other funders for greater impact. The Foundation is increasingly aware that, in order achieve impact and build healthy and vibrant communities across the province, we need to be collaborative in our approach in terms of both our investment strategies and our approaches to measuring our impact. As we target our investments at specific indicators of community well-being, we will also need to work with the not-for-profit sector and other funders to collectively measure the same things in order to understand our shared impact, demonstrate results, and learn what we’re doing well and what we need to do better.

2.2 Current Strategy Our current strategy, “Investing for Impact” (attached as Appendix A), has guided the Foundation’s work since 2012/13, in alignment with government priorities and in support of the policy directions of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Our Strategic Framework is based on granting priorities for each of the sectors the Foundation funds, developed in consultation with OTF staff, volunteers, and sector stakeholders. These sector priorities replaced a previous set of broad funding priorities that had played a key role in the assessment of grant applications for more than six years. In keeping with the principles of local decision-making, the Strategic Framework also includes local areas of granting focus developed by the Foundation’s volunteer Grant Review Teams and Grant Review Committees, to ensure that our investments continue to meet community needs. The Strategic Framework has also guided OTF’s other activities within the broader not-for-profit sector, including our relationships with stakeholders, as well as our research, knowledge sharing, and community engagement activities. It has brought greater clarity and transparency to the Foundation’s goals and objectives, for both internal and external stakeholders, and strengthened our ability to track and report on our effectiveness in achieving our mission. This emphasis on greater clarity and transparency in OTF’s goals and objectives, and more effective reporting on results, will continue in 2014/15. In 2013/14 OTF also implemented changes based on AODA requirements as well as the recommendations arising from the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit of OTF in 2010 and 2011. To enhance organizational effectiveness, a new information systems strategy is being implemented, and communications strategies have been adjusted and enhanced where required. To ensure the successful implementation of the new Strategic Framework, the Foundation developed a Strategy Map and a Balanced Scorecard. These tools now guide an organization-wide Operational Plan that clearly links all internal and external strategies and activities to our Mission and Mandate, and enables more effective monitoring of our progress.


In 2014/15 the Foundation will continue to focus on the three main goals identified in our Strategy Map for bringing value to our key stakeholders – the Province of Ontario, the not-for-profit and voluntary sector, and our applicants and grantees. These goals are:

1. Deliver high-value and accountable investments of public funds.

2. Enhance the Public Benefit sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners. 3. Support applicants and grantees to maximize their impact.

These goals are supported by key objectives that will guide our successful implementation of our strategy “Investing for Impact” (see 3.3 below).


3. Overview of OTF’s Current and Forthcoming Programs/Activities

3.1 Core Business – Investment of Public Funds OTF currently has three main investment vehicles – Community grants, Province-Wide grants, and Future Fund grants (placed on hiatus in 2013/14 due to a $5 million budget cut). As well, in 2013/14 we continued to administer the Community Capital Fund (CCF), a $50 million, one-time capital funding program to support investments in local infrastructure priorities in diverse cultural communities across Ontario. In 2013/14 OTF also introduced a new Youth Opportunities Fund, a $5 million annual program funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) to address the needs of GTA youth facing multiple barriers to success, part of the province’s new Youth Action Plan.

3.2 Planning Assumptions This Business Plan is based on the following key assumptions:

The Foundation’s plan will support the overall policy direction of the Government of Ontario, as well as the Vision and Strategies of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

In response to our research findings and trends in grant applications in recent years, OTF will continue to emphasize the importance of enhancing the capacity of not-for-profit and charitable organizations.

The need for OTF to measure and demonstrate the impact of its grants and of the Foundation as a whole will remain high.

A robust infrastructure to support effective granting and reporting on results is critical.

The Government of Ontario will provide OTF with an annual core allocation of at least $115 million in 2014/15 as well as the subsequent two years.

If the core allocation remains at $115 million, the Future Fund Granting Program will remain on hiatus.

The achievement of the outcomes outlined in this plan will only be possible with a granting and operating budget that allows for the full implementation of the plan’s activities.

There will be sufficient numbers of Grant Review Team appointments and renewals to allow for effective functioning and decision-making.

3.3 Goals As described in Section 2, OTF has identified three goals, each with supporting objectives, that will direct its activities over the next three years:

1. Deliver high-value and accountable investments of public funds.

2. Enhance the Public Benefit sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners. 3. Support applicants and grantees to maximize their impact.


3.4 Objectives, Programs, and Activities to Achieve Goals GOAL 1: Deliver high-value and accountable investments of public funds.

Objective 1: Leverage our investments in alignment with our Strategic Framework.

Align granting decisions to the sector priorities and local areas of granting focus in the Strategic Framework.

Align the Strategic Framework to key long-term indicators of community change reported on by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW).

Meet overall organizational targets (see Section 8).

Leverage OTF financial resources through a new Social Impact Partnerships strategy to strengthen collaboration with other funders, including public and private sector partners.

Objective 2: Ensure consistent, transparent, and equitable granting practices.

Continue to refine the application assessment process to increase equitable access to OTF funding, strengthen volunteer engagement in local decision-making, and ensure consistency across the province.

Identify and implement changes to granting allocations and programs that will provide a better balance in the Foundation’s investment portfolio and more streamlined processes, tied to higher impact.

Improve customer service by clarifying communications to applicants on the rationale for granting decisions.

Objective 3: Complete the implementation of recommendations arising from the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Fully implement new approaches to enhance OTF’s quality assurance, risk management, and monitoring policies and practices, including enhanced internal audit activities.

Implement strategies to ensure compliance with AODA requirements at the Foundation.

GOAL 2: Enhance the Public Benefit sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners. Objective 1: Develop new collaborative initiatives with other funders in both the private and public sectors.

Continue to work with the new Office of Social Enterprise, Economic and Social Development Canada, and others to leverage OTF’s investments in youth social entrepreneurship across Ontario.

Implement the Foundation’s new strategy to leverage other funder contributions in support of community initiatives.

Objective 2: Strengthen information systems to support access, integration, and operations.

Continue the implementation of an Electronic Service Delivery system, including a re-design of the GAIMS grants management platform to improve customer service and overall efficiency and effectiveness.


Continue to improve the ways in which OTF shares its learnings as a grant-maker and helps voluntary sector organizations share information.

Continue with the new strategic initiative launched in 2013/14 to develop a shared infrastructure and approach to measuring the collective impact of the not-for-profit and voluntary sector, including closer alignment with the long-term indicators of community change reported on by the CIW.

Objective 3: Generate and share new ideas and insights to achieve greater impact.

Identify and pursue opportunities for more open sharing of OTF data and knowledge with external stakeholders.

Continue to explore opportunities to act as a convenor, to bring grantees and other organizations together, and to encourage networks, partnerships, and other new ways of working together, with a focus on fostering collective impact initiatives and common approaches to measuring impact.

GOAL 3: Support applicants and grantees to maximize their impact. Objective 1: Measure and tell the story of grantee and Foundation performance.

Enhance how OTF measures its performance based on the comprehensive framework for foundation effectiveness developed by the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Implement a new reporting system to improve how OTF measures the results of its grants, based on the sector priorities in the Strategic Framework.

Evaluate the results of the Community Capital Fund.

Continue to strengthen how OTF tracks and reports on longer-term indicators of community health and vibrancy, in partnership with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, Community Foundations Canada, and other partners.

Objective 2: Promote the achievements of OTF, our grantees, and the Public Benefit sector.

Enhance communications strategies to support more effective knowledge sharing and better demonstrate the impact of OTF investments in communities across the province.

Continue to support grantee and volunteer recognition events in communities across the province.

Promote positive media coverage of the province’s investments made through OTF and of the work of our grantees.

Increase access to the growing information and knowledge base available through OTF’s website and social media outlets.

Objective 3: Engage the best people to build a dynamic culture that inspires excellence.

Strengthen employee and volunteer engagement across the organization, building on the results of the 2013/14 Employee Engagement and OTF’s first Volunteer Opinion Survey.

Enhance IT systems and support to enable more effective information sharing and collaboration among OTF staff and volunteers.

Increase leadership development at the staff, management, and volunteer levels.

Re-design the grant assessment and monitoring functions to create more opportunities for granting staff to engage in community capacity building activities.


4. Resources Needed to Meet Goals and Objectives

Projected Revenues and Expenditures (for Human Resources requirements, see Secs.7 and 9)

2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17

Revenues: (est.)

MTCS: Operating grant 115.0 115.0 115.0 115.0

MCYS: Youth Opportunities Fund 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

Private-sector Foundations 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

Investment income 1 2.2 2.5 3.0 3.7

Unspent funds from previous years 2 3.9 3.2 2.6 2.3

Total Revenues

126.6

126.2

126.1

126.5

Expenditures:

Grants:

Community Grants 3 84.1 84.0 84.0 84.4

Province-Wide 3 21.0 21.0 21.0 21.1

Youth Opportunities Fund 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

Sub-Total Grants 110.1 110.0 110.0 110.4

Operating costs 4 16.5 16.2 16.1 16.1

Total Expenditures

126.6

126.2

126.1

126.5

Notes:

1) Based on government interest rate forecasts and Foundation cash flow projections, an interest

revenue forecasting model was designed in consultation with the Ontario Financing Authority.

2) Deferred contributions and rescinded grants from previous years.

3) In years 2015/16 and beyond, the grants allocation may shift pending Board decisions on the

balanced investment portfolio needed to achieve our mission.

4) Includes Depreciation costs of approx. $0.5 to $0.6 million per year, based on Capital spending of

approx. $0.4 to $0.5 million per year.


5. Risk Identification, Assessment, and Mitigation Strategies

1. RISK CATEGORY: STRATEGIC/POLICY/PERFORMANCE

Risk 1.A: OTF’s grantees fail to achieve expected outcomes.

Related Strategic Priority

OTF’s mission of building “healthy and vibrant communities”.

Business Plan goal: Deliver high-value and accountable investments of public funds.

Impact & Scope (In describing this risk, we are describing the impact of many grantees significantly failing to achieve the expected outcomes.) OTF works toward its mission of healthy and vibrant communities primarily through its grants. If a grant fails to achieve the expected outcome, which was anticipated to contribute to the health and vibrancy of a community or communities, not only does OTF fall short of its goal but there is also an opportunity cost – if the funds had been given to another organization, perhaps the expected outcome might have been achieved.

Likelihood and Impact L: Low / I: High

Mitigation Strategies This risk is managed through numerous stages of the application review process (e.g. requirements that organizations have the capacity to manage OTF funds and implement approved activities, local staff and volunteer knowledge of organizations in their communities) and through the monitoring process.

In 2012/13 we added a mandatory orientation session for every new grantee, to inform them of OTF’s expectations in regard to their grant, as well as the accountability requirements of the Letter of Agreement.

Funding to build capacity, and OTF staff’s role in counselling applicants before and after a grant is approved plays a role in ensuring that most OTF grantees achieve all or most of the expected outcomes. And in cases where there are problems with a grant which cannot be resolved, the grant will be rescinded and the recovered amounts used to fund another initiative.

The new application assessment process introduced for the March 2013 round of grant applications features an early assessment of community impact by both staff and the volunteer Lead Reviewer. Beginning with the 2012 internal audit process, we instituted a quality assurance process regarding staff review and monitoring of grants and are also verifying selected grant outcomes. A Quality


Assurance unit has been created and staffed, and has begun work in this area.

Overall Assessment Low Risk:

The risk is well managed through OTF’s rigorous application review and monitoring processes.

Risk/Mitig’n Funded? Yes

Risk Owner Vice-President, Performance and Strategic Investments

Mitigation Target Dates Ongoing

Risk 1.B: Significant cut in OTF’s funding.


All strategic priorities and activities of the Business Plan

Business continuity

Impact & Scope Significant decrease in funding would severely impact all aspects of the Foundation’s operations and service delivery.

Due to OTF’s tightly resourced operations, every percentage in funding cuts would have a related effect on all funding programs, staffing levels, and general operations.

Granting would have to be proportionately decreased and/or some strategic funding initiatives would have to be cut completely, significantly reducing the Foundation’s impact and scope.

Discontinued funding would have a profound impact on Ontario’s not-for-profit organizations and not-for-profit sector, including services, volunteers, and leveraging of community resources.


Mitigation Strategies Detailed MOU in place which governs the relationship between the Foundation and the Ministry; OTF consistently meets or exceeds MOU requirements.

Excellent co-operative relationship with Ministry and government, including open, two-way communications.

OTF has worked successfully with three political parties and received solid government support throughout its 30-year history.

Foundation consistently demonstrates its value for money through being cost-effective and demonstrating the outcomes of its granting programs and other activities.

OTF ensures that its strategic directions support the policy directions of the Ministry and the government.

To lessen the impact of this risk if it occurred, MOU includes detailed provisions for this eventuality, guaranteeing payment of all debts and commitments to various stakeholders.


Despite the above, this risk cannot be mitigated in its entirety, as other factors influencing funding decisions are outside its control.

Overall Assessment Medium Risk: While the impact of this risk would be high, OTF is doing as much as can be expected and is within its control to decrease the likelihood of this risk.


