Grant Investment Program Policies 2024

NOTE: As of June 24, 2024, this policy replaces both the Accommodation & Accessibility Policy and the Application Assistance Policy. This policy applies to Calgary Arts Development’s public art and community investment grant programs.

If you have questions about the information shared below or if you need this document translated into another language, please contact us:

• Community Investment team: grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 115
• Public Art team: publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 221

We understand that our programs and processes create barriers to access for many artists and organizations who want to apply. For example, our programs are written in English and shared online, and applicants usually have to submit written applications and reports, online and in English. This can create language barriers, communication barriers, cultural barriers and technological barriers, just to name a few.

In recognition of these barriers, our program staff are available to give support to applicants, and to offer financial assistance to applicants with barriers who may need support from someone outside of Calgary Arts Development.

These supports are outlined in detail below:

Staff Support for Applicants

Calgary Arts Development program staff are here to help you understand our programs, eligibility and how to apply.

Support is available at every stage of the application process, including before, during and after you receive a grant, funding or commission.

If you have questions or want feedback on your application, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly for support. Staff will do their best to answer questions and provide feedback on your application up to 10 business days before application deadlines. Please contact us as early as possible so we can give you the best support possible.

Staff will do our best to give support over the phone, email, in person, or through audio and video platforms.

We will work one-on-one with potential applicants who experience barriers, and we will develop accommodations that suit their abilities and situations. Some examples of available accommodations are:

• Language interpretation for phone or video meetings.
• Translation of written materials into other languages.
• Transcription of verbal meetings or audio and video recordings into a written document.
• Verbal video or audio applications. If you prefer to answer application questions verbally, you can submit an audio or video recording of yourself, or our staff can help record your responses using an online platform, such as Zoom.

NOTE: Calgary Arts Development will book the above services and cover the related costs as needed.

The best person to reach out to for staff support is the main contact listed in the guidelines for the program you are interested in applying to. If it’s unclear who to contact, please reach out to either of the following and they will connect you with the right person:

• Community Investment team: grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 115
• Public Art team: publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 221

You can also find answers to frequently asked questions in the Community Investment FAQs and the Public Art FAQs.

Outside Support for Applicants (Paid Application Assistance)

We understand that our staff may not always have the skills or capacity to fully support all applicants’ needs.

If you are an applicant who faces any barriers that make it difficult to fairly access our programs, you may wish to seek out personal one-to-one assistance from someone outside of Calgary Arts Development to help you with the application process. If this is something you need, Calgary Arts Development may be able to directly pay that external support person for the hours they spend helping you with your application.

This might include artists who identify as:

• d/Deaf or hard of hearing
• Having a cognitive, developmental or physical disability
• Living with a mental illness
• Facing language, geographic or cultural barriers
• Facing technological barriers related to limited internet or computer access
• Additional barriers that are not listed here

Who can you get assistance from?

It is your responsibility to find and choose any external support person or services. You may choose to get support from a:

• Professional service provider
• Artistic peer
• Friend or family member

What services can they assist you with?

• Language translation
• General transcription or editing services
• Application development — help with framing your ideas and concepts or organizing support material

What is the maximum amount Calgary Arts Development will give?

• We understand that costs will vary and we expect hourly rates and total hours billed to be reasonable, fair and equitable. The maximum we can provide is $600.

What part of the application process can they help with?

• Reviewing program guidelines and deciding if you want to apply (i.e., translation services, eligibility, questions, etc.)
• Preparing and submitting an application (i.e., language translation, support with editing, organizing support materials, etc.)
• Receiving and accepting a commission or funding (i.e., interpreting notifications, completing and returning a contract, completing direct deposit, etc.)
• Preparing and submitting an interim or final report. (i.e., language translation, support with editing, organizing support materials, etc.)

How do I get approved for paid application assistance from Calgary Arts Development?

Reach out to us before you apply and let us know you are interested in ‘paid application assistance’:

• Community Investment team: grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 115
• Public Art team: publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 221

IMPORTANT: You do not need to share any specifics or details about the barriers you experience unless you want to (i.e. like a diagnosis). All we need to know is that you are experiencing accessibility-related barriers and are interested in paid application assistance. Staff will chat with you to ensure you are eligible to apply to the program(s) you are interested in before approving paid application assistance.

After a Calgary Arts Development staff member has approved your request for paid application assistance, we will make a note on the grant platform so that you do not need to request assistance for every single program or phase of the application process (i.e., applying, reporting, etc.). This note will only be visible to staff members with access to our online grant platform.

Submit an invoice to Calgary Arts Development.

