Capacity Building Program for Culturally Diverse Arts Organizations
Deadline
1 September 2006
Context for the Program
The Equity Office exists to support the Canada Council for the Arts’ strategic focus of equality of opportunity for culturally diverse artists, practices and organizations. Culturally diverse refers to artists, arts practices and organizations of African, Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern and mixed heritage.
Program Description
The Capacity Building Program provides annual support to arts organizations that dedicate the majority (at least 80 percent) of their financial and human resources to culturally diverse practices and/or whose artistic content and leadership are primarily culturally diverse.
The objective of this program is to strengthen culturally diverse arts organizations so that they can better support and continue to carry out their artistic activities. Grant funds support capacity building activities that advance the following: effective management, financial capacity, leadership, marketing, governance, audience development, human resources management and related areas.
Organizations must have a permanent infrastructure in place or be committed to building one. The Canada Council considers an organization to have a permanent infrastructure when it has the financial, human, physical, technical and other resources needed for the organization to achieve stability and a healthy long-term existence.
This program offers the following two types of support:
- Annual Grants for specific activities related to building your long-term organizational health, and
- Consolidation Grants for ongoing support to organizations that received funds through the Canada Council Capacity Building Initiative between 2001 and 2005, and are current holders of annual or multi-year operating support grants from the Canada Council.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
For both types of support, your organization must meet all of the following requirements. It must:
- Dedicate the majority (at least 80 percent) of its financial and human resources to culturally diverse practices and/or have artistic activities and leadership that are primarily culturally diverse.
- Have received (and have reported on) at least one grant from a Canada Council creation, production or dissemination program since 2001.
- Have a plan for at least the next three years of infrastructure development. The plan must include your organization’s governance, management practices, financial self-sufficiency, and market and audience development. Plans are acceptable whether they have been developed through the Canada Council’s Flying Squad program, an equivalent program (such as the Canadian Arts and Heritage Sustainability Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage) or solely by your organization.
Note that you can seek support from the Capacity Building Program and still apply for other Canada Council programs, including the Flying Squad program, in the same fiscal year (1 April to 31 March).
Consolidation Grants
In order to be eligible to apply, your organization must meet all of the following additional criteria:
- have received funds through the Canada Council Capacity Building Initiative between 2001 and 2005
- currently receive annual or multi-year operating funding from the Canada Council, and
- have been highly assessed for artistic merit when you applied for your operating program between 2001 and 2005.
If you are successful, you will be asked to complete your proposed capacity building activities described in your application, and the Consolidation Grant amount awarded will be added to the annual or multi-year operating support that you already receive through the Canada Council.
Eligible Activities
The activities proposed in the grant application must advance or develop your organizational strength and allow you to move beyond your current operational activities.
You may use grant funds from this program for capacity building in any or all of the following areas:
- general management and administration
- human resources management
- governance and board development
- financial management
- revenue improvement and development of new sources of revenue, and
- marketing and audience development.
Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to:
- putting bookkeeping and financial management systems into place
- hiring basic or additional staff
- acquiring or upgrading office equipment
- increasing administrative support to allow your organization to respond to high demand for your artistic works
- carrying out activities to support a communications and outreach plan, and
- hiring extra personnel during a period of organizational change or growth that has been approved by the organization’s trustees (for example, hiring an assistant general manager).
Grant Amount
Annual Grants are available to a maximum of $30,000.
Consolidation Grants are a maximum of $30,000 per year.
Application Form
Capacity Building Program for Culturally Diverse Arts Organizations (pdf, 187KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
Melinda Mollineaux
Equity Coordinator
Equity Office
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5221
TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
Fax: (613) 566-4406
August 2006