Awesome Foundation Grant

Overview of the Awesome Foundation Grant program:

Founded in 2009, the Awesome Foundation is a global network of chapters that give monthly grants of $1,000 to support “awesome” ideas—projects that are bold, unique, and community-minded. In Canada, multiple cities have active chapters, each independently run by local volunteers who fund projects using their own pooled contributions. Canadian applicants can submit their ideas directly through the centralized application portal and select their city/chapter. Grants are open to individuals, nonprofits, collectives, and small businesses, with no restriction on age, background, or formal organization status. The only major requirement is that the project is awesome, achievable, and benefits a local community in some meaningful way—whether through art, science, social good, innovation, or pure creativity. There are no reporting requirements, no payback, and no strings attached—the money is yours to make your project happen.

Benefits of the Awesome Foundation Grant program:

• $1,000 CAD (or USD depending on chapter currency)
• One-time micro-grant
• Awarded monthly by participating chapters
• Easy and fast application process
• No strings attached no paperwork, receipts, or reports required
• Encourages creativity, community leadership, and grassroots impact
• Supports projects that might be too small or too bold for traditional funding
• Open to everyone individuals, collectives, students, startups, and nonprofits
• Helps bring unusual or imaginative ideas to life

Eligibility criteria of the Awesome Foundation Grant program:

• Eligible Applicants Must:
• Be proposing a project that is awesome, creative, and impactful
• Be able to execute the project with a $1,000 grant
• Live in or have a project that impacts a community near an active chapter, or be open to applying to any global chapter if there isnt a local one nearby
• Be open to follow-up questions from the local trustees
• Active Canadian Chapters (as of now):
  • Amherstburg
  • Kingston
  • Kitchener-Waterloo
  • Newmarket
  • Ottawa
  • South Shore
  • Toronto
• You can still apply to other chapters internationally, as most do not restrict applications by geography they simply prioritize local impact. Some global chapters regularly fund Canadian projects with strong community or creative value.
• Open to:
  • Individuals, informal teams, students, community leaders
  • Nonprofits, collectives, and small businesses
  • All ages, identities, and backgrounds
  • Applicants with or without prior funding experience
• Not Eligible If:
• You're requesting funds for:
  • Personal living expenses
  • Debt relief
  • Generic fundraising without a specific project
  • Your project lacks a clear goal, timeline, or awesome factor
  • The idea is illegal, discriminatory, or misaligned with community benefit