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Policy Title:
Grant Policy
Policy Category:
Financial Control
Policy No.:
FC-004
Department:
Finance
Approval Date:
Dec. 11, 2017
Revision Date:
Nov. 17, 2025
Author:
Gracjan Oleksinski
Attachments:
n/a
Related Documents/
Legislation:
n/a
Key Word(s):
Grant
POLICY STATEMENT:
The City of Waterloo Council is committed to demonstrating financial leadership and
sustainability. This policy formalizes a defined and transparent process for the approval
and tracking of grant applications.
PURPOSE:
During the year, the City of Waterloo applies for various grant opportunities that can
provide either operating or capital grant funding to supplement or provide additional
funding.
All grant applications require approval before being submitted. Grants are led through a
review and approval process by Finance aligned with the approval thresholds in this
policy. Understanding and addressing the impacts of each grant is an important part of
the process.
Any grant applications that require funding by the City of Waterloo or exceed the
Council approved budget, must follow an approval process in advance of the grant
submission deadline. In exceptional circumstances where the grant timeline does not
allow for preapproval, grant applications will be approved by the CAO, submitted, and
brought to the appropriate approval authority (CMT or Council) at the next appropriate
meeting.
Mandatory Policy, Municipal Act: No
Policy Administration Team, Review Date: Oct. 28, 2025
Corporate Management Team, Review Date: Oct. 15, 2025
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
Page 2
DEFINITIONS:
Grant:
A gift in monetary or in-kind terms by another government, agency or
organization for specified purposes which are usually defined by specified
qualification or terms. At times, a grant may require proportional contribution by
the organization requesting the grant.
Grant Application:
A grant that the City of Waterloo is required to apply for and is used for specified
purposes which are usually defined by specified qualification or terms.
Financial Commitment:
A monetary contribution by the City to fund part of the grant program, project, or
initiative based on the grant eligibility requirements. Does not include staff time or
other in-kind contributions such as, but not limited to, facility rental space provided at
a discount or no cost.
Funding Transfer:
A transfer of funding from another government, agency or organization that has
general purposes which are usually defined by specified qualification or terms.
Grants Coordinator:
A Finance staff member assigned the responsibility of following the roles and
responsibilities outlined for this position.
Transfer Payment Agreement:
An agreement (TPA) that outlines the grant qualification, objectives, terms and
timelines that is mutually executed by both parties.
SCOPE:
This policy applies to all members of the City's organization including members of
Council, full, part-time, and contract staff.
POLICY COMMUNICATION:
The policy will be posted on the City Intranet (Jostle), and staff will be advised of the
policy update via distribution to the Managers Group, Operational Leadership Team
(OLT) and Corporate Management Team (CMT).
POLICY:
1. Grants Coordinator:
A) Grant Opportunities
- Actively seeks out grant opportunities and shares what's available with relevant
teams
- Review grant eligibility and requirements alongside relevant staff teams to
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
Page 3
determine viability for the City of Waterloo and identify the benefits/costs of
applying
- Facilitate a corporate review in collaboration with departmental staff of
alternative project candidates (if applicable) via CMT
- Support departmental staff to explore funding options if a financial
commitment is required from the City and the project is not budgeted
- Endorse the financial implications
- Meet monthly with the Manager of Financial Planning and Director of Financial
Planning and Asset Management to review ongoing active City grants and
available open grant programs for potential grant submission.
- Work with departmental staff to complete a joint CMT or Council Report (as
identified per the approval thresholds in this policy) and submit for approval
prior to application submission that includes (where applicable) the
following;
o An outline of the grant program
o Internal project evaluation process
o Financial implications and funding sources
o Benefits/costs including community benefits
- Assist departmental staff where possible in completing the grant application and
reporting requirements
- Work with the Government Relations Assistant and Director of Financial Planning
and Asset Management to liaise with senior levels of government
B) Projects Selected to Submit a Grant Application
- Assist departmental staff to complete the grant application for the financial
requirements
- If the grant application is successful, that these steps are followed:
o Work with departmental staff to communicate the outcome of the
application
o Ensure all reporting requirements as per the Transfer Payment Agreement
(TPA) are understood
If any reporting requirements involve submitting or retaining
documentation, that Finance coordinates this is in conjunction with
the department contact
- Retain a copy of the signed agreement/TPA
C) Grant Application Information
- The Grants Coordinator position will maintain the following information;
o Grant Opportunities and Tracking Summary
o Funding Agency and Program
o Funding available
o Deadline to apply to the grant
o Department responsible for completing grant application
o Grant Applications
o Grant Application
o Funding Agency and Program
o Grant Funding
o Total Budget and City Contribution
o Grant Application Status
o Overview of grant project
o Feedback received if the grant is unsuccessful
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
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o Funding Transfers (e.g. Canada Community Building Fund)
o Transfer Agreements
o Funding Agency and Program
o Grant Budget and City Contribution
o Total Budget and Total Expenditures
o Provide summarized update to Council each year of all Grant Applications
and Funding Transfers
2. Role of Departments:
A) Grant Opportunities
- Actively seek out grant opportunities and share them with the Grants Coordinator
- Provide information on allocated grants to the Grant Coordinator on an annual
basis
- Engage the Grants Coordinator to review grant opportunities
- Work with Grants Coordinator to provide information needed to assess
eligibility of project candidates
- Identify financial commitments and funding options required by the City of
Waterloo
- Identify the project related Return on Investment and financial implications
- Work with the Grants Coordinator to complete a joint CMT or Council Report
(as identified in the approval thresholds in this policy) and submit for
approval prior to application submission that includes (where applicable) the
following;
o An outline of the grant program
o Internal project evaluation process
o Identify benefits and costs, financial implications and funding sources
B) Projects Selected to Submit a Grant Application
- Work with the Grants Coordinator to complete the grant application
o The department contact is the main contact on the application
- If the grant application is successful, that these steps are followed:
o Work with the Grants Coordinator to communicate the outcome of the
application
o Ensure all reporting requirements are understood
-
If any reporting requirements involve submitting or retaining
documentation, that this is completed in conjunction with the Grants
Coordinator
3. Approvals:
The following approvals will be required for grant applications prior to the application
being submitted. The table also outlines the appropriate signing authority for grant
applications, agreements and related documents as well as financial reports,
summaries, progress reports and claims submissions.