Risk Owner CEO and Chair


Risk 1.C: Communication strategies do not achieve appropriate levels of awareness and appreciation of the extent and impact of OTF investments by stakeholder groups (communities, NFP sector, media, MPPs).


Business Plan objective: Promote the achievements of OTF, our grantees, and the Public Benefit sector.

Impact & Scope The Foundation’s continued success depends on:

A high level of awareness by communities and the NFP sector across Ontario of the programs of the Foundation in order to achieve broad, equitable investments in all sectors served

A high level of awareness and appreciation by provincial elected officials for the extent and nature of local, regional and province-wide investments and the positive impacts of these investments on the health and vitality of communities and the province as a whole

Failure to achieve high levels of awareness could result in:

Reduced access by communities and sectors to OTF programs

Lack of high quality initiatives seeking OTF support

Limited impact on the health and vitality of communities and the province

Limited awareness by MPPs of initiatives being supported by OTF in their ridings and potentially reduced opportunities for their participation in events involving NFPs in their ridings

Limited appreciation by MPPs of the positive impacts achieved by OTF investments in the communities and sectors in their ridings

Lack of awareness and support for the work of the OTF on the part of the responsible Minister and members of Cabinet



Mitigation Strategies OTF website contains extensive information, including program guidelines, online application, tips, tools, and information on all funded initiatives; and the site is monitored and improved on an ongoing basis, and regularly receives more than 3,000 visits each week.

Newsletter posted on the website and emailed to more than 6,000 stakeholders

Recognition policies and requirements are clearly communicated to all successful applicants at mandatory grantee orientation sessions and compliance is monitored

Communications events and activities calendar identifying communication opportunities is maintained, and speaking opportunities are sought for Board, volunteers and staff

Full and immediate communication with Minister’s office re each round of grant decisions with breakdown by riding

Proactive communication planning with MPPs’ offices re participation in recognition events (approx. 750/year)

All new MPPs provided with briefing materials

Overall Assessment Medium risk. While the impact of ineffective communications efforts could be substantial, in both the short- and long-terms, rigorous and comprehensive policies, strategies and procedures are in place to ensure broad awareness and appreciation of OTF and its investments.


Risk Owner Vice-President, Engagement


Risk 1.D: Issues arising from OTF investments are not appropriately anticipated, identified, and managed.


Business Plan objective: Promote the achievements of OTF, our grantees, and the Public Benefit sector.

Communications Plan goal: Ensure a strong relationship with our government funder.

Impact & Scope OTF manages a large volume of applications and grants: each year the Foundation reviews more than 3,000 applications to its core granting programs and approves approximately 1,400 grants. More than 3,000 grants are under management at any one time. Failure to effectively manage issues arising from OTF investments could result in:

Media and public misunderstandings about the role and nature of OTF investments in community development


Negative media coverage for OTF, government and community partners

Reluctance on the part of government to support OTF policies, strategies and programs, particularly in the case of higher risk initiatives or sectors.


Mitigation Strategies Early identification of potential issues through staff/volunteer intelligence gathering and use of Risk Rating tool by staff during application evaluation

Timely Ministry liaison on all potential issues which may impact government

Strategizing with all key participants in development of tailored issue management strategies

Liaison with, and support for, grantee partners

Liaison with all media as required

Support for OTF Board and staff re media liaison

Daily media clippings circulated to key stakeholders

Overall Assessment Medium risk. While the impact of ineffective issues management efforts could be substantial, rigorous and comprehensive policies, strategies and procedures are in place to manage and identify issues, and to minimize the likelihood of unanticipated issues arising.




Risk 1.E: OTF does not receive sufficient numbers of worthwhile applications to the Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) from eligible beneficiary groups to allocate all grant funds by March 2014.


Business Plan goal: Enhance the Public Benefit Sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners.


Business Plan objective: Develop new collaborative initiatives with other funders in both the private and public sectors.

Impact & Scope Since June 2013, staff from OTF and MCYS have been negotiating a contract for the administration of $5 million under the Youth Opportunities Fund; the contract was signed in early November. Launch of the program is tentatively scheduled for the last week of November.


The terms of the agreement state that all grants will be approved and announced by March 31, 2014. Due to the delayed signing of the agreement and resulting later launch, the turnaround time for this first YOF granting round will be considerably shorter for this first year. The reduced lead time, combined with the fact that the target groups are relatively new and unfamiliar with OTF’s focus or the application process, mean there is less time available for staff to work with applicants to support the development of their applications into worthwhile projects. This could potentially increase the pool of applications that fail to meet program criteria or adequately address YOF themes.

Likelihood and Impact L: Medium / I: Medium

Mitigation Strategies Early messaging about YOF through information sessions should enable potential applicants, including collaborative organizations, to start planning for an application ahead of the YOF Program launch.

The current YOF process includes pre-application supports – such as design labs and workshops across the city – that will increase the likelihood that the applicant pool will contain sufficient numbers of worthwhile applications. A survey will be used as a pre-screening tool to identify levels of interest, gauge the number of eligible applicants, and determine whether further outreach activities may be required.

Should funds remain unallocated as a result of receiving insufficient numbers of fundable applications, OTF and the Ministry will work to put in place a scenario plan with a view to optimizing the use of public funds. Options may include deferring some granting to the next fiscal year.

Overall Assessment Medium risk. While the impact of this risk could significantly detract from the goals of the program, OTF and MCYS are making best efforts to mitigate against this possibility.


Risk Owner Vice-President, Performance & Strategic Investments


Risk 1.F: Risks associated with new social investment partnerships are not adequately managed.


Business Plan goal: Enhance the Public Benefit Sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners.


Business Plan objective: Develop new collaborative initiatives with other funders in both the private and public sectors.

Impact & Scope Beginning in 2013/14, OTF began seeking formal social investment opportunities to co-fund projects for deeper impact across its sector priorities. While such partnerships have many potential benefits (see further information in Section 11), they also bring with them a number of challenges and risks, including reputational, financial, and performance risks.

Likelihood and Impact L: Low / I: Medium

Mitigation Strategies Work has begun on a Social Investment Partnership Framework (to be finalized in late 2013/14) which will include a comprehensive outline of the various potential risks of social investment partnerships.

Before entering into agreements with other partners, an individual risk assessment will be carried out for each potential partnership.

OTF has experience over the years with working with other partners (e.g. CCF, Partnership Project, Canadian Women’s Foundation), and will incorporate some of the learnings from these partnerships into the Partnership Framework.

Overall Assessment Low risk. While some work remains to be done on the risk aspects of social investment partnerships, resources have been dedicated to this, and the work is on track.


Risk Owner CEO


2. RISK CATEGORY: GOVERNANCE/ORGANIZATIONAL

Risk 2.A: As a result of decentralized operations, regional staff and GRT volunteers deviate from prescribed policies/processes.


Business Plan objective: Ensure consistent, transparent, and equitable granting practices.

Impact & Scope While OTF’s structure offers significant opportunities in terms of local community knowledge and decision-making, it also presents a number of risks:

Management and control of policies and processes with a decentralized staff and volunteer structure


Sufficient support from management and the Board to support regional processes

Volunteers and staff could potentially:

make decisions that are not grounded in OTF’s official policies, thereby making inefficient or less than effective use of OTF resources

contravene various OTF policies or processes, such as: - the grant review process, which includes strict due diligence

steps; - conflict of interest or workplace health & safety policies; - travel/expense policies; and

as a consequence, endanger the Foundation’s reputation through the actions listed above.


Mitigation Strategies There are extensive controls in place, and the two Vice-Presidents responsible for granting as well as the Regional Directors provide oversight. Comprehensive orientation and training for staff and volunteers has been implemented, with various means of providing updates on new directions and training in key policy/process areas. Specific aspects of this strategy include: Volunteers:

Multi-faceted orientation program in place

Volunteer manual re granting policy

Biennial OTF conferences and periodic regional gatherings include updates for volunteers on policies and processes

Regular GRT Chairs’ meetings

Peer discussions and mentoring of GRT members, especially related to the reviewing of grants

Staff:

Corporate orientation program in place

Dedicated internal training group in place providing regular training sessions on policies, practices and procedures; also provides templates for consistent messaging to staff and GRTs.

New staff matched with experienced staff member or mentor as well as receiving more intensive support by Regional Directors

Regional Directors meet regularly to discuss and ensure common interpretation and understanding of policies, practices and procedures. They provide close oversight of new granting staff and ongoing support and oversight thereafter

Regular all-staff meetings in Toronto provide opportunities for ongoing updating on policy and/or program/process enhancements and peer discussions on all aspects of the Foundation’s activities.


As well, volunteers and staff from across the province participate, whenever appropriate, in team or committee work on the development of policies and processes that affect their work and bring valued ideas and perspectives from all over Ontario. In 2012/13, as part of the Foundation’s response to the recommendations of the Auditor General, we revised the guidelines for application assessment, as well as the site visit policy. In addition, enhanced monitoring practice guidelines and tools are being developed. Training will be provided for all changes in guidelines and procedures In 2013/14 resources have been set aside for significant enhancements to OTF’s quality assurance and risk frameworks, as well as implementation of these changes.

Overall Assessment Low Risk:

There are clear granting policies as well as support systems and controls in place designed to minimize these risks

Comprehensive orientation and ongoing training in place for volunteers and staff, and professional development for staff and volunteers remains a priority.

Multiple mitigation strategies in place to keep volunteers and staff apprised of any policy, procedure, or process changes.

Quality assurance and risk management enhancements will significantly mitigate this risk.


Risk Owner Vice-President, Community Investments and Vice-President, Performance and Strategic Investments

Mitigation Target Dates Ongoing; some of the new mitigation strategies indicated above were completed in 2012/13, with the introduction of others planned for 2013/14.

Risk 2.B: OTF fails to complete implementation of the two remaining initiatives developed in response to the Auditor General’s recommendations.


Business Plan objective: Complete the implementation of recommendations arising from the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.

OTF’s commitment to integrity and accountability

Impact & Scope Of the many initiatives responding to these recommendations, only two have not been completed. They are on schedule, but from the outset were estimated to take several years. One relates to


completion of a multi-year procurement plan, while the other involves the development of a new Performance Measurement Framework.


Mitigation Strategies This work is identified as an objective in the Business Plan and will be monitored accordingly.

The initiative related to procurement is being tracked through the performance objectives of the person responsible, while that related to a new Performance Measurement Framework is part of the Foundation’s Operational Plan and is being tracked and reported on quarterly.

As well, these initiatives will be included in quarterly risk assessments presented to the Finance & Audit Committee and the Ministry on a quarterly basis.

Overall Assessment Low Risk: As with many Business Plan activities, the biggest foreseeable risk to completion of these two initiatives relates to lack of budget. Both are adequately funded in the current 2013/14 operating budget.


Risk Owner Vice-President, Finance & Administration Vice-President, Performance and Strategic Investments

Mitigation Target Dates Ongoing. Timeline for the procurement work is to Q2 2014/15 and for the Performance Measurement Framework to March 31, 2014.

3. RISK CATEGORY: LEGAL/COMPLIANCE

Risk 3.A: Implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) requirements is not timely or effective.


OTF’s strategic enabler – inclusion.

OTF’s commitment to accountability, integrity, and fairness.

Impact & Scope There are Compliance Deadlines on January 1st of the next two years.

A number of the changes will require significant resources, both human and financial. In the upcoming years, other priorities may have to be delayed in order to meet the stipulated implementation dates.

There are non-compliance penalties stipulated in the Act; as well, there could be reputational damage in the event of non-compliance.



Mitigation Strategies OTF, in collaboration with two other MTCS agencies, hired a firm with significant experience in this area to assist with the development of a policy and plan, together with a training session.

It is expected that this collaboration with the two other agencies will facilitate development of best practices around AODA implementation.

Resources have been allocated in this fiscal year, and will be allocated in future years.

A working group has been established, led by two experienced OTF managers, with representation from people with disabilities.

Staff and volunteers received initial training and orientation in October as per the established plan and timelines.

Overall Assessment Low Risk: As a result of prior and ongoing preparations and adequate resource allocation to the project, this risk is currently well mitigated.




4. RISK CATEGORY: OPERATIONAL/SERVICE DELIVERY

Risk 4.A: OTF grants are not equitably distributed and/or accessible to all Ontarians.



OTF strategic enabler – Inclusion.

OTF’s commitment to fairness.

Impact & Scope A lack of equity and accessibility in the distribution of OTF grants would impact on the achievement of OTF’s mission, in the areas of building healthy and vibrant communities (which must be inclusive and diverse) and building the capacity of the voluntary sector (which includes organizations serving the entire spectrum of society). OTF’s reputation could also be affected by perceptions of inequitable or inaccessible services.

Principles of equity and accessibility were key components of several of the Auditor General’s recommendations.



Mitigation Strategies OTF’s comprehensive website ensures knowledge of its granting programs is widespread. (And the website is AODA compliant, ensuring accessibility to people with disabilities.)

