USThe TD Ready Challenge
The TD Ready Challenge is an annual North American initiative that has up to ten $1 million (CAD) grants available to catalyze innovative solutions for a changing world. Recipients will be organizations that have impactful and measurable solutions that will help open doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.
This new signature initiative, created and funded by TD, is a key component to delivering on the bank’s new corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment.
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Challenge Overview
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Common Questions
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Recipients
Each year, the TD Ready Challenge will invite eligible organizations to submit applications that offer solutions for a problem statement that is connected to one of the four drivers of change of the Ready Commitment: Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. The 2019 TD Ready Challenge Problem Statement focuses on Better Health.
The 2019 Problem Statement: Better Health
Research has shown a clear link between financial health and physical health. People with strong financial health experience less stress, access regular preventative healthcare, make healthier choices and take prescribed medication. People with strong physical health are able to work longer and are better equipped to deal with financial issues.
Today, advances in healthcare are helping many people lead healthier lives.1 One reason is an increase in the ability to screen for and detect diseases at an earlier stage. That way interventions can occur sooner, making them less costly and more effective. Unfortunately, research has also shown that access to quality healthcare, including awareness and advancements related to early screening and intervention, may not be experienced equally across all communities and may differ based on a number of factors. These factors include race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geographic location.
The Challenge
How can your organization address the problem statement?
The 2019 TD Ready Challenge seeks to provide financial support to organizations that have designed innovative solutions to help improve access to early detection and intervention for diseases, with the goal of helping to increase equitable health outcomes for more people.
The Grants:
Up to 10 one-time (CAD) $1 million grants are available.
Additional Application Screening Criteria
Specifically, we are seeking to fund programs, grounded in clinical solutions, that focus on preventative efforts, such as screening, early detection and intervention innovations, aimed at reducing the onset, development and severity of chronic disease2 and other illnesses and satisfy any one or both of the following criteria:
- Aim to improve on existing healthcare practices and services to help reach underserved and remote populations (Canada) and/or low to moderate income populations (U.S)
- Utilize technologies to reach underserved and remote populations (Canada) and/or low to moderate income populations (U.S)
We will have a clear preference for programs that:
- Have proven success and where the grant will be used to scale out to additional communities or populations or are pilot projects with material evidence of viable success and scalability
- Have a clear evaluation and measurement process to track impact
- Demonstrate benefit for populations facing barriers to accessing care
- Focus on applied research that aims to solve specific health problems (versus basic/general research)
- Focus on funding initiatives that impact patient health directly, and not initiatives that aim to improve operational issues, such as optimizing staff levels, workforce management etc.
- Demonstrate impact that extends beyond a single organization through a knowledge mobilization strategy and intent
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must deal directly with people and provide benefits to people and communities. Applicants can be Canadian or US organizations as described below:
- Canadian registered or incorporated charities and not-for-profits
- U.S. charitable, non-profit organizations as defined by section 501(c)(3) of the IRS tax code
- Elementary and secondary schools
- Religious organizations
- Pageants
- Sports teams and sporting events
- Individuals or individual pursuits/fundraising initiatives
- Recreational groups (lodges, fraternal clubs, self-improvement organizations, etc.)
- Conferences, trade shows, fairs
- Production of videos, DVD’s and television shows
- The TD Ready Challenge is not open to employees of TD
Application Parameters
The 2019 TD Ready Challenge application window is open from June 20 to August 23.
Challenge Structure and Calendar
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Important Dates
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Event
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June 20, 2019
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The TD Ready Challenge submission portal is open – eligible organizations can start submitting their applications
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August 23, 2019
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Submission portal closes – TD does not accept further applications
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September-Early October 2019
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ROUND 1:
Internal TD panel reviews applications and select semi-finalists |
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Mid-October 2019
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Organizations selected as semi-finalists will be notified via email (Max. 15)
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November 5th, 2019
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ROUND 2:
TD will host live presentations in Toronto or via video conference |
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Mid-November 2019
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TD Ready Challenge applicants are notified and provided next steps
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Judging Panel
A panel consisting of TD executives and external subject matter experts will evaluate round 2 (live or video conference presentations) and select the TD Ready Challenge applicants.
1 TD Bank News Centre. (2015, January 26). Financial and Physical Well-Being Go Hand-in-Hand for a Majority of Americans, New Survey Finds. Retrieved from: https://newscenter.td.com/us/en/news/2015/financial-and-physical-well-being-go-hand-in-hand-for-a-majority-of-americans-new-survey-finds
2 Chronic diseases are defined broadly by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention as conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both. [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, May 16). About Chronic Diseases. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm]
General inquiries
Yes. All applications must be submitted electronically via the application portal found here.
Individual meetings with applicants are not possible. The online submission is the best way to manage everybody's time and to ensure that all applications are submitted and reviewed in a consistent way.
Given the time required to meet with all potential applicants, application reviews are not possible. The online submission is the best way to manage everybody's time and to ensure that all applications are submitted and reviewed in a consistent way.
Grant applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday August 23rd, 2019. In fairness to all applicants, late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants are responsible for allowing enough time when submitting their application to ensure its timely submission. The application portal will be open for 10 weeks between June 20th, 2019 and August 23rd, 2019.
No. The initiative proposed needs to be delivered in Canada, US or both.