For clarity, any authority granted to a particular title may continue to be exercised by
staff in that position if a job title set out in the tables is changed or modified, but the
nature of the position remains unchanged. The CAO may exercise any authority
granted to city staff in this policy, subject to any limitations imposed by statute,
regulation or by any other City By-law. Where more than one person is required to sign
a document, the CAO may only act for one of them. The Mayor and Clerk may
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
Page 5
exercise any authority granted to a Commissioner, Director, Manager or other
employee in this policy, subject to any limitations imposed by statute, regulation or by
any other City By-law. Where more than one person is required to sign a document, the
Clerk may only act for one of them.
Grant Applications - No Financial Commitment by The City
Grant Applications,
Agreements & Related
Documents
(where City applies) *
Approval Authority Prior
to Application
Staff Position Authorized
to Execute Grant
Applications, Agreements
& Related Documents
-
Grant value of less than
or equal to $20,000
-
Grant value more than
$20,000 and less than or
equal to $100,000
-
Grant value of more than
$100,000
Approval by applicable
Divisional Manager
Approval by applicable
Divisional Director
Approval by Director of
Financial Planning and
Asset Management
Divisional Manager
Manager of Financial
Planning or designate
Director of Financial Planning
and Asset Management or
designate
* Grantor sign off requirements supersede internal authorization requirements per grant application if they require a higher level of
approval authority; therefore, always refer to required approvals within grant documentation.
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
Page 6
Grant Applications - Financial Commitment Required by The City
Grant Applications,
Agreements & Related
Documents
(where City applies) *
Approval Authority Prior to
Application
Staff Position Authorized
to Execute Grant
Applications, Agreements
& Related Documents
-
Financial commitment
required by the City of
less than or equal to
$20,000
-
Financial commitment
required by the City more
than $20,000 and less
than or equal to $100,000
-
Financial commitment
required by the City of
more than $100,000 and
less than $200,000
-
Financial commitment
required by the City of
$200,000 or more, or
where grant/grant
application requires
funding for new
permanent staff
Divisional Director approval,
within approved budget or
otherwise in compliance
with Financial Policy FC-
002
Divisional Commissioner
Approval, within approved
budget or otherwise in
compliance with Financial
Policy FC- 002
Corporate Management
Team approval, within
approved budget or
otherwise in compliance with
Financial Policy FC- 002
Council Approval, within
approved budget or
otherwise in compliance
with Financial Policy FC-
002
Manager of Financial
Planning or designate
Director of Financial Planning
and Asset Management or
designate
CAO or designate
Mayor and City Clerk
* Grantor sign off requirements supersede internal authorization requirements per grant application if they require a higher level of
approval authority; therefore, always refer to required approvals within grant documentation.
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
Page 7
Financial Reporting and Progress Report Submissions - No Financial
Commitment by The City
Financial reports/summaries, progress
reports and claims submissions
relating to Grant Agreements *
Staff Position authorized to
Execute Documents
-
Grant value of less than or equal to
$20,000
-
Grant value more than $20,000 and
less than or equal to $100,000
-
Grant value of more than $100,000
Grant Coordinator
Manager of Financial Planning or
designate
Director of Financial Planning and
Asset Management or designate
Financial Reporting and Progress Report Submissions - Financial
Commitment Required by The City
Financial reports/summaries, progress
reports and claims submissions
relating to Grant Agreements *
Staff Position authorized to
Execute Documents
-
Financial commitment required by
the City of less than or equal to
$100,000
-
Financial commitment required by
the City of $100,000 or more
Manager of Financial Planning or
designate
Director of Financial Planning and
Asset Management or designate
* Grantor sign off requirements supersede internal authorization requirements per grant application if they require
a higher level of approval authority; therefore, always refer to required approvals within grant documentation.
* Grantor sign off requirements supersede internal authorization requirements per grant application if they require
a higher level of approval authority; therefore, always refer to required approvals within grant documentation.
POLICY NUMBER: FC-004
Page 8
Time Sensitive Grant Applications
Time Sensitive Grants
Approval Authority Prior
to Application
Staff Position Authorized
to Execute Grant
Applications, Agreements
& Related Documents
Time Sensitive Grant
Applications where
unreasonable to obtain further
authority within application time
frame or deadline, and where
no binding financial
commitment flowing from
application will occur, or where
application is merely an
expression of interest (EOI)
CAO or designate
Director of Financial
Planning and Asset
Management, within
approved budget or
otherwise in compliance
with Financial Policy FC-
002, provided the grant
application is brought to the
appropriate approval
authority at the next
appropriate meeting
OTHER NOTES:
-
Grant applications may require a certified Council resolution as part of the
application requirements regardless of the grant amount being sought.
-
As noted in the tables, Grantor sign off requirements per grant applications
supersede internal authorization requirements if they require a higher level of
approval authority; therefore, always refer to required approvals within grant
documentation.
COMPLIANCE:
In cases of policy violation, the City may investigate and determine appropriate
corrective action.