United Way Peterborough & District (UWP), as the Community Entity responsible for administering the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy locally, is pleased to announce that it has created new and targeted opportunities within Reaching Home funding for Indigenous initiatives. This work will include the development of a strengths-based application process specifically designed for Indigenous-led initiatives and Indigenous partnerships, informed by Indigenous leadership and community engagement.
Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to support organizations as they develop strong, culturally grounded proposals. This application guide provides information to know before applying (such as what kinds of programs are eligible), how to develop your application, and what comes after being approved for funding.
Funding applications will be reviewed for their alignment to the community priority that had been identified based on consultations with the CAB, the community, and RH-funded agencies, specifically:
Projects that aim to create, preserve and enable equitable access to housing stock in the community are seen to result in lasting benefits to the individuals being served and a strengthened response to homelessness by the homeless-serving agencies.
This could include but is not limited to:
Support vulnerable Indigenous Peoples, families, youth, seniors, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2 communities, women fleeing violence, veterans, and racialized communities.
Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding to communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.
Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, in particular, to support the most vulnerable Canadians in maintaining safe, stable and affordable housing and to reduce chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by fiscal year 2027 to 2028.
After the release of the 2026 Point in Time Report, United Way Peterborough has recognized the need to create Indigenous specific funding and programing for those experiencing homelessness. 27% of those surveyed for the report identified as Indigenous, which is an overrepresentation with only 5% of the Peterborough population.
To ensure the funding support meets the Indigenous community’s needs, United Way has created an Indigenous-specific funding stream.
Reaching Home operates through a model known as Coordinated Access (CA). Coordinated Access supports communities in prioritizing individuals who are in most need of assistance and then matching them to appropriate housing and services. This system aims to ensure fairness while streamlining access to housing and services.
All housing and homelessness agencies must participate in Coordinated Access. The ways that each specific agency functions within Coordinated Access will differ depending on the nature of their project and will be described within the funding agreement. An overview of the roles and responsibilities within Coordinated Access have been included below.
Reaching Home-Funded Agencies are required to:
The Coordinated Access system is supported by UWP as the Community Entity and the City of Peterborough as the Systems Manager. Their responsibilities include:
United Way Peterborough & District – Community Entity
City of Peterborough – Systems Manager
Year 1: Funds available for use between July 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027: $395,200
Year 2: Funds available for use between April 1, 2027, and March 31, 2028: $378,132
• Funding Period July 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028
• There is no restriction or maximum limit on the amount of funding an applicant may request.
• The quantity and quality of proposals received will determine the number of projects funded and the amount of funding each project receives.
Eligible Organizations
There are three categories of organizations that should be considered for the Indigenous Initiatives funding stream:
Indigenous-Led Organizations – Organizations that have Indigenous leadership, an Indigenous Board of Directors, and their staff is either Indigenous or is trained to work with Indigenous people and communities.
Small Indigenous organizations with limited staff and capacity may submit a collective application. Collectives have authority over program design and delivery.
Non-Indigenous Organizations – This category includes non-Indigenous organizations that do not have Indigenous initiatives or Teams but are wishing to partner with local Indigenous organizations or community. In order to be eligible for funding, these non-Indigenous organizations must partner with local Indigenous organizations/community and demonstrate that RH Indigenous organizations will be Indigenous-led.
Non-Indigenous Organizations with Dedicated Indigenous Programs and Positions – These are often organizations that are not Indigenous-specific but still provide Indigenous programs and positions.
Program Eligibility Requirements
Eligible and Ineligible Activities
1 The Eligibility of activities is not based on service location the service may be local or require travel to a non-local Indigenous community
Reaching Home-Funded agencies are required to participate in the following:
Proposals that are complete and submitted on or before the deadline will be evaluated by the Community Advisory Board (CAB). Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will only be reviewed once all other applications are processed.
Funding applications are reviewed by United Way Peterborough & District’s Indigenous Advisory Group and given final approval by the Board of Directors. Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria
For your application to be considered complete and to proceed through the review process, please ensure that the following documents are included in the emailed submission:
Email your completed application form and additional documents to: reachinghome@uwpeterborough.ca
IMPORTANT:
UWP reserves the right to ask for additional information as the review process moves forward.
If you have other questions about the funding application or budget form, please refer to the REACHING HOME APPLICATION AND BUDGET GUIDE first. All additional questions regarding this RFP should be directed to: reachinghome@uwpeterborough.ca
Coaching appointments are available upon request and encouraged. Questions will be responded to as soon as possible and applicants are encouraged to ask questions early in the application period. It is not guaranteed that UWP will be available to answer your questions on the day that the applications are due.
