Arts funding program

On this page

Program information

Deadline

  • Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 4 pm

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The application must be filled and submitted through our NEW Online Portal.

The application for this program will go live in December 2021.

Objectives of the program

  • To spark and support the creation, production, presentation, exhibition, and dissemination of the literary, performing, visual and media arts, and independent film and video within Ottawa’s bilingual and culturally diverse community.
  • To support the educational, training and service organizations that foster the development of the arts in Ottawa.
  • To support local professional artists of all disciplines and backgrounds.
  • To support community-based artistic activities that develop local arts audiences and communities.

Types of funds

Literary arts fund

Supports production, presentation, dissemination and other professional activities that contribute to the development of the literary arts. Aimed at professional presenters of written and oral literary artists, and book and magazine publishers.

Performing arts fund

Supports creation, production, presentation, dissemination and other professional activities related to the performing arts including dance, music, and theatre. Aimed at professional choirs, bands, orchestras, ensembles, theatre companies, dance companies, presenters, opera and musical theatre groups.

Visual Arts / Media arts / Independent film and video fund

Supports activities that contribute to the development of visual and media arts, and film and video production. Supports exhibition, screenings, production of independent film and video works and of contemporary visual or media arts. Aimed at professional artist-run centres and public galleries, film and video production co-operatives, and professional artists’ and curatorial collectives.

Arts events and arts festivals fund

Supports arts organizations in the production and presentation of artistic programming for local festivals and/or events that celebrate and highlight artistic disciplines including literary, performing, visual and media arts, independent film and video, and multidisciplinary events.

Arts training and Arts education fund

Supports professional arts organizations with a mandate to provide arts training and/or arts education (including community arts). Open to all artistic disciplines. Groups must employ professional artists, instructors or educators and must pay professional fees.

  • Arts Training provides professional instruction for the development of artistic skills.
  • Arts Education provides opportunities to learn about the arts through direct exposure to, and/or participation in, professional artistic practices.

Arts services and Arts venues fund

Supports the umbrella activities of professional arts service associations and of venues dedicated to the presentation of the arts. Aimed at:

  • Professional arts service organizations - associations of individual artists or arts organizations that carry out a broad range of functions such as cooperative promotions, marketing, administration, advocacy, networking, information dissemination and professional development.
  • Professional arts venues - arts facilities that provide access to artists and arts groups and carry out other related services for the performing, visual, media, film and video, and/or literary arts.

Amateur arts fund

Supports community-based artistic activities that provide opportunities to local residents to participate in the arts. Aimed at supporting performance, exhibition, collective art making, and other community-based arts activities and includes music, theatre, literary arts, dance, visual and media arts, film and video, and multidisciplinary events.

Funding priorities

Following the peer-assessed evaluation of submitted proposals, the CFSU will look at prioritizing applications from the following Indigenous and equity-seeking communities:

  • Anishinabe Algonquin Nation
  • First Nations
  • Inuit
  • Métis
  • IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, People of Color)
  • People with visible and invisible disabilities
  • Non-ambulatory persons
  • D/deaf people
  • Refugees / Immigrants / Newcomers
  • 2SLGBTQIA
  • People living in poverty
  • Rural residents
  • Francophones
  • Seniors / Older adults
  • Women+
  • Youth

The City of Ottawa recognizes that people identify themselves in many ways. Terms used to self-identify are continually evolving. People can change their identities or the ways they want to identify over time. With this understanding, the CFSU uses terms recommended by community members through various consultations.

Funding streams

Information on this page is for collectives and organizations only. If you are a professional artist looking to apply for funding as an individual, go to the Creation and Production Fund for professional artists webpage.

Entry to our programs and movement between funding categories must be approved by the CFSU.

Project funding

Available to professional collectives and not-for-profit organizations. Projects are to be carried out within a specific timeframe and consist of a single activity. Project budgets must include sources of revenue other than the City’s contribution.

Project grants in recent competitions rarely exceeded $10,000. Receipt of a project grant in previous years does not guarantee subsequent funding.

Annual operating funding

Available to established, incorporated as not-for-profit organizations mandated in the arts that have been in existence for at least two years and have a minimum two-year history of providing regularly-scheduled programming to the community throughout the year. Peer recognition and financial stability must be demonstrated. Organizations must have received at least two consecutive project funding allocations before being considered.