In response to a recommendation from the Auditor General, OTF is investigating and implementing new awareness strategies to ensure widespread knowledge of its granting programs. Equitable distribution of grants is also being addressed by another of OTF’s responses.

Each year staff identify and carry out targeted outreach to underserved and underprivileged populations, including Aboriginal, Francophone, ethnocultural and racial minority, northern, and rural groups. This includes the provision of application seminars and individual counselling.

OTF complies with Ontario’s French Language Services Act.

OTF has simplified its application processes in general, as part of the development of its online grants management system, and also offers a simplified application process for small capital grants. Applicants with accessibility challenges are also offered the opportunity to submit paper applications if needed.

An active communications plan is in place and has yielded positive results.

Newly enhanced conflict of interest policies and procedures provide assurance that the process is equitable and that no applicants receive an unfair advantage over others.

Foundation staff track granting to various population groups and types of organizations and adjust outreach and other granting strategies accordingly.

Overall Assessment Low Risk: This risk is well mitigated; OTF places a high priority on equitable access to its funding and monitors achievements in this area and adjusts its activities and strategies on an ongoing basis as required.


Risk Owner Vice-President, Community Investments and Vice-President, Performance and Strategic Investments


Risk 4.B: Data and research are not accurate, timely, or appropriately focused.


Business Plan objective: Strengthen information systems to support access, integration, and operations.

Business Plan objective: Measure and tell the story of grantee and Foundation performance.

Impact & Scope Accurate, timely, and appropriately focused data and research are required to support the Foundation’s strategic planning, decision-


making, performance measurement, and impact assessment activities. In particular, the successful implementation of the Foundation’s new Strategic Framework and Balanced Scorecard depends on these components being in place, including:

Accurate and timely data

Analysis and interpretation of data to inform and support strategic planning and decision-making made available in a timely manner

Identification and prioritization of research needs, and effective management of research activities

Analysis, interpretation and assessment of research results to derive maximum benefit

Use of data and research to accurately assess, demonstrate, and report on the impact of the Foundation’s grants

OTF’s government funder also relies on the Foundation for timely, accurate information.


Mitigation Strategies Data:

Processes and systems are in place to ensure integrity and timeliness of data (consistent, accurate results)

Dedicated IT and external resources available to respond to issues and ad-hoc requests

Grantee-supplied data has been facilitated by new on-line processes

Future focus on developing inter-departmental strategies to identify and support new or updated data reporting and analysis needs

Research:

Extensive consultation with Foundation staff and volunteers and sector grantees and experts

Internal and external commissioned research

Internal and external expertise developed or acquired to support development of new initiatives e.g. Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Framework, Performance Measurement Framework

Performance Measurement Framework:

Development of a framework that tracks grant impact with a set of standardized indicators is in progress

A list of performance indicators for the OTF Strategic Framework (including desired outcomes) and a model for aggregating and reporting on impact at Foundation level, has been developed

Revising reporting forms and requirements of the Expected Results and Indicators, in line with the new Performance Measurement Framework, in order to aggregate impact at the enterprise level


Overall Assessment Medium Risk: This risk is well mitigated, and additional work is being done to further decrease its likelihood.




5. RISK CATEGORY: WORKFORCE

Risk 5.A: Insufficient numbers of government–appointed GRT volunteers jeopardize the ability of one or more GRTs to carry out their business and meet their objectives.




OTF’s commitment to customer service (specifically to a target turnaround time for grants).

Impact & Scope Insufficient numbers of GRT volunteers mean that the existing volunteer force has to handle the workload, so each volunteer has an increase in workload. This could lead to volunteer burnout and less-than-optimum decisions. There is also the serious risk of “decision concentration” – a very small number of volunteers making decisions on millions of dollars’ worth of grants. As well, with fewer members, a GRT may not have the range of skills required and/or may not truly represent its community (i.e. the more volunteers there are the greater the chances that there will be good geographic, gender, ethnocultural, socio-economic, etc. representation).

Likelihood and Impact L: High / I: High

Mitigation Strategies Close cooperation with Ministry and Public Appointments Secretariat (PAS) staff on appointments and the appointment process.

Establishment of a new position of Volunteer Relations Officer to support and enhance training and engagement of OTF volunteers.

Pro-active strategies are in place to identify potential new candidates (through various means, including social media), in order to assist the Ministry in the recruitment of new volunteers, particularly in geographic areas where few applications are received by the PAS.


OTF Corporate Governance & Policy Committee and Board are informed and consulted regularly regarding the status of appointments.

Business continuity processes are in place should volunteer numbers drop below requirements – e.g. adjustment of policies related to quorum or site visit attendance, recruitment of past volunteers and community members as non-voting members.

A recent change to the GRT Terms of Reference permits reappointment for a third term.

Risks cannot be totally mitigated by the Foundation, however, as the actual appointments are the purview of the government. OTF has made a recommendation that the Foundation appoint all GRT members except GRT Chairs, and this continues to be discussed with the Ministry.

Overall Assessment High Risk: This risk continues in 2013/14. OTF is doing as much as can be expected and is within its control to decrease its impact.




Risk 5.B: Staff and/or volunteers have conflicts of interest with applications under review.




OTF’s commitment to integrity and accountability.

Impact & Scope Staff or volunteers with a conflict of interest may favour certain applications and may recommend their approval or decline without appropriate due diligence and evaluation according to the Foundation’s criteria.

Consequently, OTF may not fund the optimum applications that will assist in achieving its mission and targets.

OTF funding may not be equitable or inclusive.

Inappropriate funding decisions may also - adversely affect OTF’s reputation - result in unnecessary complaints and require extensive issues

management work


Mitigation Strategies Revised Conflict of Interest policies and procedures, as well as a Code of Conduct, are in place for both staff and volunteers


requiring, among other things, that individuals excuse themselves from any review of an application with which they have a clear conflict of interest, feel they have a conflict of interest, or even may have a perceived conflict of interest.

Conflict of Interest policy is signed by every staff and volunteer when they join the Foundation, and at a minimum on an annual basis thereafter, or when there is a change in someone’s conflict of interest situation. As well, at the time of the signing of the Conflict of Interest policy, staff and volunteers also attach an up-to-date list of any organizations with which they may have a conflict of interest.

Application review is controlled by multi-layered policies and procedures which are documented extensively and overseen by a strong organizational structure as well as documented in detail in the OTF electronic grants management system. This includes: - Detailed, consistently applied application criteria; - Processes to rate and document assessment of applications; - Management and Board oversight.

Changes to the application process that were implemented March 1, 2013 mean that volunteers are involved earlier in the process, thus adding a second set of eyes and reducing the opportunity for a conflict of interest.

As well, changes to the monitoring process to include the involvement of other program administrative staff (in addition to Program Managers), were implemented in early Fall 2013/14, to help mitigate this risk.

Overall Assessment Low Risk: While the risk cannot be 100% mitigated, we believe that it is well managed through current processes and a focus on continuous improvement.


Risk Owner CEO and Chair (Chief Ethics Officers)


Risk 5.C: Insufficient allocation of resources in key operations jeopardize the ability of the Foundation to meet its objectives and meet accountability standards.


All strategic priorities and activities of the Business Plan, and overall implementation of the Operational Plan for 2014/15.

Impact & Scope OTF is committed to ensuring that its operating budget does not exceed 12.5% of total expenditures. If the funding received from the Ministry does not increase in future years, as a result of inflation the buying power of the 12.5% will diminish each year.


The Business Plan for 2014/15 is ambitious and – as stated in the Assumptions section of the Plan – adequate financial and human resources are required for full and effective implementation of the Plan.

Likelihood and Impact L: Medium / I: Medium

Mitigation Strategies Workforce planning consultants were engaged in late 2012 and made recommendations as to the appropriate numbers and types of staff required to meet the Foundation’s Business Plan objectives for 2013/14 and future years.

The 2013/14 operating budget approved in April 2013 incorporated increases to headcount and operating costs beginning in 2013/14.

This budget was subsequently revised as a result of the $5 million reduction (4.2%) in OTF’s government allocation; nearly half of the 4.2% reduction in the operating budget was achieved through placing the Future Fund on hiatus; this option would not be available in future years, should further reductions be required.

Overall Assessment Medium Risk: The likelihood of this risk occurring in 2014/15 depends is dependent on at least maintaining current revenue levels and on Ministry approval of the Business Plan. Overall, OTF is doing as much as could be expected and is within its control to decrease its impact.

Risk/Mitig’n Funded? To be determined.

Risk Owner CEO

Mitigation Target Dates Implementation in 2014/15 and ongoing

6. RISK CATEGORY: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & INFRASTRUCTURE

Risk 6.A: Physical risks to the hardware, software, data – e.g. power outages, fire, physical damage to the server room.



Business continuity

Impact & Scope Impact could range from a few minutes of power interruption to complete loss of access to IT services and data for days or weeks. Scope depends on what the physical issue is and could range from all staff to staff plus any applicants or grantees unable to access GAIMS, OTF’s online application system.



Mitigation Strategies Physical backup on- and off-site; working on moving backup to the Cloud.

Enhanced security on server room.

UPS system protects from interruption in the case of a short (5- to 10-minute) power outage.

Adequate insurance coverage, reviewed annually.

Overall Assessment Low risk: Catastrophic events are high impact but happen rarely. The most common occurrence would likely be power outages; short outages are covered by the UPS, and longer outages likely affect more than OTF’s offices so are out of our control. Mitigation strategies are adequate for the most common risks and those within OTF’s control.



Mitigation Target Dates Ongoing. Consideration is being given to moving backup to the Cloud in the near future, and of increasing the UPS coverage in the upcoming year.

Risk 6.B: Security threats to OTF data and infrastructure.



Business continuity

Impact & Scope Impact could range from data loss on the server, to theft of a staff or volunteer mobile device, to a data breach, to a successful attempt to compromise the network and use it as a potential attack site. In the latter case, some of the impact could be reputational – i.e. if other organizations’ networks are affected. Scope depends on the target of the security threat – i.e. could be just one system or a small amount of data, or – in a worst case scenario – the entire OTF network and potentially other organizations’ networks as well.

Likelihood and Impact L: Medium / I: High

Mitigation Strategies Firewall; also researching feasibility and costs of an intrusion protection system.

Software to identify known programming holes and fix them as quickly as possible.

Network permissions limit exposure.

Anti-virus systems kept up to date.

Designing and building in limited access to wireless network to limit exposure and risk.

Physical backup on site and off site; working on moving backup to the Cloud.


A comprehensive security RFP was issued in 2011/12 to assess OTF’s risk levels and the feasibility and price of outsourcing this function, and the chosen consultant’s work was carried out in 2012/13.

Overall Assessment Currently medium risk, with a goal of removing some of the risk through implementation of the security and risk consultant’s recommendations in 2013/14.

Risk/Mitig’n Funded? Yes, currently, but additional mitigation (e.g. outsourcing security) may be costly so cost/benefit analysis will be necessary.


Mitigation Target Dates Ongoing. Decision on outsourcing security to be made by the end of the 2013/14 fiscal year. Currently testing the new intrusion protection system and investigating a new firewall. These are expected to be operational by the end of the fiscal year.

7. RISK CATEGORY: ALL OTHER RISKS

Risk 7.A: Actual Investment income earned in a given year is significantly less than was forecast.


All strategic priorities and activities of the Business Plan, including the overarching strategy of “Investing for Impact”.

Impact & Scope The Granting Budget is calculated based on a forecast of investment income available, and if the actual income earned is significantly less than the forecast, the budget may need to be reduced during the course of the year.

Likelihood and Impact L: Medium / I: Low

Mitigation Strategies Base the forecast for the upcoming year on government interest rate projections.

Take a conservative approach to forecasting in terms of predicting cash flows.

Have recently completed work with the Ontario Financing Authority on refinement of our forecasting model, which is expected to improve the accuracy of the forecast.

There is still considerable residual risk, as provincial, national, and world economic events which affect interest rates are out of the Foundation’s control.

Overall Assessment Low risk:


Investment income is currently only a small (approximately 3%) component of the Granting Budget, and the resulting impact on an individual catchment area’s granting would therefore be low.


Risk Owner Vice-President, Finance & Administration


6. Environmental Scan

OTF has many external stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, other Ontario Government ministries, MPPs from all parties, grantee organizations, applicant organizations, voluntary sector organizations, private sector partners, and users of OTF-funded programs and services. The Foundation maintains awareness on an ongoing basis of key trends and challenges facing its stakeholders. This is done through various means: the collection of information through grantee reporting, needs assessments, and evaluations, as well as from external sources including Statistics Canada data and research reports. The Foundation also supplements its knowledge base on trends and other stakeholder input through consultation and convening activities. As part of its planning process, OTF monitors economic and demographic trends, voluntary sector trends, and trends in the Foundation’s four granting sectors and in specific communities (e.g. Francophone, Aboriginal, youth). The key developments and trends related to the Strategic Framework (externally-focused) and Strategy Map (internally-focused) that are the foundation of the current Business Plan are summarized below.