After you have received application support from someone (i.e. a friend, family member, peer, or professional service provider), they will need to submit a basic invoice to Calgary Arts Development so we can pay them directly. We do not pay you, the applicant — we only pay the person who gave the service or support.

The invoice must include the following information:

• The support person’s full legal name, phone number, email address and mailing address.
• Your full legal name (the applicant).
• The name of the Calgary Arts Development program that they helped you with.
• The total number of hours they helped you and their hourly rate (there is no recommended hourly rate as it depends on the service and context – we expect rates to be fair and equitable for the person and service provided).
• The total amount requested.

Calgary Arts Development will process and pay the invoice.

Staff will review the invoice and follow up with the support person or professional service provider to ensure we have all the information we need (i.e. banking information) to pay them directly through electronic fund transfer.

Please note, these options for ‘staff support’ and outside support’ (paid assistance) are not mutually exclusive. You can access either option, or both, to help support you during any stage of the application process. In fact, it can be helpful for you and your support person to connect with Calgary Arts Development program staff to ask questions so you both understand the program, requirements, criteria and processes.

These different supports and accommodations work together to help give all applicants fair and equitable access. Please reach out early if you have any questions or feedback.

Download the Applicant Support & Accessibility Policy as a PDF

Calgary Arts Development requires individuals engaged as assessors to maintain their own anonymity and the anonymity of other assessors in order to prevent the possibility of pressure being applied from grant applicants and the community that could affect assessments. This expectation of anonymity continues beyond the granting cycle to ensure individuals who serve as assessors are not subject to retribution or negative impact based on grant results, and to maintain the confidentiality of applicant information and data shared during the granting cycle into perpetuity.

All deliberations of assessors, all corporate records, and material submitted by applicants as part of their applications that are not generally available to the public shall be considered confidential. All assessors are required to safeguard such records and information from improper access and to sign and adhere to a confidentiality agreement prior to accessing any confidential information. Further information about privacy and disclosure of grant information can be found in the Privacy Policy and Disclosure of Grant Information Policy.

Calgary Arts Development will release assessor names as part of its annual Accountability Report published the subsequent year. Assessor names will be listed alphabetically, and will not be attributed to any particular program. In the case where assessors are engaged in programs that contain a verbal presentation from applicants, assessors will be introduced to applicants at the time of the presentation, before the program cycle is complete, and additional confidentiality and anonymity policies may be put in place for both applicants and assessors.

If individuals are found to have broken their commitment to this confidentiality policy, Calgary Arts Development reserves the right to remove them from the assessment process or bar them from participation in future committees.

Download the Confidentiality Policy as a PDF

The intention of this Conflict of Interest Policy is to ensure that all applications to Calgary Arts Development’s investment programs are assessed fairly and responsibly according to the program considerations and guidelines.

This Conflict of Interest Policy ensures that community members serving as peer assessors do not materially benefit from their own involvement in funding decisions, or unfairly influence the deliberations based on their relationships with applicants.

All assessors are required to sign a statement agreeing to fully disclose any direct or perceived conflict with any applicant to the program.

Committee members who have a potential or perceived conflict of interest will be removed from the assessment process for said applicant. The committee member will leave the room during discussion, and will not score, vote or use personal influence in the decision-making process.

Calgary Arts Development engages community assessors for the experience, knowledge and relationships they have within the arts community. Prior knowledge or relationship with an applicant does not constitute a conflict of interest on its own.

Calgary Arts Development expects a conflict of interest to be declared under any of the conditions outlined below: 

• The assessor has applied to the program, either as a primary applicant, as an active participant in the application, or has an ongoing professional affiliation with the applicant as:
  • An artist
  • A staff member
  • A board member
  • A contractor
  • Or is involved in direct leadership, planning, or implementation activities for the application in any other capacity
• The assessor has a direct personal relationship with the applicant such as:
  • Family members
  • Spousal or immediate personal partnerships
• The assessor will otherwise financially or materially benefit from the success of the application.
• The assessor feels they will be unable to fairly and productively manage personal bias in the assessment process based upon prior knowledge, privileged information or relationship with the applicant.

Potential conflicts of interest may be considered on a case-by-case basis for reasons not included in this list. If an assessor is unsure of a potential conflict of interest, they should reach out to the program specialist to discuss.

Calgary Arts Development reserves the right to remove assessors from the assessment process for specific applications or entirely if a conflict of interest has not been properly declared, or if a conflict of interest arises through the assessment process.

This Conflict of Interest Policy is accompanied by assessor Terms of Reference, Group Agreements, and a confidentiality agreement for each program, which govern the assessment process and expected conduct of assessment committees.

Contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.476.2031 for more information on application assistance or to request support.