Multi-year operating funding

Available to established, incorporated as not-for-profit organizations mandate in the arts that have been in existence for at least four years. Applicants must currently receive Annual Operating funding through the CFSU, be recognized by their peers, provide annual programming to the community, demonstrate long-range financial stability and be able to articulate their long-term visioning and planning.

Application process

How can we help you reach your goal?

Grant writing assistance

The Cultural Funding Support Unit (CFSU) can:

  • answer your questions about eligibility
  • review a draft of your application answers
  • help with your submission
  • provide financial aid to applicants requiring accessibility support
  • provide feedback on the evaluation of a previous application

The CFSU will need advance notice to provide any personalized assistance. Contact us as soon as possible to discuss options available.

Have questions? You can participate in a virtual CFSU information session. Visit Information Sessions to see a full list of dates.

Application process

  • Applicants must read and abide by the Information for applicants.
  • Applicants must read and abide by the Terms and conditions of the program
  • Applicants must complete the application questions and attach all required material.
  • Applications must be submitted through the online portal by 4 pm on the deadline date.
  • Applicants must submit support material.
  • Applicants are responsible to submit a complete application by the deadline date. The Cultural Funding Support Unit will not be responsible for any discrepancies or upload errors in additional information submitted after the deadline.

Your Cultural Funding Officer can provide additional information regarding this program, your eligibility, and the application process.

Allocation of funding

An applicant’s success in obtaining funding depends upon the peer assessment committee’s final evaluation and the funding available within the program.

Availability of City of Ottawa funding is subject to the approval of the annual City budget by Ottawa City Council.

The amount requested is not necessarily the amount awarded.

Direct deposit

Funding recipients are encouraged to apply for Direct deposit.

Project funding - Guidelines

Eligibility

First-time applicants are encouraged to contact their Cultural Funding Officer to ensure their organization or collective meets eligibility requirements.

Who is eligible

Incorporated arts organizations that:
  • are incorporated as not-for-profit
  • have a mandate to support the creation, production, presentation dissemination and/or development of the arts in the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • are led by arts professionals
  • have their office/mailing address within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • have an active board of directors composed of a minimum of 3 members
  • have at least 50% of board directors residing in the Ottawa region
Professional artists collectives that:
  • are an unincorporated not-for-profit group of individuals contributing to a specific goal or a series of common projects
  • have a minimum of 3 professional artists or 2 professional artists and one professional arts administrator residing in the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. Additional members of the collective may include professional artists, amateur artists, arts administrators, curators, etc.
  • have at least 50% of collective members residing in the Ottawa region
  • can receive payment in the collective’s name
  • have their office/mailing address within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
Non-arts organizations, in partnership with a professional artist(s) or a non-profit professional arts organization, that:
  • are incorporated as a not-for-profit
  • are proposing a project with an arts goal in partnership with a not-for-profit professional arts organization or professional artist(s) from the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • have their office/mailing address within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • have a board of directors composed of a minimum of 3 members; at least 50% of directors must reside in the Ottawa region

Note: The City of Ottawa defines a professional artist as someone who is recognized by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a reasonable body of professional work, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work and is dedicated to the independent practice of art in their chosen discipline.

What is eligible

Activities that:

  • demonstrate significant support for local Ottawa artists
  • are managed and/or sponsored by members of the Ottawa artistic community
  • occur within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and enhance the city’s quality of life
  • are accessible and of interest to the public
  • significantly involve participation of the local cultural community
  • are singular in scope and occur within a specific period of time

Who is NOT eligible

  • government agencies and for-profit organizations
  • organizations whose activities come under the jurisdiction of other levels or departments of government (school boards, hospitals, universities, social services, military programs, business improvement associations, etc.)
  • political parties

What is NOT eligible

  • fundraising projects and initiatives
  • self-promotional / marketing activities
  • commercial ventures, art sales, competitions
  • projects involving the manufacture and distribution of product in multiple copies
  • activities funded by an operating grant from any City program
  • projects where participation is conditional upon partaking in the religious activities of the organization
  • activities that are solely intended for the membership of an organization
  • capital purposes (i.e., purchase of land, equipment, facilities, etc.)
  • projects that have been completed on or before the application deadline date
  • projects that do not include sources of revenue other than the City’s contribution
  • an organization’s full season of programming
  • projects submitted by managers, consultants or agents