6.1 External Environmental Scan

Legislative, regulatory, and policy environment Two key developments in the legislative, regulatory, and policy environment help inform this Business Plan:

The implementation of the Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act, currently expected in 2014, may have implications that impact on the operations of OTF applicants, grantees and other partners in the not-for-profit and voluntary sector.

The implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) will also impact the sector.


Fiscal environments and economic outlook The fragile global economic situation continues, and governments at all levels (federal, provincial, municipal) face ongoing fiscal challenges. With the advent of an extended period of slow growth, both the Federal and Ontario Governments now expect to be faced with ongoing budget deficits through 2015. The effects of slower economic growth and government deficits will inevitably be felt in Ontario’s not-for-profit sector – both in the impact on revenues, and, for many, the demand for increased services from clientele affected by these shifts in the economy. As reported in 2011 by the Co-Chairs of the Partnership Project, the not-for-profit sector in Ontario delivers vital services to families and helps sustain economically vibrant communities. The impact of the sector in Ontario can be seen through its many contributions, including programs supporting the province's health, culture, social services, housing, environmental conservation, and economic development. The total economic impact of Ontario's not-for-profit sector is nearly $50 billion annually, representing more than 7% of GDP, a figure greater than the automobile and construction industries combined. The sector employs almost one million Ontarians – 15% of Ontario's total workforce. In addition, the sector partners with over five million Ontarians who volunteer more than 800 million hours annually. Weak economic growth projections persist, impacting both communities and organizations. The austerity measures in government have subsided, with a slight but important shift towards investment for growth. However, the voluntary sector shows signs of growing financial pressures, which increase the demand for OTF funds. From a budgetary perspective, the sustained low interest rates have meant that the Foundation cannot rely on additional income from interest to fund organizational activities, which puts additional pressure on the granting budget. The shifting funding landscape has included changes to local, provincial, and federal funding sources, and the capacity of organizations to raise revenues in an increasingly competitive environment is also dwindling. In response, there has been increasing interest in the sector in the development of social enterprise and other innovative solutions, as organizations seek out diversified ways to achieve sustainability. Expanding options for increasing organizational capacity and sustainability are becoming more critical. This capacity gap also impacts on the sector’s ability to apply for and manage grants from the Foundation.

Labour market trends The economy has been recovering, but slowly. The province’s labour force rates have remained at approximately the same levels as last year, with the employment rate in Ontario rising slightly and the unemployment rate dropping to 7.5%. Ontario is adding jobs, and this year the gains are mostly in full-time jobs, a marked improvement over last year’s labour market growth, which was based primarily on part-time employment. The manufacturing sector continues to lose jobs, which has more dramatic effects in the smaller communities OTF works with and for the not-for-profit organizations that serve them. The resulting income disparity that is created by job losses has also demonstrated negative impacts on health, education, social services, and community safety and well-being.


The Foundation’s grants help to create jobs and opportunity through our granting. Over $50 million of our annual granting allocations goes directly to salaries. Youth employment has seen recent improvements but remains high at 16.4%. Not surprisingly, youth-focused programs and services, particularly for marginalized youth, are seeing increasing demand for services. The Ontario Association of Food Banks has reported that in 2012 food bank use across the province was at an all-time high. According to the 2012 Hunger in Ontario report, 412,998 individuals accessed food banks in March 2012, a 4.5% increase over the previous year. Persistent unemployment, the rise in living costs, cuts to government expenditures, and unforeseeable natural disasters are contributing to the increase.

Demographic Shifts Ontario’s population continues to age, particularly in rural and northern communities, which continues to affect community and health service needs. In 2010, the median age of Ontarians was 39 years, and it is projected to rise to 43 years over the next 25 years. By 2015, for the first time, the number of seniors in the province will exceed the number of children. Apart from the large urban areas in Ontario (broader GTA and Ottawa) the proportion of seniors as a total of the overall population will grow the most in rural and Northern areas. The workforce in Ontario also continues to age. By the mid-2010’s it is projected that more than 42% of the workforce will be aged 45 to 64 years. However, the trend towards early retirement continues to reverse in response to shifting economic realities. Besides health care for frail seniors and those with chronic illnesses, services that will require attention include transportation, home care, prevention, and health promotion. Approximately a quarter of all seniors in Ontario live alone. Apart from issues of loneliness and isolation, this also affects economic well-being: a 2007 Statistics Canada report found that seniors living alone experienced a low income rate far more frequently than those living in families. While the population is aging, this does not necessarily mean more volunteers available to the voluntary sector. While this population has a tendency to volunteer for not-for-profit organizations in their communities, there are a number of barriers which prevent many seniors from volunteering, including transportation issues, health problems, and physical limitations. Organizations in the voluntary sector, as the sector’s name suggests, rely on volunteers to fulfill their missions. While Baby Boomers, due to their sheer numbers, account for the largest pool of volunteers, they tend to have average rates of volunteer participation because they are still supporting their own children or parents and may continue to work part-time after retirement. As such, a void is expected in the volunteer base for not-for-profit organizations. In 2006, there were 582,695 Francophones in Ontario, as identified based on the Office of Francophone Affairs’ new Inclusive Definition of Francophones in Ontario. Based on a preliminary review of 2011 Census data, the number of Francophones in Ontario is growing, although the proportion of the population whose first official language is French has decreased slightly. The overall proportion of Francophones in Ontario has been decreasing over the past few decades due to a more rapidly aging population (especially those whose mother tongue is solely French), a lower fertility rate than other language groups, and the loss of transmission of French


from one generation to the next that frequently occurs, particularly in regions where there is a small French population and in families where only one parent speaks French. The immigration of people that speak French, but have a different mother tongue, is creating a more diverse Francophone population in urban centres, including Toronto. In 2006, half of all people living in Toronto and reporting French as their First Official Language Spoken were born outside of Canada, compared to only 13.6% across the province. Ontario’s strength is its diversity, and much of our diversity comes from immigration and settlement. However, immigration and migration patterns are shifting, which results in a changing need for settlement services and culturally competent programming in areas where the capacity to deliver these services may not be well developed. As of July 1, 2011, Ontario’s population was estimated to be 13,373,000 people. Ontario’s annual population growth is projected to continue to be higher than the national average for the foreseeable future, and immigration continues to be the driving factor behind this growth. The South Asian community is now the largest visible minority group in Ontario and in Canada, followed by the Chinese community. Ontario continues to have a higher proportion of visible minorities than Canada as a whole, with more than half of the country’s visible minority population living here. Ontario’s Aboriginal population is the fastest growing of all population groups in Ontario. The most recent data available shows that the number of Aboriginal people grew by more than 28% in the five years between 2001 and 2006. Aboriginal people now make up 2.0% of Ontario’s population, compared to 1.7% in 2001, of which 65.3% are First Nations (the highest proportion in Canada), 33.2% are Métis, and fewer than 1% are Inuit. Aboriginal people are increasingly urban. Seventy per cent of Ontario’s Aboriginal population now live off-reserve. There has been a dramatic increase in the Aboriginal population in northern cities, a growing concentration of Aboriginal people in Toronto, and a growing Inuit community in Ottawa. OTF’s work with Aboriginal communities has underscored how many Aboriginal people face poverty, disempowerment, and isolation in addition to emergency situations such as unhealthy water; forest fire or flooding evacuations; suicides; sexual, alcohol, and drug abuse; and family violence. They lack the time and resources to develop grant ideas or build organizational capacity. The Aboriginal population is much younger than the general population, and thus proportionally more Aboriginal young people require support today. At the same time, Aboriginal seniors are projected to double in number by 2017, resulting in an increased need for support in upcoming years. Ontario as a whole continues to become more urbanized, with over 85% of the population now living in an urban area (compared to 80% for the country as a whole). Rural, northern, and small communities continue to be affected by the ongoing trend in migration to urban centres, which includes many youth who are leaving these communities as a result of a lack of opportunities. In southern Ontario, demands on the Greenbelt continue to increase. The continued population increases in the GTA and emerging suburban centres puts pressure on spaces for food production, outdoor recreation, residential development, and related infrastructures.


Additionally, a lack of public rural transportation continues to necessitate the need for new highways or highway expansion, which also compete with natural habitats and agricultural land.

Trends in the not-for-profit and voluntary sector As noted above, increasing diversity, the general aging of the population, growing numbers of unemployed youth, and increased urbanization are placing increased pressure on voluntary organizations in all sectors: they are being asked to provide a wider range of services, and more programs and services, in order to meet the growing needs of an increasingly diverse population. There are more than 46,000 not-for-profit and voluntary organizations in Ontario. The majority of these organizations (53%) do not have paid staff and are run solely by volunteers. In Ontario, the overall number of volunteers is close to 8 million, and Ontario volunteers represent 40% of all volunteers in Canada, many likely volunteering for more than one organization at a time. According to the 2010 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (the most recent information available), close to half (48%) of all Ontarians volunteered in 2010, contributing 857 million hours of time, effort and activities. Ontarians donated $485 million to charities in 2010, a 30% increase from the recession year of 2008 but still less than the $501 million donated in 2007. Not-for-profit organizations continue to face funding challenges, including declining sources of longer-term funding for core operations, reductions in levels of government funding, and more recent pressures in terms of donations and sponsorships resulting from the economic downturn of 2008 and the ongoing climate of economic uncertainty. According to a 2013 Sector Monitor report from Imagine Canada, the sector has been recovering slowly from the economic downturn and the previous trend of a decline in confidence levels of charity leaders that began in 2011 appears to have stopped. That said, increasing financial pressure is reported by these sector leaders, who state that they expect that their organizations will have difficulty covering expenses over the coming months. More organizations are reporting that revenues have remained stagnant, and fewer are reporting increased expenditures, as they control spending in the face of lower or less certain revenues.

The voluntary sector in Ontario is also facing a number of challenges: aging staff and volunteers, burnout among existing staff and volunteers, and difficulties in attracting and retaining staff and volunteers for the long-term. Volunteer hours remained unchanged in 2012, at an annual average of 164 hours per volunteer. Combined, these findings reflect a general sense that the sector continues to face challenges, including organizations’ sustainability and capacity to plan for the future, which continue to be a focus of OTF’s capacity building investments. Voluntary sector organizations continue to voice a need for collaboration, networks, and better communication among organizations. Participants in OTF’s 2009 Challenging Times research, our Community Roundtable series, and the 2010 Partnership Project consultations across the province have identified a leadership role for the Foundation in convening organizations in the sector and facilitating more communication, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnerships, both between not-for-profit organizations, with OTF, and among funders.


More recently, the opportunity and need for partnerships with the private sector has emerged as a major theme in OTF’s convening and collaboration strategies, which will be a key strategy in this Business Plan, involving Social Investment Partnerships for co-funding and shared measurement. There is an ongoing need for additional capital funding throughout the voluntary sector, which the recent Community Capital Fund was designed to address for organizations serving diverse cultural communities across the province. As one of the only funders of capital, OTF will continue to play a leading role in addressing the sector’s capital needs. Finally, there is growing interest and activity in the not-for-profit sector in collective impact initiatives and shared approaches to measuring impact, whether it is the impact of individual organizations, of collaborative initiatives, or the impact of the sector overall.

Canadian Index of Wellbeing OTF has been working with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing at the University of Waterloo to strengthen its knowledge of indicators of community well-being and to inform strategic and operational planning at the Foundation. The CIW framework is the result of over a decade of rigorous academic work to track long-term change across eight domains grounded in 64 indicators of community well-being (eight per domain):

Healthy Populations

Democratic Engagement

Community Vitality

Environment

Leisure and Culture

Time Use

Education

Living Standards While not all of the CIW domains or indicators map closely to OTF’s strategic priorities, many do (approximately 1/3 of the indicators), providing an effective road map for measuring the long-term trends in community well-being that relate closely to the Foundation’s mission and strategic objectives. Examples include:

Community Vitality measures the strength, activity, and inclusiveness of relationships between residents, private sector, public sector, and civil society organizations that foster individual and collective well-being. This domain includes indicators such as the per cent of people reporting participation in organized activities or reporting a very or somewhat strong sense of belonging to community.

Living Standards measures the level and distribution of income and wealth – e.g., trends in poverty, income volatility, and economic security, including the security of jobs, food, housing, and the social safety net. This domain includes key indicators such as the per cent of the labour force that is employed and the per cent facing long-term unemployment.


The Time Use domain measures the use of time, how people experience time, what controls its use, and how it affects well-being, and includes indicators such as the per cent of people 65 years and older reporting daily active leisure activities or reporting annual formal volunteer activities.

Democratic Engagement measures the participation of citizens in public life and in governance; the functioning of Canadian governments; and the role Canadians and their institutions play as global citizens. Key indicators in this domain include the per cent of people that strongly agree it is every citizen’s duty to vote in elections and the ratio of eligible voters to registered voters.

The Education domain measures the literacy and skill levels of the population, including the ability of both children and adults to function in various societal contexts and plan for and adapt to future situations. It tracks the per cent of children doing well in five developmental domains, the average scores for 12- to 13-year-olds across five dimensions of social/emotional competence, the basic knowledge and skills index of 13-to 15-year-olds, and the per cent of 20- to 24-year-olds completing high school.