Download the Conflict of Interest Policy as a PDF

For organizations, individuals, and collectives who intend to submit applications or reports but will miss the deadline, a written request for extension must be received by Calgary Arts Development before 9am MT on the day of the deadline.

If a written request is not received in time, the organization, individual, or collective will be ineligible for that granting period. The request must state the reason(s) the application deadline cannot be met, and the date the application could be submitted.

Please Note: In order to respect peer assessors’ ability to responsibly review applications, we are unable to grant extensions beyond two weeks after the stated program deadline.

Acceptable reasons may include:

• Personal health or family crisis.
• Birth or death of a family member.
• Unforeseen personal priority.
• The deadline overlaps with cultural or religious dates.

Calgary Arts Development publishes the program deadlines at the beginning of each calendar year and endeavours to share program information and deadlines broadly. Staff members are available throughout application processes to provide support, answer questions, and offer feedback. We encourage applicants to reach out at any point to request accommodations (through the Accommodation & Accessibility Policy) or support at any point prior to the deadline.

Unacceptable reasons may include:

• Lack of awareness of the program deadline.
• Poor planning or time management.
• Overlap with grant deadlines for other funders.

Calgary Arts Development staff will review the request for extension. If the reason for the extension is acceptable, a deadline extension will be granted in writing. Extensions will only be granted if it does not affect the planned assessment process and schedule.

We also understand that circumstances cannot always be governed by policy. Requests made after 9am MT on the day of the deadline, or which do not fall under the acceptable reasons may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Please reach out to grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or your program specialist at any point with questions or to request support.

Download the Deadline Extension Policy as a PDF

Personal information is received by Calgary Arts Development from people and organizations who apply for grants, members of committees assessing applications, and many others in the course of its activities. Calgary Arts Development will never reveal personal information to any third party without your prior knowledge and consent, unless required to do so by law.

Information provided in both successful and unsuccessful grant applications may be used to plan, evaluate, and review programs. The information is also used for generating statistics for statistical reporting, studies, issue, and trend analysis. Information shared when reporting in these ways will be anonymized and only shared in aggregate.

No personal information provided in grant applications will be shared publicly without prior applicant consent.

Contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com for more information.

This policy has been updated as of March 1, 2024

Calgary Arts Development makes grant investments to support and benefit artists and is committed to reducing barriers where possible.

We recognize that while income taxes are reported on the calendar year, artistic projects may occur over multiple years. Depending on when the grant cycle and fund disbursement falls in the year, expenses may occur in the next tax year, which may mean that artists cannot deduct all their project expenses when they file their income taxes. While it is possible for artists to file an adjustment for these deductions in the following year, we recognize that this may create tax implications and financial challenges in the short-term.

Calgary Arts Development has created a grant payment instalment policy to help alleviate this challenge in some circumstances.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• This policy only applies to individual artists and artists accepting funds on behalf of artist collectives. Arts organizations are not eligible for this policy.
• This policy is only valid if the published timeline for the grant program states that grant payments will be made between October and December.
• Eligible grantees may only request to have their grant paid in instalments if:
  • Most of their project is taking place in the upcoming calendar year according to the information submitted in the application.
  • Most of the project expenses will be incurred in the upcoming calendar year according to the information submitted in the application.
• There may be other unique circumstances where instalment options for an individual artist may be explored; for example, if an artist is currently receiving AISH or other government supports that limit the amount of income they can make in a certain period. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation if this may apply to you.

Instalment options may include one or more of the following payment options, but they will be outlined in your specific agreement if available and will vary based on the program:

• 50% of the grant amount paid in the current year, 50% of the grant amount paid in January of the upcoming year, and/or
• 100% of the grant amount paid in January of the upcoming year.

Successful individual artists and collective grantees will be issued a T4A tax slip for the entire amount of their grant in each calendar year. We recommend that any artist submitting a grant application to Calgary Arts Development review the CRA guidelines for artist grants and consider the potential tax impact as part of their project planning. Calgary Arts Development does not provide tax advice. We recommend that artists seek the qualified advice of a tax planner or accountant.

More information about artist grants and taxes can be found in our Investment Program FAQs.

Download the Individual Artist Grant Payment Instalment Policy as a PDF

This policy has been updated as of March 1, 2024

As of January 2024, grantees may not have more than two open grants with Calgary Arts Development, including grants for which a deadline extension has been approved.

This policy applies to organizations, collectives and individual artists. This policy does not include having an Operating Grant, or any open projects in Public Art programs.

An ‘open grant’ refers to a grant where the applicant has not yet completed their project and submitted their final report to Calgary Arts Development. If you have two open grants (i.e., two grants with outstanding final reports, or any grants with overdue/late reports) at the time of the program deadline, then you will not be eligible to apply.