Important clarification:
This initiative will not affect the current Reaching Home application process. Organizations are strongly encouraged to continue identifying Indigenous partners, collaborations, and Indigenous-focused initiatives within existing and future Reaching Home applications. Applicants should not be dissuaded from including Indigenous partnerships or Indigenous-serving work while this new process is under development.
Reaching Home Funding Opportunities: www.uwpeterborough.ca/funding
Community Homelessness Reports: www.uwpeterborough.ca/reports
Reaching Home – Peterborough Community Plan 2024-28: www.uwpeterborough.ca/reports
Last week, nearly 60 community members came together at our Solutions Summit to share ideas, build connections, and help shape the future of Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI) work across Peterborough City & County.
The conversations were thoughtful, honest, and inspiring, and we know there are still more voices to hear.
We’re now inviting the broader community to help inform how up to $300,000 through our new Priority Issues Fund will be invested over the next 18 months.
Whether you attended the Summit or not, we want your insight.
📝 Complete the Priority Issues Fund Survey before Tuesday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. and help shape this work moving forward.
🔗 Link in bio
Thank you to everyone who has already contributed their time, perspectives, and lived experience to this process. We’re excited to continue learning, evolving, and building this work, together!
Happy Mother’s Day 💖
To every mom and mother figure — your love and care make our communities brighter.
Do you have an idea to make your community better?
This is your chance to bring it to life.💥 Apply to the Neighbourhood Fund for the chance to receive a small grant and turn your project into something real.
Every big change starts small and it could all start with you!
🔗 Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca
🗓️ Deadline: Wednesday, May 27 at noon
May is Leave a Legacy Month in Canada. It’s about more than a gift, it’s about the future you believe in.
A future where everyone in our community has the support they need to thrive.
Planned giving is a way to carry your values forward and make a difference for generations to come.
Learn more by visiting our website www.uwpeterborough.ca
Today we honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people.
We listen.
We learn.
We reflect.
We act.
🧡
#MMIWG2S
✨ Your mental health matters.
This #MentalHealthWeek, let’s nurture our minds and create space for honest conversations.
Need support? Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.ca to get connected. 💚
You’re not alone.
What a day❤️💪🌱.
Our Garden Box Community Build Day brought together volunteers, partners, and community members to build something truly meaningful, together!
Thanks to the incredible teamwork and generosity of everyone involved, this initiative was a huge success.
From start to finish, it was a reminder of what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose.
We’re so grateful to our partners @scotiabank, @cityptbo , and @chemonghhbc for helping make this day possible.
And we’re just getting started…
Join us next for Day of Caring on June 26 as we continue to show the power of a community coming together.
Happy 70th anniversary to all of our friends celebrating the Peterborough & District Labour Council🥳.
We are so grateful for all that you do for our communities, and can’t wait to celebrate this momentous occasion alongside you, tonight.
Here’s to another 70 years of a thriving organized labour community here in Peterborough!
Small Investment, BIG Impact. 💛
The Neighbourhood Fund supports local, volunteer-led projects that help make Peterborough communities better.
Get to know your neighbours, give back to your community, and have fun!
🔗 Apply using the link in our bio
🗓️ Deadline: Wednesday, May 27 at noon
Reaching Home: Indigenous Initiatives Applications Are Now Open! 📣
United Way Peterborough & District is excited to announce new, targeted funding opportunities through Reaching Home for Indigenous initiatives.
🔗 Learn more and apply when you visit the link in our bio.
❗ Applications close May 11, 2026.
🌱Garden Boxes are back, and they’re going fast🌱
These beauties are made by local volunteers! Hand-crafted, solid wood garden boxes are available in two sizes:
• Medium 4 ft box – $45
• Large 6 ft box – $65
Built by community, for community, with proceeds supporting programs and services right here across Peterborough City and County.
A very special thank you to our friends @chemonghhbc for generously providing the materials to make this project possible.
Spring has already sprung, and quantities are limited, so if you’ve been thinking about growing your own veggies, herbs, or flowers this season, now’s the time to jump in!
👉 Reserve yours today by emailing: dayofcaring@uwpeterborough.ca, or send us a DM for further details!
@timhortons Smile Cookies in support of our friends @ptbo_humane_society and @5countieskids at the office today!
Enjoy a cookie (and a smile😄) today through May 3 at participating Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth and Curve Lake to benefit these two amazing organizations that work hard to support our community!
