Deadlines
- Wednesday, March 3, 2021
- Wednesday, September 15, 2021
The application can be filled and submitted through our new Application Portal. This page is for reference only. You can watch our How to video for complete details on signing-up and completing your first application form!
Apply here
Contact Information
Program objectives
- To support the development of youth aged 18-30 towards professional careers in arts, heritage or culture
- To empower youth to identify needs and gaps in their career development, and support their initiatives
- To provide direct funding to youth aged 18-30
- To support activities that address the priorities identified in the Renewed Action Plan for Arts, Heritage and Culture in Ottawa (2013 - 2018).
First time grant applicants are encouraged to submit their projects.
The City will provide funding to a maximum of $1,000
Grant writing assistance
We are available to help you prepare your grant application in the following ways:
- Discuss eligibility of your project, requirements of the program and answer any questions about the application and evaluation process
- Review a draft version of your application prior to the deadline. Drafts can be emailed at any time up until Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 directly to infoculture@ottawa.ca.
You can watch our How to video for complete details on signing-up and completing your first application form!
Funding priorities
The Cultural Funding Support Unit (CFSU) will look at prioritizing applications from the following Indigenous and equity-seeking communities:
- Algonquin Anishinabe Host Nation
- First Nations
- Inuit
- Métis
- Francophones
- 2SLGBTQIA
- Immigrants/Newcomers
- People Living in Poverty
- People of Colour
- People with Visible and Invisible Disabilities
- Deaf People
- Rural Residents
- Seniors/Older Adults
- Women+
- Youth
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
Eligible applicants must:
- be between the ages of 18 and 30
- be an Ottawa resident, or be Algonquin Anishinabe and living within 150 km radius of Ottawa
What is eligible?
You must demonstrate that your project furthers your professional career in the arts, heritage or cultural sectors.
This program is intended to provide you with an artist fee and/or cover project/living expenses relating to:
- creation & production: research, creation, production, and presentation projects relating to arts, heritage, or culture
- training: masterclasses, workshops, residencies and other training opportunities in the arts, heritage, cultural festival or agricultural fair sectors (including administration and/or management training)
- mentorship: opportunities for youth to work with mentors within the arts, heritage, festivals and fairs sectors. Mentors include established cultural workers, professional artists, or elders/knowledge keepers including administration and/or management training
Examples of eligible projects
Creation projects:
- To complete a series of paintings
- To produce a play
- To conduct genealogy and/or historical research
- To create your traditional dance regalia
Training projects:
- To cover expenses, including travel, related to taking a masterclass
- To provide you with an artist/administrator fee during an unpaid internship with an arts, heritage, or cultural organization, including festivals and fairs
- To take a course in a First Nations, Inuit, or Metis language
Mentorship projects:
- To receive mentorship from an elder in beadwork
- To workshop with an established storyteller
- To work with a recognized knowledge keeper on a language preservation project
Who is not eligible
- organizations, including collectives
- individuals who have received three or more grants from this program
- City of Ottawa employees or elected representatives may not apply for individual cultural funding or awards. 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
What is not eligible
- projects that are not related to the arts, culture or heritage sectors
- commercial initiatives, sales and commissions
- projects that have been completed prior to the application deadline date
- projects that are part of your school, college or university’s curriculum
- fundraising initiatives
- projects paid for entirely through other sources
- projects that are eligible for funding under the City of Ottawa’s Creation and Production Fund for Professional Artists
Restrictions
- an applicant may only submit one application at a time within this program
- an applicant may only receive one funding allocation for the same activity
Meeting all eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding.
Assessment criteria
Applications are assessed according to:
Merit
- relevance of the proposed project as it relates to the applicant’s previous cultural experiences
- strength of the goals and objectives
- Clear intent to pursue a career in arts, heritage or culture
Impact
- benefit to the applicant’s career
Effective planning
- Realistic goals and appropriate planning
- Effective and appropriate budgeting
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
Without a Report approved by the CFSU, you will be deemed ineligible for subsequent funding. Reporting forms are available through the application Portal.
If you are not awarded funding
Try again! If you do not receive funding, you are encouraged to try again. The program’s limited envelope cannot fund all applicants, regardless of their merit.