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Toronto is lucky to have one of the largest ravine networks in the world. Representing 17% of the city’s total area, these lush green spaces connect a diverse group of cultures and communities. They’re also a fragile resource, home to countless species of animals, plants, and insects.

InTO the Ravines creates opportunities for Torontonians to come together to explore the ravines, learn about their social and ecological benefits, and champion their preservation.

Park People partners with the City of Toronto to ensure that communities experience, celebrate and protect our one-of-a-kind ravine system. Together, we provide:

  • Innovative public programming that shines a light on the ravines
  • Microgrants to spur events and activities about our ravines
  • Training for InTO the Ravines Champions, supporting them to engage their communities in the ravines

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of participants report feeling greater connection to nature and living things

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of event attendees report they would be more to visit the ravines after the event

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InTO the Ravines prioritizes people from equity-deserving communities, especially those that face barriers to accessing the ravines. By equipping local leaders with the tools they need to create accessible event, we’re helping them to introduce their communities to the many benefits of the ravines.

Urban parks offer countless benefits to our physical and mental health, to our sense of community, and to our environment. But these benefits aren’t shared equally — Racialized and low-income people face barriers to accessing urban parks, such as inadequate park infrastructure and discrimination in public spaces.

The Sparking Change program in Toronto supports equity-deserving community groups to transform their parks into powerful engines of community development. 

We connect grassroots groups to opportunities for training, professional networks, seed funding, and one-on-one coaching to help them activate their parks and offer programming that addresses barriers and meets their communities’ needs.

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community leaders trained to date

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people connected to their local park

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of participants report being better connected to their community

Helping build vital connections between people and parks

TD Park People Grants are available for almost any community event in a publicly accessible green space — whether in a city park, social housing property, or schoolyard — that fosters ongoing care and protection of these spaces.

From Indigenous plant medicine workshops to nature walks, we help local leaders organize events focused on environmental education, sustainability, or stewardship that bring people together.

Each year, we support over 70 community groups across 21 urban areas in Canada to host two in-person and virtual events.

You could receive $2,000 to support your vision to connect people to their local parks and green spaces!

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The Application for the 2024 TD Park People Grants is closed. Applications for the 2025 edition will open in January 2025.

2024 Key Dates

Jan 8 2024

Applications open

Feb 27 2024

Applications close

April 2024

Notification to grants recipients

May 2024

Distribution of funds

April 22 to Dec 31, 2024

Park events period

Oct 2024

Project report due

Eligibility

  • Grassroots community groups include, but are not limited to, volunteer-based park groups, local agencies, resident associations, and not-for-profit groups active in their local parks. 
  • Partnerships of any or all of the above are encouraged to apply. 
  • Your group must also demonstrate its ability to sustain the group beyond this grant cycle.
  • Groups should demonstrate their commitment to caring for the park. 

In 2024, the TD Park People Grants extends to 21 urban areas across Canada: 

  • British Columbia: Metro Vancouver, Kelowna, Saanich, Township of Langley
  • Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton Metropolitan Region, Lethbridge
  • Saskatchewan:  Regina, Saskatoon,
  • Manitoba: Winnipeg, Brandon,
  • Ontario: Greater Toronto and Hamilton Areas, Kitchener – Waterloo, Thunder Bay, Guelph, Ottawa
  • Quebec: Greater Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau
  • New Brunswick: Fredericton,
  • Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown,
  • Nova Scotia: Halifax Regional Municipality.

Equity-deserving and equity-denied groups will be prioritized in the application process. A minimum of 50% of all microgrants will be provided to those identifying as such, ensuring their involvement in shaping the natural spaces that matter to them. 

Park People is committed to supporting people with disabilities during the application process. If you encounter any barriers while completing your application form or would like to request any access needs, please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Decisions will be made by a team of reviewers composed of Park People staff in consultation with TD. Application selection will be based on the following criteria:

  • Strength of the application – past event experience, compelling argument describing the proposed events
  • Environmental focus – groups should incorporate an environmental care or protection component into their events or event activities.
  • Priority will be given to equity-deserving or equity-denied communities (at least 50% of grants). These may include but are not limited to Black, Indigenous and people of colour communities, disabled persons or people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+, newcomers, women and non-binary people, and low-income people.
  • Geographic diversity – representation of many neighbourhoods in each city and representation of the 21 urban areas eligible for the grants. 
  • Originality of the event ideas – aiming for many different types of events in parks
  • How many people do the events aim to reach
  • Evidence of consideration of inclusion/accessibility
  • While meeting any or all of these criteria will not guarantee that your group will be awarded a grant, we are looking for these qualities in each application.

Your group can link to an environmental focus in many ways, whether through environmental education, a commitment to sustainability practices, or stewardship activities: 

  • You can help raise awareness on environmental issues, such as climate change, or teach your community about the local environment by hosting a nature walk. 
  • Your group can demonstrate an environmental focus by committing to sustainability practices, such as ensuring your event is zero-waste or hosting a bike repair clinic or clothing swap. 
  • Stewardship activities could include park cleanups, planting and gardening, invasive species removal, and other projects that enhance your local green space.

We encourage you to get creative and think outside the box!

The application form should take about 2 hours to complete once you’ve planned your events. You can request a sample PDF of the application form by email to help you prepare the application. Here is a preview of the questions:

  • Describe your group or organization, and indicate if your group is from an equity-deserving or equity-denied community.
  • Outline your past experiences in hosting community events in parks and green spaces.
  • If partnering with other groups or organizations, list them and briefly describe their roles.
  • Provide a brief description of the two events you plan to host.
  • Describe the steps you will take to ensure your events are inclusive, accessible, and safe.
  • Explain how your proposed events will focus on environmental impact (e.g., environmental education, sustainability practices, or stewardship activities).
  • Highlight the significance of these events for your community.
  • Describe how you will use the $2,000 grant to support your events.
  • List any additional sources of funding, confirmed or anticipated.

Yes, grassroots community groups and small community-based organizations are eligible. These groups are not required to have a trustee or have charitable status. In the case of smaller or newly formed groups who do not have event planning experience, we strongly suggest collaborating with a local organization that does. Grassroots community groups representing diverse communities or neighbourhoods are especially encouraged to apply.

We define equity-deserving and equity-denied communities as those that, because of systemic discrimination, face barriers that prevent them from having the same access to the resources and opportunities available to other members of society. These may include but are not limited to Black, Indigenous and people of colour communities, disabled persons or people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+, newcomers, women and non-binary people, and low-income people.  We prioritize equity-deserving groups in our granting to address the inequitable distribution of resources within the parks sector. Some cities have specific geographic areas indicated, including Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas or Montreal’s Integrated Urban Revitalization zones*.