Restrictions

  • The City will not fund more than 90% of the total cost of the project; the project budget must include sources of revenue other than the City’s contribution
  • Organizations with an accumulated deficit greater than 50% of their total revenue (excluding capital assets) and exceeding $3,000 are ineligible to apply
  • Organizations with accumulated surpluses greater than 100% of total revenue (excluding capital assets) are ineligible to apply
  • Organizations that receive operating funding from the CFSU are ineligible to apply for project funding
  • Organization may only submit one application at a time within this program
  • Organizations cannot receive more than one funding allocation for the same activity
  • A final report must be submitted before reapplying. If the final report for previous funding has not been submitted and approved by the deadline date, subsequent applications to this program will not be considered
  • In cases where a previous project will be completed after the deadline date, organizations agree to complete the project and submit a Final Report before another grant is awarded. Report must be received and approved before June 1st of the application year. CFSU reserves the right to change this deadline
  • Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Department staff may not hold a key position within an organization requesting cultural funding from the City. Exception: where staff participation has been approved as one of the duties of their position
  • City of Ottawa staff are required to act in compliance with the City of Ottawa Employee Code of Conduct and all applicable laws and regulations. For further inquiries, please contact your Cultural Funding Officer

Meeting all eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding

Assessment criteria

Peer assessors will use the following assessment criteria to evaluate your request for funding.

Artistic merit

  • Fulfillment of mandate
  • Artistic direction, goals and objectives
  • Qualified artistic leadership
  • Maintenance of high artistic standards and practices
  • Requisite skills and means to achieve results
  • Innovation within artistic discipline

Community impact

  • Support to local artists and artistic community
  • Impact on artistic discipline
  • Responsiveness to members and audiences
  • Strength of partnerships
  • Community involvement (audience participation, volunteer support, etc.)
  • Commitment to engage with local equity seeking communities

Organizational effectiveness

  • Planning and evaluation
  • Governance, leadership structure and participation of the Board/Steering Committee
  • Fiscal responsibility and realistic budgeting
  • Initiative in fundraising
  • Demonstrated need for financial support
  • Appropriate and effective marketing and promotion

Project funding - Application questions and required materials

Before you begin:

  • Read the Program Guidelines and refer to them while completing the application.
  • Read the Terms and conditions for Project funding. 
  • It is recommended that you prepare your responses and documents prior to starting your online application. It is much easier to edit your responses on a word document and copy/paste your answers into the online form when ready to apply.

To complete the online application form you will be required to:

1. Provide written responses to the application questions provided below.

  • Questions marked with an * are mandatory.
  • Pay attention to word counts, as you will not be able to submit if over the maximum.

2. Provide all supporting and required documents including:

  • Approved minutes from most recent board/collective meeting
  • Biography of artistic leaders
  • List of your board of directors/collective/steering committee, including residency, contact information and board/committee position
  • Prepare a budget; To receive a copy of the excel budget template, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca
  • Support Material (6 samples max)
If you are a Collective you will also need to include:

  • Professional arts CV for each member of the collective

If you are an incorporated not-for-profit you will also need to include:
  • First time applicants must provide a copy of their incorporation documents
  • If a non-arts organization, the CV of the professional artist, or the mandate of the arts organization you intend on partnering with

3. Fill and submit your application on the online portal.

Application questions

Please describe your project and establish its merits by responding to the following questions.