Healthy Populations measures the physical, mental, and social well-being of the population by looking at different aspects of health status and certain determinants of health. It draws on key indicators such as the per cent of people rating their health as excellent or very good, the per cent reporting diabetes, daily or occasional smoking among 12- to 19-year-olds, and the per cent of people with probable depression.

The Environment domain measures the state of, and trends in, Canada's environment by looking at the stocks and flows of Canada's environmental goods and services, with a focus on indicators related to the ecological footprint and the living planet index.

The Leisure and Culture domain measures activity in the very broad area of culture, involving all forms of human expression as well as the more focused areas of the arts and recreational activities. Several indicators in this domain are relevant to OTF’s strategic objectives, including the average amount of time spent in social leisure activities, in arts and culture activities, or in volunteering for culture and recreation organizations; the average monthly frequency of participation in physical activity; attendance at performing arts performances; and average visitation rates for historic parks and sites.

Based on the initial results of this research, since 1994 Ontario has seen strong results in four of the domains of well-being – Education, Community Vitality, Living Standards and Healthy Populations – and weaker results in the other four domains – Democratic Engagement, Time Use, Leisure and Culture, and Environment. For example, according to the preliminary results:

Community Vitality in Ontario increased by 15.4% compared to a national improvement of 10.3%. Improvements related to crime and safety more than offset negative trends in the areas of trust in others and friendships, while participation in organized activities has plateaued in recent years.

In the Leisure and Culture domain, Ontario’s results were down 5.1% since 1994, compared to a national decline of 7.8%. Improvements were seen in the areas of monthly physical activity and participation in arts and culture, but these were more than offset by declines in social leisure, culture and recreation volunteering, and park visitations.


Results for the Environment domain showed a slight decline of 1.9% in Ontario compared to a larger decline of 7.8% across Canada. Canada continues to have one of the biggest ecological footprints per person in the world, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ground level ozone levels are key concerns.

In 2012/13, OTF commissioned research from CIW to adapt its national reporting on well-being to the provincial level. The first report on well-being in Ontario will be published later this year. Beginning in 2014/15 OTF will begin using the CIW’s Ontario results as baseline data to inform the Foundation’s strategic and business planning, priority-setting, and impact measurement, as well as how we report on the longer-term changes occurring in Ontario communities as they relate to OTF’s mission and investment strategies. In working with the CIW index and data, OTF is part of a growing community of practice made up of organizations in the sector that are using the CIW framework to improve their strategic planning and impact measurement. This community of practice includes other funders, particularly community foundations, networked organizations such as the Association of Ontario Health Centres, and municipalities (e.g. Guelph’s well-being strategy).

Trends in the four sectors OTF invests in OTF’s new Strategic Framework sets out clear investment priorities for the four sectors we fund – Arts and Culture, Environment, Human and Social Services, and Sports and Recreation. These priorities were identified through close consultations with OTF staff, Board and GRT volunteers, and sector stakeholders. They reflect a number of key trends and research findings from each of the sectors, as summarized below. Arts and Culture A 2010 study commissioned by the Ontario Arts Council and conducted by Environics Research Group showed that a large majority of Ontarians believe the arts are important to the quality of life in their community and to their own personal lives. This finding was consistent across all regions of the province and across all demographic groups and educational levels. Similarly, research conducted by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport suggests that communities with a vibrant arts and cultural sector play a critical role in attracting economic development. Participation in arts and cultural activities has been shown to reduce school drop-out rates, increase self-esteem, and lessen social problems, and research has also shown that participation in arts activities can reduce isolation in rural and urban areas. Support for infrastructure continues to be a need for this sector, as demonstrated by the ongoing demand for capital grants from OTF, as well as the research findings from the ArtsBuild reports on the facility requirements of small and mid-sized arts organizations (2006 and 2009).

Environment There is an ongoing need to develop the capacity of environment organizations at the regional level to provide stability and leadership to the work taking place at the local level across the


province. The Foundation has been addressing this need for some time through the Future Fund as well as its Community and Province-Wide programs, and will continue to build on its successes to date in this area. Green Prosperity, a joint effort by 23 of Ontario's leading environmental organizations supported by OTF’s Future Fund, has identified seven priority areas where action will help make Ontario a world leader in green practices and programs:

1. Green energy and conservation 2. Reducing air pollution 3. Reducing congestion by giving commuters better transportation choices 4. The central place of the Great Lakes in a healthy Ontario 5. Strengthening and protecting the Greenbelt and Ontario foodlands 6. Protecting Ontario’s Boreal Forests and Waters 7. Helping farmers and landowners safeguard and expand habitat for Ontario’s hundreds of

endangered plants and animals. OTF’s investment priorities for the environment sector reflect these areas of emphasis, while also aligning with the priorities identified by the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, particularly the efforts to achieve greater energy conservation in Ontario. Human and Social Services Ongoing economic pressures, the growing diversity of Ontario’s population, and changes in family structure are all resulting in increased demand for services to support and strengthen families in Ontario. There have been marked increases in demand for key front-line services such as food banks, employment counselling, and credit counselling as a result of the economic downturn. There also continues to be a need to support innovative community responses to reach the most disadvantaged groups (including newcomer communities and seniors), and to promote new economic opportunities for youth in urban, rural, and Aboriginal communities, many of whom are experiencing challenges entering the labour force. While large and relatively well developed in terms of organizational capacity, this sector continues to need support for collaboration, the development of networks and intermediary organizations to support capacity building and information sharing, and other innovative ways of working together. Sports and Recreation The prevalence of obesity among Canadians continues to rise, particularly among children, and the level of physical activity in all age groups is unacceptably low. Latest indicators show that about one-quarter (24.1%) of Canadian adults over the age of 30 are obese, and the figure for Canadian youth ages 12 to 17 is 20%. Data for Canada show that in just six years – from 2003 to 2009 – the proportion of the population reporting having diabetes grew by a third, from 4.6% to 6%. It has been estimated that for each 1% increase in the number of people who become active, $31 million in health care costs would be saved each year. Almost half of all Canadian adults do less than 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity one day a week. Two-thirds of Ontarians (67%) are not physically active enough to meet the guidelines for sufficient physical activity set out in Canada’s Physical Activity Guide.

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/nuclear

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/manufacturing

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/transportation

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/greatlakesact

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/greenbelt

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/boreal

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/habitat

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/habitat


Research also suggests that the risks for a range of health and social problems, particularly among youth, can be mitigated by providing recreational programming in addition to social service programs.

6.2 Internal Environmental Scan Our new Strategy Map reaffirms and strengthens OTF’s commitment to meeting the needs of our key stakeholders: the Province, the not-for-profit and voluntary sector, and our applicants and grantees.

Program reviews, audits, surveys, and related changes OTF is supporting the work of the Partnership Project through our involvement in the Partnership Forum, the Pollara research project to profile the not-for-profit sector, and the Open for Business Joint Working Group on Funding Reform. It is clear from the work done to date that there are many opportunities to better align and link the work of the voluntary sector with government initiatives and programs. This Business Plan also takes into account key recommendations from the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services (the Drummond Report), particularly its call for the setting of clear objectives, the use of proper metrics to measure progress, and providing clear accountability for meeting those objectives. The report also encourages government ministries and agencies to focus on investing in the future, and using research to support better evidence-based decision-making. A highlight for 2012/13 was the implementation of a number of changes in response to the value-for-money audit conducted by the Auditor General of Ontario in 2010 and 2011. Changes were introduced in areas ranging from conflict of interest to grant assessment and monitoring to performance measurement. We will also continue to work to ensure compliance with the requirements of AODA.

In 2012/13 OTF commissioned Applicant and Grantee survey research by the Center for Effective Philanthropy. The surveys identified a number of key strengths for OTF to build on and areas for improvement to focus on going forward:

Overall, OTF has improved since 2009 in nearly every area covered in the Grantee Applicant and Grantee Perception Reports. The Foundation received particularly strong ratings for its impact on grantees’ fields, communities, and organizations. Still, grantees identified opportunities for OTF to support the sustainability of their organizations, as well as to improve components of its selection and reporting processes.

Many grantees expressed concerns about the sustainability of their organizations into the future and described OTF funding as “essential” to their programs; over 25 per cent indicated that funding and sustainability will be among the most pressing needs for Ontario’s not-for-profit sector in the coming two to three years. To address these concerns, grantees suggested that OTF provide longer grants and more consistent funding.


Other grantees suggested the Foundation help address their concerns through more intensive forms of non-monetary assistance and by improving the effectiveness of its assistance in securing funding from alternative sources.

Declined applicants rated the Foundation more positively than typical funders and more positively than in 2009 in terms of OTF’s impact on their fields and communities, OTF’s interactions with them, the clarity of communications, and the fairness, approachability, and responsiveness of OTF staff. The helpfulness of OTF’s selection process is also rated more positively than that of the typical funder.

However, some declined applicants continue to express dissatisfaction with the explanation the Foundation provides for declining their applications.

Applicants and grantees would also like to see improvements in the helpfulness of OTF’s reporting and evaluation process in terms of strengthening their organizations or programs.

Applicants and grantees also reported a high level of satisfaction with OTF’s new online application process, but noted that it has not reduced the administrative burden they face in applying to OTF, nor the turnaround time for OTF granting decisions.

This feedback is being addressed directly in the re-design of OTF’s grants management system which began in 2013 /14. A new release of the GAIMS system is planned for late 2014, which will feature a more customer-friendly interface and a more streamlined process tailored to the different types of grants OTF makes (e.g. small capital grants versus large, longer-term project grants). We will be paying particular attention to the benefits of a simplified process for small capital grants, which was piloted based on feedback from previous surveys. There are few available sources of capital grants, and demand for OTF capital grants remains very high. In 2014/15 we will revisit a more simplified approach to capital grants as part of a broader project to examine a more streamlined approach to all of our granting programs. The Foundation is currently managing the Community Capital Fund and was pleased to have a high demand rate for this funding, indicating continued need in the voluntary sector for infrastructure that supports community activities. Capital funding has been challenging for many organizations that are not experienced in managing these types of projects.

Cost and program delivery From 2009/10 to 2012/13, confirmed annual funding was $120 million a year (plus one-time funding of $50 million, over the period 2010/11 to 2012/13, for the Community Capital Fund). 2013/14 marked the first year since 2004/05 that saw a reduction in the Foundation’s allocation – from $120 million to $115 million. This was very disappointing given the increase to OLG profits and the increasing needs in communities and the voluntary sector. As a result, the OTF Board made the difficult decision to put the Future Fund Program on hiatus and reduce the operating budget accordingly. Given that the Future Fund Program focused on supporting young social entrepreneurs at a time when youth employment and engagement are low, this has had a negative impact on OTF’s ability to deliver on its mission. With the government’s public support of social enterprise, it is hoped that the $5 million in funding will be restored.


Concurrent with this reduction in funding, $5 million in funding that was previously announced for a new Youth Opportunities Fund which will be funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services was directed to be administered by OTF. This funding, which is specific to the GTA, does not offset the budget reduction to our core mandate. Each year the Foundation reviews more than 3,000 applications to its core granting programs and approves 1,300 to 1,400 grants. And at any given time, there are over 3,000 active grants under management; the need to monitor a large number of grants places considerable pressure on OTF’s resources.

Yet despite its high volume of applications and grants, multiple locations, and complex volunteer decision-making process, OTF remains significantly more cost-efficient than comparable funders, with lower per-grant costs and lower staff-per-grant ratios. In our recent employee engagement survey, which benchmarks OTF with both the not-for-profit and public sectors, it was noted that OTF is well below the average proportion of management staff to front-line service providers. OTF grants contribute to a stronger economy through local expenditures and the leveraging of community resources. For every $10.00 granted over the past three years, $15.60 was leveraged in volunteer time, in-kind contributions, and direct funding from other sources. As well, in 2011/12, OTF grants resulted in 293,462 volunteers devoting almost 2.5 million hours of volunteer service in their communities – the equivalent of more than 1,400 FTEs.

Accessibility of OTF Services The Foundation funds a wide range of groups and activities:

OTF is serving smaller organizations – for 2013/14 year-to-date, about half (49%) of OTF’s grantees have an annual budget of less than $100,000, and on average about 25% of grantees are organizations that are run solely by volunteers.

Close to one-third (29%) of grantees serve rural or smaller communities, while close to one-quarter (23%) of grantees are organizations that are run solely by volunteers.

6%-7% of OTF’s funds are granted annually to Francophone groups – OTF is keeping pace with the relative population.

Approximately 7% of funds are granted to First Nations, Métis, and other Aboriginal groups each year. (These groups represent approximately 2% of Ontario’s population, but have an exceptional level of need.) This figure has been consistent for a number of years, reflecting OTF’s concentrated outreach efforts to encourage applications.

OTF has noted that other groups may benefit from similar outreach efforts.

