Community Service Grants
The Community Service Grants 2026 are here!
Submit your application between February 23 and March 27, 2026.
About the Community Service Grants program
The Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) developed the Community Service Grants program in 2013-2014.
Since that time we have provided over 100 grants to local charitable organizations totalling over $300,000. The grants were designed to assist organizations in completing small projects or purchasing equipment or program supplies that address a need in our community. We are able to distribute these grants due to successful fundraising by our members with our biggest initiative being - Art in the Park our major fundraiser for our Club’s Foundation. Combined with prudent financial management and investments we are then able to provide a donation each year for the maintenance of Willistead Manor and then the rest of the funds are available for the grants and other club projects.
A unique feature of our grants program is that grants must have a Rotary Champion. Our Rotarians are not only active in our Club they are involved in the community through many organizations and community initiatives. The grants provide the opportunity for Rotarians to champion groups or causes they are passionate about.
11
years
$400,000
distributed locally
100+
grants
projects we've supported
Below is a list that summarizes just a few of the diverse projects the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) has supported over the years.
2013-2014: Support for the after-school programs, including financial literacy through Junior Achievement
2014-2015: A skin cancer prevention program for high school students through the Cancer Society and a start-up kit for at-risk youth through The Inn of Windsor; support for the children’s music program to ensure all kids have access to the Windsor Symphony and the purchase of a 3D printer so that the Learning Disabilities Association can provide employment skills for kids with learning disabilities
2015-2016: Support for the Social Justice Theatre program through the Windsor Youth Centre
2016-2017: United Way/Summer Lunch Program; Building Blocks for Better Babies – Teaching Tomorrow’s Moms about Nutrition Today
2017-2018: Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation – back-to-school backpack program
2018-2019: ERCA Rotary Legacy Forest; Brentwood Recovery Home – homework stations for emerging adult treatment program
2019-2020: COVID-related: Autism Services Inc. – summer program in a box; John McGivney Children's Centre - Curbside Fine Motor Kits; Zoom therapy sessions
2022-2023: The Salvation Army - Mobile Outreach Vehicle; Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) - Health Snacks Program; Connections Early Years Family Centre - Contribute towards renovations for an accessible service desk!
Every February marks the opening of our Community Service Grants application, running through until the end of March. Successful applicants are then invited to join us for an in-person cheque presentation celebration!
Each year, we select a theme, and successful applications are chosen based on their project's alignment with this theme. For 2026, we're focusing our on children and/or youth programs that:
- Strengthen social safety nets for vulnerable children/youth and their families;
- Support existing projects that provide services to children and/or youth;
- Build capacity for mental health services that support children and/or youth.
Requests for funding will be accepted from February 23 to March 27, 2026. Our sub-committee will review all applications. Registered Charitable Organizations submitting funding requests will be notified between April 18 through the 30th.
We are excited to see the innovative projects that come our way!