  1. What is the mandate of your organization or group? * (Max 200 words)
  2. Provide a brief history of your organization or group, giving its principal achievements. * (Max 350 words)
  3.  What artistic activities (performances, productions, events, etc.) will be undertaken? * Please describe activities, including program content, locations and other relevant information. (Max 1000 words)
  4. Who are the artistic leaders/instructors and what are their skills and professional qualifications? * (Max 250 words)
  5. What resources do you allocate to artists/performers? * (Max 250 words) This can include contracts and payment, technical support and services, and promotional opportunities.
  6. How will your project involve and nurture local artists, writers and performers? * (Max 300 words)
  7. How will the local and/or general community participate in the project? * (Max 250 words)
  8. What community partnerships/relationships are involved in this project? * (Max 300 words)
  9. How does your organization reflect and engage equity seeking communities listed in our funding priorities? * (Max 500 words)
  10. Provide a timeline that outlines your planning and preparation for the project. * (Max 400 words)
  11. How do you promote and market your project? Describe any initiatives aimed at developing new audiences. (Max 300 words)

Annual operating funding - Guidelines

Eligibility

Who is eligible

Arts organizations that:

  • are incorporated as not-for-profit
  • have a mandate to support the creation, production, presentation dissemination and/or development of the arts within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • are led by arts professionals
  • operate year-round and have their office/mailing address within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • have the majority of their programming and event(s) occurring within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • are a past recipient of operating funding or have been a recipient of two consecutive project funding allocations through the City of Ottawa’s CFSU funding programs
  • have an active Board of Directors composed of a minimum of 3 members
  • at least 50% of board directors residing in the Ottawa region

Who is not eligible?

  • Government agencies and for-profit organizations
  • Organizations whose sole purpose is to fundraise for the benefit of a third party
  • Organizations whose activities come under the jurisdiction of other levels or departments of government (school boards, hospitals, universities, social services, military programs, business improvement associations, etc.)
  • Political parties
  • Organizations that receive operating funding from another CFSU program
  • Organizations that do not include sources of revenue other than the City’s contribution
  • Organizations whose activities are solely for their membership or where participation is conditional upon partaking in the religious activities of the organization

Restrictions

  • An organization cannot receive more than one funding allocation for the same activity.
  • An organization may only submit one application at a time to this funding program.
  • Consultants or agents may not apply on behalf of an organization.
  • Capital purposes (i.e., purchase of land, equipment, facilities, etc.) are not eligible to this program.
  • Reporting: Applicants who have previously received funding from this program must submit a final report and budget detailing how they used the funds awarded to them. If you are re-applying to this program and have an outstanding report, your application will only be considered eligible if your outstanding final report is submitted along with your application and is approved by the CFSU. The peer assessment committee will review your organization’s report on the previous year’s activities along with your current application.
  • Funding received from this program may not be used to increase a surplus or to offset an existing financial deficit.
  • City of Ottawa’s Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Department staff may not hold a key position within an organization requesting cultural funding from the City. Exception: where staff participation has been approved as one of the duties of their position
  • City of Ottawa staff are required to act in compliance with the City of Ottawa Employee Code of Conduct and all applicable laws and regulations. For further inquiries, please contact your Cultural Funding Officer

Meeting all eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding

Assessment criteria

Peer assessors will use the following assessment criteria to evaluate your request for funding.

Merit

  • Fulfillment of mandate
  • Artistic direction, clear goals and objectives
  • Qualified artistic leadership and content expertise
  • Maintenance of high standards in artistic programming development, artistic standards and practices
  • Requisite skills and means to achieve results
  • Innovation within artistic discipline

Impact

  • Support to local artists and artistic community
  • Impact on artistic discipline
  • Responsiveness to members and audiences
  • Strength of partnerships
  • Community involvement (audience participation, volunteer support, etc.)
  • Commitment to engage with local equity seeking communities

Viability

  • Strength of annual visioning, planning and evaluation
  • Governance, leadership structure and participation of the Board
  • Fiscal responsibility, realistic budgeting and financial stability
  • Initiative in fundraising and diversified revenue
  • Demonstrated need for financial support
  • Appropriate and effective marketing and promotion

Annual operating funding - Application questions and required materials

Before you begin:

  • Read the Program Guidelines and refer to them while completing the application.
  • Read the Terms and conditions for operating funding.
  • It is recommended that you prepare your responses and documents prior to starting your online application. It is much easier to edit your responses on a word document and copy/paste your answers into the online form when ready to apply.

To complete the online application form you will be required to:

1. Provide written responses to the application questions provided below.

  • Questions marked with an * are mandatory.
  • Pay attention to word counts, as you will not be able to submit if over the maximum.