6.3 The Communications Environment A number of factors influence and inform the OTF communications environment, including the following, which provide the context that guides the development and implementation of communications activities:

The commitment to demonstrate the impact of OTF investments – at the local as well as provincial levels – is a driving force behind new approaches and activities by the OTF Communications team. This focus will underlie all current and new communications activities.


The Foundation has significant positive influence and impact in communities across the province, and this ensures that the public and media remain interested in the work of OTF. Media releases and local announcements, held in concert with MPPs, contribute to an enhanced awareness on an ongoing basis. These recognition efforts are enhanced by using social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook. OTF annually tracks several thousand media and online stories regarding grantees that reference the Foundation. However, OTF is better known in some parts of the province than in others. In larger centres, particularly Toronto, OTF announcements compete with a significant volume of other philanthropic announcements and activities, many of which involve high-profile community members. Over the last year we have noted an increase in OTF coverage in the Toronto area media.

Each year more grant applications are declined than approved. Any declines have the potential to attract negative media attention although incidences of this occurring are infrequent. In addition, general media attention may focus on governance or staffing issues in not-for-profit organizations, some of which are past or active OTF grantees. Overall, this represents less than five per cent of media coverage tracked. Print, electronic, and online media sources are reviewed daily, any potential issues are identified, follow-up action is taken as required, and the Minister’s office is advised as necessary.

While not currently subject to the Freedom of Information and Personal Privacy Act (FIPPA), OTF adheres to the principles of transparency and openness of the Act. The foundation is open and responsive to requests for information about applications and the grant approval processes.

The OTF website, www.otf.ca, is the primary initial source of information for the general public and organizations seeking grant information; it also supports the overall knowledge management portfolio and is the access point for the online grants management system. The website is regularly cited for its completeness and for the variety of information available. The website receives between 500 and 800 visitors each day, most of whom come seeking information on how to apply for grants. This platform also offers a range of options to engage with Ontarians through various social media tools.

The Foundation is AODA compliant through all its communications materials.

Ongoing efforts are made to streamline all information in order to reduce production and distribution costs of print materials.


7. Human Resources

Overview and HR Priorities for 2014/15 OTF leadership changes at the CEO and Chair level mid-way through the 2012/13 year led to the development of a new Strategy Map which had HR implications in its implementation. During this time of ongoing fiscal constraint, the Foundation is grateful to continue to have an excellent labour relations environment and a skilled and dedicated staff and leadership team. Significant progress has been made to ensure implementation of the recommendations in the Auditor General’s report and as a result OTF increased its staff complement in the areas of risk management, quality assurance, information systems, monitoring performance, and volunteer engagement and support. Where possible this was accomplished through reallocation of existing human resources. The ongoing development and support of OTF’s Grant Review Team (GRT) volunteers remains fundamental to achieving our mission. The Foundation held a successful professional development conference in June 2013 and the event continues to be a valuable investment in professional development for our staff and volunteers. In addressing one of the OAGO’s recommendations which dealt with volunteer engagement, we experienced an unanticipated increase in the volunteer workload as a result of including them earlier in the review process. This required additional training and an increased time commitment from the volunteer complement. The appointment and reappointment process has unfortunately not kept up with the pace required to fill volunteer positions on GRTs. The high number of vacancies puts a strain on the existing members and introduces a level of risk to the process that is challenging to manage appropriately. In response we have strengthened our ability to support our volunteers and now have a dedicated resource to focus on GRT orientation, development, and engagement. We have also recommended to the Minister that the Foundation be permitted to appoint all GRT members except GRT Chairs. Should a solution not be found and numbers of GRT volunteers continue to fall, consideration will have to be given to other means of ensuring that grant applications are thoroughly reviewed; as suggested in the Risk section of the Business Plan (#5.A), consideration will be given to increased staff involvement in decision-making, despite this being contrary to one of the Auditor General’s recommendations in 2011. Employees at OTF are not unionized and are not eligible to participate in the Ontario Government Pension Plan. As a result, our workforce is nimble and our overall salary and benefit costs are lower than institutions carrying costly pension liabilities.

OTF’s Compensation Strategy The Ontario Trillium Foundation takes a comprehensive approach to rewards, recognizing that non-financial rewards play a key role in attracting, retaining, developing and motivating engaged and committed high-calibre staff.

Priorities There are four HR priorities over the next three years:


1. To continue to monitor the organizational structure and roles to ensure they are aligned to support the Foundation’s Operational Plan and the new strategic plan to be developed for 2015/16.

2. To continue to support activities to enhance employee and volunteer engagement.

3. To allocate the human resources required to meet our legal obligations.

4. To remain competitive in the total reward and recognition of OTF staff in order to continue our excellent labour relations and be competitive with similar organizations.

Planned activities over the next year include:

1. Monitor the results from the implementation of the comprehensive workforce planning review. This review ensures OTF’s complement of human resources and organizational structure are well positioned to meet the new strategic direction and anticipated future growth of the organization. A workload review at every level of the organization is being considered and may be undertaken over the next two years.

2. Continue to support the Staff Engagement Advisory Group activities. The members of the group were consulted to inform the content of the Employee Engagement Survey conducted in September 2013. The results presented to all staff will serve to guide the work of the Foundation as it relates to employee engagement over the next three years.

3. Roll out the volunteer engagement plans that will support the development and engagement of our volunteers. The Human Resources team now counts an additional resource dedicated to the orientation and training of our volunteers. A Volunteer Engagement Advisory Group is being formed to provide guidance on a variety of topics including volunteer recruitment.

4. Continue to allocate resources required to meet our legal requirements. In an environment of increasing legal obligations, OTF must ensure staff are delivering effective training programs, plans, and policies in compliance with Ontario legislation including:

The Public Service of Ontario Act

The Ontario Health and Safety Act and Bill 168 on Workplace Violence and Harassment

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

5. Consider the results of a compensation benchmark review undertaken in the fall of 2013, to ensure we reward our employees appropriately. In an environment of austerity, we must continue to look for ways to ensure our total compensation program remains competitive with organizations such as government ministries and other granting foundations.


8. Performance Measures

Introduction This section of the Business Plan sets out a small number of outcome-focused measures and quantified annual targets for OTF’s key programs, services, and areas of significant spending. The measures draw attention to the Foundation’s key outputs, and demonstrate the agency’s effectiveness, efficiency, and level of client / customer satisfaction. As well, three of the measures – related to additional funds leveraged, the multiplier effect of OTF’s investments, and number of jobs created – indicate the Foundation’s alignment with the Government’s economic agenda. In addition to the measures noted below, OTF uses a more comprehensive set of measures internally, through which we are able to “drill down” to the program level to explain our results in greater detail as needed. These include numerous operational, financial, and programmatic goals that are reported on regularly through OTF Business Plans, Board and Annual Reports, and updates. In addition, each year OTF performs an in-depth analysis of its granting (by program and catchment area) and audits a selection of grants. As well, the Foundation monitors the performance of individual grants and grantees through progress and final reports. Background In its December 2011 report, the Auditor General of Ontario recommended that, in order to better assess whether the Foundation is meeting its stated objectives, and to help identify in a timely manner those areas needing improvements, the Foundation should establish meaningful operational indicators and realistic targets, and measure and publicly report on its success in meeting such targets. More recently, the report of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services (the Drummond Report) recognized the important contribution the not-for-profit and voluntary sector makes to Ontario’s economy, while challenging public sector organizations to ensure they are investing in the future, making evidence-based decisions, and focusing on outcomes, not inputs. In 2013/14 the Foundation responded to both sets of recommendations by reviewing its approach to performance measurement, with the goal of strengthening how it measures and reports on its effectiveness in meeting its mission. Three areas for improvement were targeted:

using more of the quantitative and qualitative data reported by grantees about the results of their grants to demonstrate our impact in communities;

benchmarking organizational change and operational improvements based on the results of key research instruments such as the Applicant and Grantee Perception Reports and the Employee Engagement Survey; and

aligning OTF measures and results with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, the leading framework of indicators of community wellbeing in Canada.

This ongoing work is reflected in the matrix of performance measures provided below. Note: At the time of writing, many results for the current year (2013/14) are not yet available. For those cases, the baseline data from the current year and targets for future years will be updated once the results are available.


Goal 1: Deliver high-value and accountable investments of public funds.

Objectives

Measures

Targets 2014/15

Targets 2015/16

Targets 2016/17

Leverage our investments in alignment with our Strategic Framework.

Value of contribu-tions leveraged (financial, in-kind, volunteer) for each dollar invested in project/operating ini-tiatives.

Three-year average of $2.00 for every $1.00 granted (with a corridor of +/- $.20)

Three-year average of $2.00 for

every $1.00 granted (with a corridor of +/- $.20)

Three-year average of $2.00 for

every $1.00 granted (with a corridor of +/- $.20)

Multiplier effect of investments

$1.80 for every $1.00 invested.



Number of jobs created per $1 million invested

25 jobs 25 jobs 25 jobs

Ensure consistent, transparent, and equitable granting practices.

Quality assessment audit to assure the most worthy projects are funded in reasonable amounts and that grants are monitored appropriately

10% of all decisions to be audited

% of grants that are fully compliant with QA standards –based on 2013/14 (baseline year) results

10% of all decisions to be audited

tbd

tbd

tbd

Implement recommendations arising from the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.

% of grants audited annually

% operating vs. investment budgets

Grantee compliance with Letter of Agreement

8%

≤12.5% of total expenditures

85-100% compliance corridor

10%


10% improvement over previous year

tbd


10% improvement over previous year, or 100%


Goal 2: Enhance the Public Benefit sector across Ontario in collaboration with our partners.

Objectives

Measures

Targets 2014/15

Targets 2015/16

Targets 2016/17

Develop new collaborative initiatives with other funders in both the private and public sectors.

Value of contribu-tions leveraged from the private and public sectors (financial, in-kind, volunteer) for each dollar invested

tbd (baseline year)

tbd tbd

Strengthen information systems to support access, integration, and operations.

New strategic initiative to build the shared measurement capacity of the sector.

Resources invested to implement a capacity-building initiative for the sector

Begin to measure and report on results

tbd

Goal 3: Support applicants and grantees to maximize their impact.

Objectives

Measures

Targets 2014/15

Targets 2015/16

Targets 2016/17

Measure and tell the story of grantee and Foundation performance.

% grant outcomes met

Grantee satisfaction score

Tbd based on results in 2013/14 (baseline year)

Better than benchmark on the CEP 7-point scale1

tbd


7-point scale

tbd


Promote the achievements of OTF, our grantees, and the Public Benefit sector.

% of grantees providing recognition to OTF

% of positive coverage (media, online, third person)

95%

95%

100%

95%

100%

95%

1 The Funder-Grantee Relationships rating as reported in the Centre for Effective Philanthropy’s Grantee Perception Report (2012 and future years).


of the work of OTF grantees and OTF

Objectives

Measures

Targets 2014/15

Targets 2015/16

Targets 2016/17

# of unique visits to the OTF website

500 per day 600 per day tbd

Engage the best people to build a dynamic culture that inspires excellence.

Staff engagement ratings

Volunteer engagement ratings

Improvement over the 2013/14 scores on top 3 drivers of engagement 2

Tbd based on results in 2013/14 (baseline year)

Tbd – depending on timing of next survey

tbd

Tbd – depending on timing of next survey

tbd

2 The measures and targets for Staff Engagement are based on a new Employee Engagement Survey tool introduced in 2013/14. (Results from prior years were based on a different survey tool.) Top three drivers of engagement for OTF staff are professional growth, senior leadership, and organizational vision. The top three drivers of engagement will be the focus of activity between surveys over the next three years.