Submitting the application
No. You may submit only one application to the 2019 TD Ready Challenge. Additional applications will not be reviewed.
Yes. Regardless of whether or not you are a US or Canadian charitable or non-profit organization and have received funds earlier in this calendar year, and/or are considering applying to one of our other programs later in the year, you are STILL eligible to apply to the TD Ready Challenge.
We require your organization's two most recent audited financial statements for the 2019 TD Ready Challenge. Please note that accountant's reviews of non-audited compilations are not acceptable.
No. The documentation requested is required in order to submit a complete application. In fairness to all applicants, incomplete applications will not be considered.
All required documents must be in either PDF format or Word format. The minimum font size for the detailed project application must be 10 point. Excel files will not be accepted. Audited financial statements, where possible, should be scanned and condensed into a single document. You should not upload separate files for the pictures as they will not be considered as part of the application.
Shortly after submitting your application, you will receive an e-mail notification confirming your submission.
Yes. A copy of your application will be embedded in your e-mail notification confirming your submission. We recommend that you keep a copy of the application for your own records. However, we ask that you do not send it to us as this may lead to duplicate records.
If you receive this error message, please contact a member of your organization's technology staff. You may need to adjust your computer's settings in order to access the application.
Yes. You can copy information from an existing Word document and paste it into the appropriate text box in the application.
Evaluation
There are two steps in the evaluation process:
Round 1: Members of both the TD Charitable Foundation team in the US and the TD Corporate Citizenship department in Canada will conduct the first round of application evaluations. This team is tasked with reviewing all applications. Based on a scoring system, the cross border team will select 15 applications for Round 2. External Subject Matter Experts will also be consulted at this time.
Round 2: the selected applicants (Max.15) at Round 1 will present their applications in-person or via video conference before the judging panel. Each of the selected 15 applicants will have 20 minutes with the judging panel. Further details regarding the final assessment will be shared at a later date. These presentations will take place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on November 5th, 2019.
Final funding decisions will be made by the TD Ready Challenge Judging Panel. Notifications of grants will be made by mid-November 2019.
At Round 1, Members of both the TD Charitable Foundation team in the US and the TD Corporate Citizenship department in Canada will review all applications and provide a score to each application based on the criteria outlined below. The following presents the assessment question followed by the weight on which is placed:
Strategic alignment: 30%
The need or opportunity described by the applicant aligns with the 2019 Problem Statement and Challenge.
Feasible plan: 30%
The intended outcomes or results of the 2019 Initiative are feasible considering the activities, resources, and 12-month funding window. The applicant will be in a reasonable position to expand the impact of the 2019 Initiative within 12-36 months.
Well-positioned team: 20%
The mission of the applicant aligns with the 2019 Problem Statement and Challenge. The applicant is well-positioned to deliver on intended results and objectives.
Value for money: 20%
The budget is reasonable considering the activities, outputs and scale of the initiative.
Please note: that a financial analysis of the organization will also be conducted to measure the financial health of the organization. All applicants are required to submit their most recent income statement and balance sheet at the same time as their application.
After the grant is awarded
The $1 million (CAD) grant will not be received in one installment. Once a recipient has been chosen to receive one of the ten TD Ready Challenge grants, the number of installments will be mutually determined by the Bank and the recipient. A ratified grant agreement between the bank and each of the recipients will be required; which will stipulate, among other things, the use of funds, requirements of the recipient and the payment schedule. Please note that 10% of the funds will be held back until proof of completion is received by the bank.
Yes. If your organization is chosen to receive one of the 10 (ten) $1 million (CAD) grants, you will be required to submit progress and financial reports. The number of progress reports will be mutually determined by the Bank and the recipient. A ratified grant agreement between the bank and each of the recipients will be required. Grant agreements will stipulate, among other things, the use of funds, number of progress reports required and the payment schedule. Please note that payments will be dependent on the timeliness of the progress report the content contained therein.
No. Grants may not to be used for any other purpose than those outlined in the submission of the original TD Ready Challenge application.
If your organization were to be awarded a TD Ready Challenge grant, TD's expectation is that those funds are put to use immediately and within 3 years. The activities required to expand the impact of the solution, deemed necessary by the organization submit the application, should be planned for the 36 months after being confirmed as a recipient of the TD Ready Challenge Grant.
Please contact us at thereadycommitment@TD.com. Include "The 2019 TD Ready Challenge" in the subject line. Someone will respond within 2 business days.
Specific questions for US organizations
The Foundation can only make grants to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations. If you have recently received your determination letter from the IRS, you may not yet be in the IRS database with which we match potential applicants. Please e-mail a scanned copy of the newly issued 501(c)(3) determination letter to us at US-CharitableGiving@TD.com The Foundation staff will give you further instructions on how to proceed with the grant competition application.
Each TD Ready Challenge recipient will receive a $1 million (CAD) grant. US recipients will receive their payments in US dollars to the equivalent of $1 million (CAD). The total amount that the chosen US organization will receive will be based on TD's currency exchange rate that is published on the same day that the TD Ready Challenge grant agreement is signed.
The 2018 Ready Commitment Recipients
In its inaugural year the TD Ready Challenge received 228 North American applications. Each application was thoroughly reviewed, and 15 organizations were invited to present their solutions before a jury. We thank everyone for applying and we are proud to share the 10 TD Ready Challenge grant recipients.