2. Provide all supporting and required documents including:

  1. Incorporation documents (if there are amendments to the articles of incorporation)
  2. List of your board of directors, including city of residence, email, telephone number and board/committee position
  3. A list of all staff and/or core volunteers including name, title, area of responsibility, and term/duration of employment
  4. Approved minutes from most recent board meeting
  5. Approved minutes from most recent AGM
  6. CVs or bios of the individuals who provide the artistic leadership for your organization
  7. Certificate of Insurance
  8. Operating Budget or CADAC (to receive a copy of the excel budget template for operating funding, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca
  9. Approved financial statements
  10. Statement of reserves (if applicable)
  11. Deficit reduction plan (if applicable)
  12. Support Material (6 samples max) – including samples of promotional materials of previous year’s programming

3. Fill and submit your application on the online portal.

Application questions

  1. What is the mandate of your organization?* Please flag any recent changes. (Max 200 words)
  2. Provide a brief history of your organization or group, giving its principal achievements.* (Max 350 words)
  3. Present a full description of the programming or activities planned for the period for which you are applying. Include specific artistic goals.* (Max 1500 words)
  4. What challenges will your organization face in carrying out its functions (i.e. staff or Board changes, moving/renovations, expanding services or programs, etc.)?* (Max 500 words)
  5. If you are requesting a significant increase in your funding, please explain why it is needed. (Max 200 words)
  6. Who is your artistic community? Please describe your impact on the artistic discipline, local artists and on the artistic community as a whole.* (Consider how the community would be affected if your group ceased to exist). (Max 500 words)
  7. Who is your target audience? What public accessibility or audience development initiatives are you undertaking?* (Max 350 words)
  8. What percentage of your membership / enrolment / participants is made up of artists residing in Ottawa or of Ottawa based arts groups?*
  9. How does your organization reflect and engage equity seeking communities listed in our funding priorities?* (Max 750 words)
  10. Describe your marketing and promotion.* You may include samples of past marketing materials with your support material. (Max 500 words)
  11. What measures does your organization have in place to ensure fiscal responsibility (i.e. Treasurer oversight, Board financial subcommittee, Book keeper, etc.)?* (Max 350 words)

Reporting on previous year’s activities

All funding recipients must submit a Final Activity Report detailing how they used the funds awarded to them in order to be eligible for subsequent funding. The peer assessment committee will review your organization’s report on the previous year’s activities along with your current application.

You will be required to answer the following questions:

  • Provide a detailed description of your organization’s activities for the year funded (Max 1250 words)
  • Provide a summary of operating challenges and achievements (Max 500 words)
  • Provide statistics:
    • Total number of attendees
    • Total number of artists
    • Total number of volunteers
    • Total number of volunteer hours

Multi-year operating funding - Guidelines

Eligibility

Who is eligible

Arts organizations that:
  • are incorporated as not-for-profit
  • have a mandate to support the creation, production, presentation dissemination and/or development of the arts within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • are led by arts professionals
  • operate year-round and have their office/mailing address within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • have the majority of their programming and event(s) occurring within the limits of the city of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
  • are a past recipient of operating funding through the City of Ottawa’s CFSU funding programs
  • have an active Board of Directors composed of a minimum of 3 members
  • at least 50% of board directors residing in the Ottawa region

Who is not eligible?

  • Government agencies and for-profit organizations
  • Organizations whose sole purpose is to fundraise for the benefit of a third party
  • Organizations whose activities come under the jurisdiction of other levels or departments of government (school boards, hospitals, universities, social services, military programs, business improvement associations, etc.)
  • Political parties
  • Organizations that receive operating funding from another CFSU program
  • Organizations that do not include sources of revenue other than the City’s contribution
  • Organizations whose activities are solely for their membership or where participation is conditional upon partaking in the religious activities of the organization