9. Financial Budget and Staffing

A.i. Financial Forecast Summary AGENCY:

Ontario Trillium Foundation 2012-13 2013-14 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

ACTUAL BUDGET

PROJECTED

ACTUAL BUDGET

PROVINCE OF ONTARIO

MTCS Operating (including maintenance) 120,000,000 115,000,000 115,000,000 115,000,000 115,000,000 115,000,000

MTCS - CCF 5,000,000 0 0 0 0 0

Ministery of Children and Youth Services - YOF 5,000,000 5,000,000 5,000,000 5,000,000 5,000,000

1> TOTAL PROVINCIAL FUNDING 125,000,000 120,000,000 120,000,000 120,000,000 120,000,000 120,000,000

OTHER GOVERNMENT

(specify program name, government & funding period)

2> TOTAL OTHER GOV'T FUNDING 0 0 0 0 0 0

SELF GENERATED REVENUES

Membership Fees

Individual Donations & Gifts (with book value)

Corporate Sponsorships

Admissions

Special Events

Facilities Rental

Education/Program fees

Sales of Programs/Products/Expertise

Restaurant/Food Service

Gift Shop/Retail

Parking

Investment Income 2,349,290 2,238,040 2,241,656 2,475,709 3,001,733 3,716,807

Non-Government Grants 500,000 500,000 500,000 500,000 500,000

Other: (To) From Deferred Contributions -711,883 600,000 438,906 550,000 100,000 100,000

Rescinded or Recovered Grants 4,666,514 3,000,000 3,400,000 2,700,000 2,500,000 2,200,000

3> TOTAL SELF GENERATED 6,303,921 6,338,040 6,580,562 6,225,709 6,101,733 6,516,807

4> TOTAL REVENUE: 1+2+3 131,303,921 126,338,040 126,580,562 126,225,709 126,101,733 126,516,807

EXPENDITURES

Salaries & Benefits 10,397,200 11,081,556 11,143,437 11,228,205 11,374,172 11,522,036

Grants 116,641,900 109,795,521 110,045,521 110,000,709 110,001,733 110,391,807

Program Delivery 1,939,147 2,757,859 2,715,073 2,382,882 2,160,575 2,083,303

Administration 343,718 416,587 413,522 359,945 326,364 314,692

Restaurant/Food Service

Gift Shop/Retail

Occupancy/Lease 1,115,489 1,130,746 1,139,746 1,145,746 1,155,746 1,165,746

Maintenance/Utilities 18,530 20,000 18,353 17,281 15,668 15,108

Fleet & Security

Fundraising & membership development

Marketing & Communications 346,162 577,156 559,910 498,682 452,158 435,987

Other (specify):

5> TOTAL EXPENDITURES 130,802,146 125,779,424 126,035,562 125,633,449 125,486,415 125,928,678

Net Income Surplus/(Deficit): 4-5 501,775 558,616 545,000 592,260 615,317 588,129

Amortization of deferred capital contributions Amortization of capital assets 501,775 558,616 545,000 592,260 615,317 588,129

Net Income Surplus/(Deficit) After Amortization 0 0 0 0 0 0

Net assets (deficit), beginning of year 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042

Net assets (deficit), end of year 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042 2,572,042

FINANCIAL FORECAST SUMMARY

FORECAST

Notes: See Business Plan Section 4


A.ii. Financial Variances – Previous Fiscal Year AGENCY:

Ontario Trillium Foundation2011-12

ACTUAL

ACTUAL BUDGET OUTCOME VARIANCE

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

MTCS Operating (including maintenance) 120,000,000 120,000,000 120,000,000 0

MTCS - CCF 40,255,600 5,794,400 5,000,000 -794,400

SELF GENERATED

Investment Income 3,189,948 2,200,000 2,349,290 149,290

Non-Government Grants 0 0

Other - (To) From Deferred Cont. -1,280,004 -2,147,400 -711,883 1,435,517

- Rescinded or Recovered Grants 2,758,847 3,200,000 4,666,514 1,466,514

TOTAL REVENUES 164,924,391 129,047,000 131,303,921 2,256,921

EXPENDITURES

Salaries & Benefits 9,920,591 10,046,491 10,397,200 350,709

Grants 151,068,400 114,215,000 116,641,900 2,426,900

Program Delivery 1,982,533 2,323,865 1,939,147 -384,719

Administration 345,843 402,572 343,718 -58,854

Occupancy/Lease 708,724 1,146,745 1,115,489 -31,256

Maintenance/Utilities 19,128 23,500 18,530 -4,970

Marketing & Communications 380,629 325,732 346,162 20,430

TOTAL EXPENDITURES 164,425,849 128,483,905 130,802,146 2,318,241

Net Income Surplus/(Deficit) 498,542 563,095 501,775 -61,320

Amortization of deferred capital contributions

Amortization of capital assets 498,542 563,095 501,775 -61,320

Net Income Surplus/(Deficit) After Amortization 0 0 0 0

2012-13

2012-13 Variance (Operating)

B. Summary of Staff Numbers The current staffing complement at OTF consists of 116.0 FTEs. Of this number,

114.0 FTEs are permanent full-time staff

1.4 FTEs are permanent part-time staff

0.6 FTEs are contract part-time staff This does not include staffing of the Community Capital Fund, a one-time program administered by OTF on behalf of the Ontario Government. Currently 2.5 FTEs are required to oversee that program until it is phased out by the end of 2014. Also not included are the 3.7 staff assigned to roll out the Youth Opportunities Fund, again a program administered on behalf of the Government. In 2012/13, a comprehensive workforce planning review took place to ensure that the Foundation’s various roles and organizational structure are aligned to best support the Strategic Framework and achieve our goals, including full implementation of responses to the Auditor General’s recommendations.


10. Information Technology / Electronic Service Delivery Plan

For the fiscal year 2014/15, the Information Technology and Information Systems plan is divided into the following areas:

Unified Communications: In 2013/14 we began work on a unified communications strategy to ensure that our staff teams have all the tools available to them for maximum efficiency in their daily work. 2014/15 will be the second year of a two-year, capital-intensive project in this area. The project has three stages. Stage One is the infrastructure preparation. Stage Two is the introduction of, and orientation to, the technology, and the third and final stage will be the most critical component: voice communications. The first stage involves upgrading the current infrastructure of desktops and laptops to ensure they are capable of handling the additional performance demand of a unified communications environment, in the context of a highly distributed workforce. Our current environment is not set up for video conferencing, and we will review the need and priority for video conferencing as part of our normal communications tools. Once the infrastructure and hardware are in place, we will begin the second stage of the project by rolling out web-based meeting and collaboration technologies with an emphasis on the training component. We must ensure that our staff are able to use the technology easily and properly to get the maximum value for our money. The final stage will involve the integration of a new VOIP communications system into our infrastructure. This will enable our regional offices and staff to be on the same phone system as staff in Toronto and for calls to be transferred seamlessly from one location to the next. Optimally, travelling staff will be able to access their office communications setup (voice call and voice mail) from their laptop as if they were in their office. We are currently (October 2013) working with Microsoft and other vendors to conduct a proof of concept at this time.

Cloud Computing: In 2013/14 we took our first steps towards moving our disaster recovery mechanism to a cloud-based model by 2015/16. We will be maintaining the current Canadian data sovereignty requirement, so that our data will not be stored in another country or subject to access by a non-Canadian authority. In 2014/15 we will continue to test and investigate private and public cloud implementation under the Unified Communications project described above, to ensure we are getting the maximum value for our investment. Our end goal continues to be to use cloud-based services that are more cost-efficient, and where the proper security is in place.

Business Systems: In 2014/15 we will launch version 2.5 of our Grant Administration Information Management System (GAIMS), which we started in the 2012/13 fiscal year. The upgrade will ensure the systems support the changes to our granting processes and procedures introduced under the Foundation’s new Strategic Framework, as well as new Quality Assurance and streamlined application, monitoring, and reporting processes for OTF clients and staff. In conjunction with


this upgrade work, we will rework the user interface to ensure GAIMS is AODA compliant as of January 12014. We are also taking the opportunity to update the underlying technology to improve overall performance and to implement a more service-oriented architecture approach to ensure future technology changes will be possible, to ensure our investment is protected. In 2013/14, we began enhancements to our MSRS (Microsoft Reporting Services) to support better management of our data and reporting from multiple data sources, and completed the planning for a three-year project to develop a fully functional data warehouse reporting system to take advantage of all the new features of the latest Microsoft database technologies (SQL 2012). Implementation of this project will begin in 2014/15 and when completed will allow OTF to share our knowledge in a more efficient and user-friendly fashion, both internally and externally, consistent with the move to a more “open data” approach to knowledge transfer.

Electronic Service Delivery (ESD): In 2014/15, we will continue to refine our external and internal business systems to leverage the information and knowledge we have gathered from our grant-making and other activities over the years. We will officially launch an OTF Extranet (using SharePoint) to improve access and service to our volunteers and external stakeholders. We will work with our stakeholders to ensure that their needs are met in a logical and cost-efficient manner, with appropriate security measures in place. We will continue our deployment and conversion of the existing Intranet and its data to Microsoft’s newer SharePoint system. The aim is to ensure a single point of data access, ease of use, and AODA compliance for end users. In 2013/14 OTF began implementing a number of proof of concept (POC) business systems. In 2014/15 a single login and user self-service system (password reset) will be introduced to provide user access after-hours, as well as a new procurement system for tracking and reporting on our procurement activities. Work will also continue on developing our first mobile application to allow staff and external users of our systems to request support and track support calls from their smart phones. In 2014/15 we also plan to begin work to strengthen our technology support for Customer Relationship Management, Volunteer Relations, and a Human Resources Information System (HRIS).

Core Operations: In 2014/15 we will continue the work begun in 2013/14 to strengthen our Service Desk through a more consolidated approach to triage support and service calls, as well as providing staff with one-stop access to self-help instructions and computer-based training modules. In 2012/13 we concluded an in-depth review of our current IT security and risk environment. In 2014/15 work will continue on implementing the consultant’s recommendations using a recognized information management security framework.


11. Initiatives Involving Third Parties

The large majority of our third-party partners are our grantees who receive grants, a form of transfer payment. In this regard, OTF is fully compliant with the Transfer Payment Accountability Directive, and signs a statement to this effect on an annual basis. In addition, since its inception OTF has partnered informally with private, public, and corporate funders to support shared goals, priorities, and sector needs in Ontario in order to achieve its mission. Over the last year we have taken a renewed focus to accelerate and strengthen the impact of our investments by identifying and leveraging external resources aligned to our mission and Strategic Framework. One of the main catalysts for this shift was the desire to increase opportunities for collective impact. However, the fiscal restraint we encountered regarding our granting budget in 2013/14 further highlighted the need to maximize our investments. To address this concern and to meet the exceedingly growing demand for our grants, we are developing an overarching framework to leverage our investments in partnership with other funders and stakeholders Utilizing a collective impact approach, OTF is seeking more formal social investment partnership opportunities to co-fund projects for deeper impact across our sector priorities. This is a key element of the new Strategy Map which was finalized in 2012/13. One of the initial partnerships that OTF has successfully fostered is with the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation. The Gooder Foundation agreed to contribute an additional $500,000 as part of a co-funding partnership with OTF through the Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF). YOF focuses on assisting youth facing multiple barriers through community-based and grassroots organizations. This initiative marked the first time that OTF embarked on a formal funding partnership with a private sector partner. The goal moving forward is to continue to attract additional financial resources, similar to the Gooder Foundation, to assist OTF in funding for deeper impact. This successful partnership will form a model for future agreements. One of the goals for 2013/14 has been to take a more strategic approach to partnering through the development of a Social Investment Partnerships Framework. This framework will outline how we will engage third parties in a more cohesive manner and will involve a number of key considerations, including:

- Criteria to identify appropriate partners - Risk management plan - Types of partnership - Budgeting and staffing - Monitoring and evaluation - Communications and recognition - Governance and decision-making

A key component of the framework will be how we measure and quantify the leverage the Foundation will gain through co-funding opportunities. We foresee a number of benefits to collaborating proactively with third party entities, including:

- Co-funding opportunities will enable us to increase our financial resources to fund for even deeper impact through shared priority support


- Ensuring alignment of funding to projects and avoiding funding overlap by clearly understanding what is and what will be funded

- Opportunity to advance common issues, given shared priorities. - Creation of a standardized application/report template for applicants/grantees. - Potential to develop shared measurement systems for evaluating impact of joint

investments. - Educating the private sector about the Foundation’s work.

While the engagement of social investment partnerships will bring many added benefits, we are also cognizant of the new added challenges. The development of a new Social Investment Partnership Framework will require us to address the following:

- Identifying, assessing, managing and monitoring risks associated with seeking partnerships

- Developing and embedding new accounting practices to capture third party partnerships

- Ensuring that our approval process is compatible with third party processes - Creating a clear resolution process to handle disputes

We envision finalizing the framework in late 2013/14 and executing its implementation in 2014/15.


12. Implementation Plan

The Implementation Plan for the strategies described in this Business Plan is under develop-ment and will be completed by 2013/14 year-end, in conjunction with departmental planning and budgeting activities throughout the Foundation.


13. Communications Plan

Overarching Strategy All OTF communication activities support the delivery of the Business Plan and the Key Initiatives outlined in the annual Operational Plan. OTF’s Communications Plan has four primary goals:

To communicate to all Ontario residents the story of the impact of OTF investments in community-based initiatives that enhance the capacity of the voluntary sector and increase civic engagement.

Communicate to all stakeholders how the Strategic Framework enablers of collaboration, civic engagement, capacity building, innovation, inclusion, and responding to local contexts provide the foundation for OTF investments, strengthen the capacity of the not-for-profit sector, and make Ontario a better place to live, work and play.

To ensure a strong relationship with our government funder.

Effectively and consistently acknowledge and communicate the source of OTF funding and its impact, based on established protocols. Work in partnership with our funder to provide positive opportunities to acknowledge the source of OTF funding and demonstrate the delivery of high-value and accountable investments of those funds.

To increase the engagement of staff and volunteers in the implementation of the OTF Strategic Framework through the Operational Plan.

Through effective implementation of the Communications Plan consistent approaches to communications – externally and internally – will be achieved.

To demonstrate OTF leadership through knowledge sharing and engagement of the not-for-profit sector.

Build the capacity of the not-for-profit sector to share knowledge and communicate best practices, research, and sector trends.

