The L.E.A.F. Initiative is a Commonwell program to grow capacity and resiliency in the communities we call home.

Energize learning in your community with a Commonwell L.E.A.F. grant!

L.E.A.F. is back this fall with $300,000 in grants available for community projects that support learning and capacity improvements for our communities to thrive in the long-term. Since 2021, the Commonwell L.E.A.F. Initiative has provided funds for upgrades, programming and retrofits to places where communities learn, grow and build together.

HOW THE COMMONWELL L.E.A.F INITIATIVE WORKS

Submit a Project

Submitting a project isn’t complicated, but does require some thought up front. Get started and we’ll guide you through each step to help ensure you include everything required in order to have your project considered for a L.E.A.F. grant. The Commonwell will award L.E.A.F. grants based on the assessment of the impact the project will have on learning and engagement in the community, the demonstration of project of viability, the demonstrated need for funding and community support. Submissions close November 10, 2022.

START MY SUBMISSION

Support a Project

Eligible project submissions are strengthened when they’re backed by community supporters. That’s you! Add support to a project by spreading the word on social media, uploading a photo, leaving an encouraging comment or writing a short story about why this project matters to your community. Find a project in your community using the map search tool below and start supporting! Community Support closes November 15, 2022.

SEARCH YOUR POSTAL CODE

SEARCH RESULTS

SUBMIT A PROJECT

THINK BIG!

What facilities, community centres or education spaces could use programming or space improvements to accelerate learning and engagement in your community? Where do you need more room, more capacity, better environments? And how will you put the grant to work to grow the community resiliency that comes from learning, working and connecting together? Here are some ideas to help you get started.

**Learning Infrastructure Improvements**
Could learning infrastructure be improved in your community? Is internet accessibility limited? Funding could support projects that help bridge those gaps, by providing things like hotspot and digital device access

HOW TO INSPIRE LOCAL SUPPORT

When our communities improve, everyone wins. That’s why we know you won’t have a hard time gaining support for your project. To make it simple, we’ve created four ways your community can demonstrate that support, and each time they do, your community project page grows and your submission is strengthened!

1 Add a Story of Support

Would you or someone you love benefit from this new community space or proposed improvements to the existing one? Does this gathering place or community activity hold a special place in your heart? Share your connection, your memories or your hopes for a new space. Tell us what this means to you.

2 Leave a Comment

Short and sweet does the trick too. Leave a simple comment about why you’d like to see this project earn a L.E.A.F. grant, or send a shout out to someone involved.

3 Add an Image

A picture is worth a A picture is worth a thousand words. Show us what learning, playing, gathering, and connecting looks like at the community facility you’d like to support. Or show us an outcome this facility has helped achieve – for example, your harvest from a community garden.

4 Share on Facebook

What better way to gain more support than by spreading the word on Facebook! Share with your friends, your neighbours, your colleagues and on community pages and in groups.

2021 COMMONWELL L.E.A.F. GRANT RECIPIENTS

These 21 inspiring, community lead projects across the province earned L.E.A.F. Grants in 2021. Explore each one to learn more about how learning and engagement will be reenergized in these communities and to get ideas.