Restrictions

  • An organization cannot receive more than one funding allocation for the same activity.
  • An organization may only submit one application at a time to this funding program.
  • Consultants or agents may not apply on behalf of an organization.
  • Capital purposes (i.e., purchase of land, equipment, facilities, etc.) are not eligible to this program.
  • All funding recipients must submit a Final Activity Report detailing how they used the funds awarded to them in order to be eligible for subsequent funding. This report must be submitted to and approved by the CFSU.
  • If you are re-applying to this program and have an outstanding report, your application will only be considered eligible if your outstanding final report is submitted along with your application and is approved by the CFSU. The peer assessment committee will review your organization’s report on the previous year’s activities along with your current application.
  • Funding received from this program may not be used to increase a surplus or to offset an existing financial deficit.
  • City of Ottawa’s Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Department staff may not hold a key position within an organization requesting cultural funding from the City. Exception: where staff participation has been approved as one of the duties of their position
  • City of Ottawa staff are required to act in compliance with the City of Ottawa Employee Code of Conduct and all applicable laws and regulations. For further inquiries, please contact your Cultural Funding Officer

Meeting all eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding

Assessment criteria

Peer assessors will use the following assessment criteria to evaluate your request for funding.

Merit

  • Fulfillment of mandate
  • Artistic direction, clear goals and objectives
  • Qualified artistic leadership and content expertise
  • Maintenance of high standards in artistic programming development, artistic standards and practices
  • Requisite skills and means to achieve results
  • Innovation within artistic discipline

Impact

  • Support to local artists and artistic community
  • Impact on artistic discipline
  • Responsiveness to members and audiences
  • Strength of partnerships
  • Community involvement (audience participation, volunteer support, etc.)
  • Commitment to engage with local equity seeking communities

Viability

  • Strength of long-term visioning, planning and evaluation
  • Governance, leadership structure and participation of the Board
  • Fiscal responsibility, realistic budgeting and financial stability
  • Initiative in fundraising and diversified revenue
  • Demonstrated need for financial support
  • Appropriate and effective marketing and promotion

Multi-year operating funding - Application questions and required materials

Before you begin:

  • Read the Program Guidelines and refer to them while completing the application.
  • Read the Terms and conditions for operating funding.
  • It is recommended that you prepare your responses and documents prior to starting your online application. It is much easier to edit your responses on a word document and copy/paste your answers into the online form when ready to apply.

To complete the online application form you will be required to:

1. Provide written responses to the application questions provided below.

  • Questions marked with an * are mandatory.
  • Pay attention to word counts, as you will not be able to submit if over the maximum.

2. Provide all supporting and required documents including:

  1. Incorporation documents (if there are amendments to the articles of incorporation)
  2. List of your board of directors, including city of residence, email, telephone number and board/committee position
  3. A list of all staff and/or core volunteers including name, title, area of responsibility, and term/duration of employment
  4. Approved minutes from most recent board meeting
  5. Approved minutes from most recent AGM
  6. CVs or bios of the individuals who provide the artistic leadership for your organization
  7. Certificate of Insurance
  8. Operating Budget or CADAC (to receive a copy of the excel budget template for operating funding, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca
  9. Approved financial statements
  10. Statement of reserves (if applicable)
  11. Deficit reduction plan (if applicable)
  12. Support Material (6 samples max) – including samples of promotional materials of previous year’s programming

3. Fill and submit your application on the online portal.

Application questions

  1. What is the mandate of your organization?* Please flag any recent changes. (Max 200 words)
  2. Provide a brief history of your organization or group, giving its principal achievements.* (Max 350 words)
  3. Present a full description of the programming or activities planned for the period for which you are applying.* Include specific artistic goals, outcomes and your organization`s long-term vision. (Max 3000 words)
  4. How is your artistic activity unique within your local artistic discipline?* (Max 250 words)
  5. What challenges will your organization face in carrying out its functions (i.e. staff or Board changes, moving/renovations, expanding services or programs, etc.)? (Max 500 words)
  6. If you are requesting a significant increase in your funding, please explain why it is needed. (Max 200 words)
  7. Who is your artistic community?* Please describe your impact on the artistic discipline, local artists and on the artistic community as a whole. (Consider how the community would be affected if your group ceased to exist). (Max 500 words)
  8. Who is your target audience? What public accessibility or audience development initiatives are you undertaking?* (Max 350 words)
  9. What percentage of your membership / enrolment / participants is made up of artists residing in Ottawa or of Ottawa based arts groups?*
  10. How does your organization reflect and engage equity seeking communities listed in our funding priorities?* (Max 750 words)
  11. Describe your marketing and promotion. You may include samples of past marketing materials with your support material.* (Max 500 words)
  12. A list of activities or functions your Board of Directors’ committees will be undertaking this coming year.* (Max 350 words)
  13. What measures does your organization have in place to ensure fiscal responsibility (i.e. Treasurer oversight, Board financial subcommittee, Book keeper, etc.)?* (Max 350 words)

Reporting on previous year’s activities

All funding recipients must submit a Final Activity Report detailing how they used the funds awarded to them in order to be eligible for subsequent funding. The peer assessment committee will review your organization’s report on the previous year’s activities along with your current application.