These four goals will be accomplished through the following:

Communicate with the Government of Ontario, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and other ministries to demonstrate the alignment of government priorities and OTF investments. - Identify and suggest visibility opportunities related to grants and other OTF activities - Be proactive in the identification of issues - Liaise with other government granting agencies to coordinate and enhance

announcement and recognition activities where and when appropriate - Ensure all key government and political stakeholders are regularly informed and

updated about the work of OTF and, where appropriate, the not-for-profit sector, through ongoing liaison with each MPP and his/her staff, Cabinet members, and key advisors. This includes support to ensure all can easily identify and access OTF


information and materials to appropriately refer potential applicants to the Foundation.

Timing: Ongoing Products: face-to-face meetings, email, recognition events

Engage OTF staff and volunteers in Foundation activities and programs that allow them to focus their efforts on delivery of the OTF Mission through the implementation of the Strategic Framework; and share new ideas and insights that achieve greatest impact across the Public Benefit sector. - Support the development and implementation of volunteer recruitment activities and

programs - Communicate policies and processes to ensure consistent approaches and

messaging in internal and external activities - Implement a knowledge-sharing dashboard to track and share community- and

sector-based communications activities - Strengthen the knowledge sharing platforms accessible to internal and external

stakeholders. Timing: Ongoing

Increase awareness of OTF-funded projects, programs, grant processes and deadlines. Promote the achievements of OTF, our grantees, and the Public Benefit Sector. - Announce all grants approved by the Foundation through targeted and customized

news releases in the 16 catchment areas of the province and for all granting programs

- Support grantees in promoting their impact in their communities by telling their stories through OTF communication vehicles, including OTF News, the OTF website, and various social media tools

- Support community outreach and identify targeted communications initiatives to increase the number of grant applications

- Work with other funders to focus on and communicate collaborative approaches that better support the not-for-profit sector to prepare for, and address, emerging challenges

Timing: Ongoing Products: News releases, web postings, media briefings, social media

Engage grant recipients and OTF volunteers in recognition and other communications activities. - Provide a user-friendly Public Relations Toolkit on the OTF website and participate in

grantee orientation sessions in order to assist grantees in attracting local media attention for their ongoing community efforts, in addition to recognition of their OTF grants (as per the OTF Recognition Policy)

- Identify and develop communications strategies that focus on the impact of OTF grants within and across sectors and communities of interest

Timing: Ongoing Products: News releases, web postings, media briefings, social media

Maintain good working relationships with media serving First Nations, Aboriginal, and Métis communities, as well as Ontario’s ethnocultural and racial minority communities.

Timing: Ongoing Products: Media briefing sessions, customized news releases


14. Organizational Charts

A. BOARD AND COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

B. STAFF DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE(With numbers of FTE positions as of December 2013 -- M = management, NM = non-management staff)NOTE: In transition to align with new strategies described in the

Business Plan; no addition to headcount is planned.

(5 M, 3 NM)

(3 M, 24.4 NM) (4 M, 52.6 NM) (2 M, 12 NM) (3 M, 7 NM)

(+1 M - CCF & YOF,

2 NM - CCF and 3.2 NM - YOF)

Performance &

Strategic

Investments

Department

Community

Investments

Department

Engagement

Department

Finance &

Administration

Department

Responsible for

Policy, Research, and

Evaluation; Prov-

Wide and Future

Fund grants,

Information Systems

Responsible for

Community grants

Responsible for

Human Resources,

Volunteer Relations,

and Communications

Responsible for

Finance;

Administration and

Facilities; Quality and

Risk Management

CEO

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FINANCE & AUDIT COMMITTEE

CORP. GOVERNANCE & POLICY

COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

GRANTING LIAISON COMMITTEE

Province-Wide Grant Review

Team

Community Grant Review Teams

Youth Opportunities Fund Committee


APPENDICES

Appendix A – The Foundation’s Strategic Framework Appendix B – A review of the Foundation’s accomplishments for 2012/13

Appendix A: OTF Strategic Framework 58

Appendix A: OTF Strategic Framework

Investing for Impact The mission of the Ontario Trillium Foundation is to build healthy and vibrant communities throughout Ontario

by strengthening the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. The

Foundation provides grants to Ontario’s charitable and not-for-profit organizations working in the arts and

culture, environment, human and social services, and sports and recreation sectors.

To achieve a mission of this breadth and depth the Foundation has a strategic framework in place to guide

granting decisions. The framework also identifies several strategies and priorities for each of the sectors.

OTF Enablers Overarching strategic enablers are the building blocks to achieve our mission.

Capacity Building Volunteer and not-for-profit organizations are resilient and adapt to the needs

of the communities they serve – locally and provincially. In addition safe and

accessible places to meet, work and play are essential to communities.

Civic Engagement Ontarians of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged and supported in their

efforts to improve community life through a wide range of volunteer activities and

in participation in community initiatives and events.

Inclusion Building more inclusive communities ensures that barriers of all types are

addressed; and that diversity, one of Ontario’s key assets, is valued, fostered and

celebrated.

Innovation

Creative approaches that fully realize opportunities and effectively address

challenges faced by every community are supported and encouraged. By developing new ideas or adapting best practice we can stimulate new

opportunities for vibrant and resilient communities.


OTF Enablers Overarching strategic enablers are the building blocks to achieve our mission.

Collaboration Connections with others, both individually and organizationally, support strong

communities. Partnerships and new ways of working together are fostered in

order to achieve greater impact.

Responding to Local Contexts OTF supports local initiatives and local decision making that responds to the

unique and diverse needs of communities.

How OTF does its work Based on the mission, built on the strategic enablers and guided by the priorities, knowledgeable and

committed staff and volunteers are able to address the opportunities and needs identified by local and

provincial grant applicants.

Locally-appointed volunteer Grant Review Teams (GRTs) and regionally-based OTF staff ensure communities

large and small are represented in 16 OTF catchments, or granting areas. Each of the 16 GRTs has determined

Local Areas of Granting Focus to address the need for local context in decision-making.

Provincial decision-making is guided by an appointed Board of Directors whose members oversee provincial

grant decisions based on the same strategies and sector priorities. Provincial Areas of Granting have also been

identified.

The Strategic Framework guides OTF activities within the broader not-for-profit sector including its relationships

with stakeholders and research, knowledge sharing and community engagement.


OTF Sector Priorities Building on the overarching strategic enablers and recognizing that each sector has a unique opportunity to

contribute to the health and vibrancy of Ontario, sector priorities guide and focus decision-making to help

achieve the highest impact for every OTF investment. There are four priorities for each sector.

Arts and Culture • Preserve, promote and celebrate diverse cultures and heritages

• Broaden participation and engagement in arts and culture

• Foster and strengthen the capacity, vibrancy and growth of the artistic and cultural community

• Leverage the power of the arts for positive social change, community

building or economic impact

Environment • Build the capacity of communities to develop local and sustainable food

systems

• Engage Ontarians in initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and

increase energy conservation

• Support innovative initiatives that protect and build green infrastructure

• Build the capacity of the sector to safeguard and restore ecosystems

Human and Social Services • Support initiatives that remove barriers and promote or increase equitable

access to social and economic participation in community life

• Support the capacity of organizations to adapt, innovate, collaborate and

embrace sustainable ways of working together in order to achieve better

outcomes

• Foster networks and intermediary organizations that strengthen the sector overall

• Support projects that engage Ontarians in developing more resilient

communities

Sports and Recreation • Strategically renew infrastructure, with an emphasis on multi-use

facilities, shared space and equipment

• Broaden access to, and improve quality and safety of active living

programs

• Improve the social and economic well-being of Ontarians and their

communities by leveraging the benefits of sport and recreation

• Strengthen sector capacity and leadership by increasing knowledge and

improving the skills of volunteers and staff

Appendix B: OTF- Review of 2012/13 Achievements 61

Appendix B:

Ontario Trillium Foundation Review of 2012/13 Achievements

The Ontario Trillium Foundation Business Plan for the year covered three major performance goals, each with supporting objectives. The following summarizes the organization’s achieve-ments relative to those goals and objectives.

GOAL 1: Make investments to economically strengthen local communities and enhance the capacity of the voluntary sector

Objective 1: Make grants to achieve priorities. Achievements included:

Allocated 100% of the year’s granting budget, by granting program and by catchment area, subject to modest variations, including $3 million toward the Healthy Communities Fund initiative.

Achieved granting targets within sector allocation ranges by granting 24% of funds in the arts and culture sector, 12% in the environment sector, 43% in the human and social services sector and 21% in the sports and recreation sector.

Granted $5.2 million for Future Fund grants around the theme of “Growing Economic Opportunities for Young Social Entrepreneurs”.

Under the Community Capital Fund program, completed a final round of grant approvals, making 29 grants totaling nearly $5.8 million, bringing the total value of grants awarded under this program to $49.5 million.

Objective 2: Enhance the impact of OTF grants. Achievements included:

Launched a new Strategic Framework, Investing for Impact, in January 2013. (Additional information on the Framework is included below under Goal 2.)

Advanced the Foundation’s work on understanding the indicators of healthy and vibrant communities, by commissioning a new report on Wellbeing in Ontario, and beginning the development of a prototype framework for reporting on wellbeing at a regional level.

Continued to support the long-term impact of Ontario’s not-for-profit sector by emphasizing organizational capacity building, identified as one of the “Strategic Enablers” in the new Strategic Framework.

Refined high engagement monitoring and evaluation practices with Future Fund grantees, including new elements such as an Innovation Lab and a Project Pitch session, to support the development of innovative and highly collaborative initiatives.

For every $10.00 granted over the past three years, grant recipients reported they leveraged an average of an additional $15.60 in volunteer time, in-kind contributions, and direct funding from other sources.

Objective 3: Strengthen the Foundation’s role as a leader and convenor. Achievements included:

Continued to act as a convenor, catalyst, and thought-leader in the Ontario not-for-profit sector, including the organization of 46 learning and networking events across the province.


Convening and knowledge sharing activities encouraged networks and other forms of partnerships, helped voluntary sector organizations share information, and encouraged grant applications from underserved and underprivileged populations, including Aboriginal, Francophone, ethno-cultural and racial minority, northern, and rural groups.

Continued to contribute to the research and capacity-building efforts of the Partnership Project as well as the Open for Business review of Ontario’s not-for-profit sector.

Commissioned new research from the Centre for Spatial Economics on the economic multiplier effect of OTF grants and investments in the not-for-profit sector overall, and from Social Asset Measurements Inc. on the Social Return on Investment from OTF capital and project grants.

Launched a Community Knowledge Exchange initiative with Community Foundations Canada.

The Foundation’s leadership in the area of Developmental Evaluation (DE) continued, with the completion of the DE report on the Ashoka Changemakers program for innovation in educational opportunities for Aboriginal youth, and the launch of a major DE study linked to the new Future Fund initiatives.

Objective 4: Enhance the equity and accessibility of OTF funding. Achievements included:

Carried out targeted outreach to encourage grant applications from under-serviced and under-privileged populations, including Aboriginal, Francophone, ethno-cultural and racial minority, northern, and rural groups, and groups in urban priority neighbourhoods.

In the final round of the Community Capital Fund, eligibility criteria were expanded to include organizations serving First Nations, Métis, and Aboriginal communities.

Granting to First Nations, Métis, and Aboriginal communities, as well as Francophone communities, continued to be higher than historic levels.

Commissioned applicant and grantee perception reports from the Center for Effective Philanthropy in 2012/13. The findings from these studies will inform a full review of the Foundation’s application process in 2013/14.

Redeveloped OTF’s online grants management system to ensure it is fully AODA compliant, to provide access for people with disabilities.

GOAL 2: Update and implement a new Strategic Framework for the Foundation The Foundation launched its new Strategic Framework, Investing for Impact, in January 2013. As planned, the new Framework includes four granting priorities for each of the sectors OTF funds, which support a set of “Strategic Enablers” or core building blocks of healthy and vibrant communities – Capacity Building, Collaboration, Innovation, Inclusion, Civic Engagement, Responding to Local Context – as well as Local Areas of Granting Focus developed by each of OTF’s Grant Review Teams and the Province-Wide Grant Review Committee.

The Framework was successfully implemented in the last quarter of 2012/13 in preparation for the March 1, 2013 granting deadline, supported by a new grants assessment process and extensive training for OTF staff and volunteers.


GOAL 3: Enhance organizational effectiveness. Achievements included:

Made significant progress in the Implementation of recommendations from the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit, including enhanced governance practices.

Implemented a more comprehensive internal audit plan, including increased emphasis on risk management and implementation of previous internal audit recommendations.

Maintained a high ranking as a cost-effective foundation.

Pursued opportunities for delivering granting programs for other government ministries on a cost-recovery basis and initiated a new approach to entering into strategic partnerships with other funders and stakeholders in the sector.

Completed the first phase of a new IT strategy to support the implementation of the new Strategic Framework.

Enhanced Communications and Public Affairs strategies to more effectively demonstrate the impact of OTF grants on communities across the province.

Completed workforce planning initiative.

Developed and implemented an orientation program for new grantees which is delivered across the province after every granting cycle.

business plan3.2 planning assumptions this business plan is based on the following key assumptions:...

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