You will be required to answer the following questions:

  • Provide a detailed description of your organization’s activities for the year funded (Max 1250 words)
  • Provide a summary of operating challenges and achievements (Max 500 words)
  • Provide statistics:
    • Total number of attendees
    • Total number of artists
    • Total number of volunteers
    • Total number of volunteer hours

How to submit support material

Applicants must submit support material which will be reviewed by the evaluation committee. It plays an essential role in the assessment of the application as it gives the evaluators an indication of the merit of the work proposed and provides documentation of past and proposed activities.

Examples of support material: promotional material, program brochures, media coverage, photos, annual reports and publications, video or audio recordings or links to web pages or social media.

You must submit support material via the CFSU’s online portal by uploading the files directly or by inputting the URLs. Different programs have different requirements, so please check them carefully.

Exceptions include: funding programs that are not currently live on the portal, and reports submitted for funding received prior to the 2022 cycle.

Should you require accessibility accommodations, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca

For all submissions:

  • File names cannot contain any special characters including accents, commas or hyphens. Please rename all files in plain text. Provide a brief description of the content.
  • Jurors have limited time to review support material. The total time allotted to review all audio and video files cannot exceed 7 minutes per application. Please select your material with this time constraint in mind. Provide cue times as part of your description.
  • QuickTime, and Apple specific files are not accepted (.mov; .aiff; .numbers; .pages).
  • Test all electronic materials to ensure readability and quality.

Activity report on previous funding

Reporting

All funding recipients are required to submit a final report detailing how they used the funding awarded to them. This report must be submitted to and approved by the CFSU either:

  • following completion of the funded activities; or
  • twelve months after receipt of the funds; or
  • at the time of subsequent application to the program

All reports must be submitted through the online portal. Exceptions include: funding programs that are not currently live on the portal and reports submitted for funding received prior to the 2022 cycle.

Should you require accessibility accommodations, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca

Without a report approved by the CFSU, the applicant will be deemed ineligible for subsequent funding.

To obtain a reporting form, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca or call 613-580-2424 ext. 29404.

Activity report on project funding received prior to 2022

If project funding was received from the City of Ottawa, prior to 2022, an activity report detailing how the funds were used must be submitted by email to infoculture@ottawa.ca. Applicants who fail to provide an activity report on previous funding will NOT be eligible to apply for subsequent City of Ottawa funding. Please use the form below.

Please note: You must download the form onto your computer and open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete. Any information added to the form through a web browser will be lost when the form is downloaded, printed, or saved.

Direct deposit information

Please be advised that the City of Ottawa’s Financial Services Unit is moving to the use of an automated Direct Deposit system solely in providing all payments, including Cultural Funding allocations.

If you have not already registered your organization’s banking information, please complete the Direct Deposit Form. PDF opens in a new tab or window and mail it with a physical original voided cheque or a physical original encoded deposit slip, or a physical original letter from the vendor's bank to the following address:

City of Ottawa
Accounts Payable, PO Box 3426 Stn D
Ottawa ON K1P 0B9

No photocopies will be accepted. Questions may be directed to Accounts Payable at 613.580.2424 extension 27888 or by email to vendormaster@ottawa.ca mailbox.

Contact Information

General inquiries

For general information, technical issues, or to request a report form, contact: infoculture@ottawa.ca

Program inquiries

For specific information on your application, or to discuss eligibility, contact:

Anik Després
Arts services and arts venues
French literary arts
French theatre

Marie-Christine Feraud
Dance
Independent film and video
Visual arts
Arts training and arts education (Multidisciplinary organizations)

Adrija Kličius
Music
Arts training and arts education (Music organizations)
Amateur arts 

Yasmina Proveyer
Arts events and arts festivals
English literary arts
English theatre