This policy ensures that grantees that receive funding from Calgary Arts Development complete their projects promptly as outlined in their applications and project timelines. It also helps to ensure that we can continue to address the volume and diversity of applicants and invest money in the widest community.

A request for an exception to this eligibility requirement must be submitted and approved through discussion with the program specialist for the specific program being applied to.

Please reach out to grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or the program specialist if you have questions or concerns about this policy.

Download the Open Grant Policy as a PDF

This policy ensures that organizations that receive annual operational funding from Calgary Arts Development have the opportunity to address risks related to the investment they receive. These processes are intended to encourage those organizations to be transparent and work with Calgary Arts Development to create strategies and remedy high-risk conditions without being subject to major fluctuations in their grants in a single year.

Calgary Arts Development reserves the right to flag, reduce, delay, suspend or withdraw an organization’s grant based on critical or high-risk concerns at any time.

• Calgary Arts Development may raise a flag based on any of the conditions outlined throughout this policy.
• Flags are carried from the previous operating grant cycle, regardless of whether it is an application or a reporting year. For example, organizations that received a flag in 2022 will carry that flag to the 2023 application process.
• Flags which result in a reduction, suspension or withdrawal of a grant must be recommended by a peer committee. In non-assessment years (2024), a special resiliency committee will be convened to make recommendations.
• Calgary Arts Development’s suspension or withdrawal of an organization’s grant requires majority approval by Calgary Arts Development’s board of directors.
• Organizations that are removed or choose not to reapply or submit their reporting in any grant year will be considered a new applicant in subsequent years. They will only be eligible to receive operational funding if the program is open to new applicants.
• Should Calgary Arts Development’s funding from The City of Calgary be reduced, grant reductions may occur outside of this policy.

Operating Grant Flagging Process

Calgary Arts Development reserves the right to apply any of the below flags for critical, high-risk concerns based on the information provided in the application or report, or as we become aware of organizational circumstances or events that may present a risk at any point through the funding cycle.

Calgary Arts Development staff review organizations’ interim reports and may apply a financial flag for any of the below.

• Deficits over 10% for the last two consecutive fiscal years.
• More liabilities than assets on the balance sheet for the last completed fiscal year.
• There is reliable evidence obtained by Calgary Arts Development staff that indicates an organization presents a risk to default on the obligations stated in its Investment Agreement. In Calgary Arts Development’s sole discretion, a third-party audit of the organization may be required to determine if the organization is an acceptable investment risk. The cost of the audit will be deducted from that organization’s subsequent grant (if any).

Assessment committees will be asked to consider the below conditions and identify any critical or high-risk circumstances that may present a risk to the annual investment on behalf of the community. The majority of the committee must agree to the risk assessment in order for a flag to be applied.

• A significant and unexplained reduction to artistic or community impact compared to previous years, including serious issues that may arise related to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• A demonstrated lack of capacity to complete core programming, or achieve key organizational goals.
• A demonstrated lack of capacity in resource management or organizational governance.
• The need for future planning to address the current level of risk or to mitigate previous resiliency flags.
• A significant lack of transparency and information in the application such that the assessors are unable to determine whether the organization merits their investment.

Organizations that receive a flag will be asked to meet with Calgary Arts Development or submit a written update outlining a plan to address their flag conditions before their funding is released. If the flag conditions indicate that the organization presents a risk to default on the obligations stated in its investment agreement, a special assessment committee may be convened to make recommendations as outlined below.

• First Year of Flagging:
  • Reduction of grant up to 10%
• Second Year of Consecutive Flagging:
  • Reduction of grant up to 25%
• Three or More Years of Consecutive Flagging:
  • Reduction of grant up to 50%
  • Removal of organization from Operating Grant Program.

If the special assessment committee recommends a reduction to an organization’s grant over 25%, the organization may submit an appeal according to the Appeals Policy. If the special assessment committee recommends the removal of an organization from the Operating Grant Program, this will launch a secondary peer assessment process governed by the Appeals Policy and requires majority approval by Calgary Arts Development’s board of directors.

Appeals Policy

The Appeals Policy outlines the process for organizations to appeal changes to their Operating Grant funding levels.

Calgary Arts Development will hear a case for appeal and follow the appeals process only in the below circumstances:

Eligible Appeal Cases

• Organizations that received an assessor flag through the Fair Notice Policy resulting in a reduction over 25% to their total grant (please see the reduction of grant process below).
• Organizations that were recommended to be removed from the Operating Grant Program through the Fair Notice Policy (please see the removal of grant process below).

Ineligible Appeal Cases

• Changes made to Operating Grant amounts resulting from a decrease in Calgary Arts Development’s total budget from The City of Calgary.
• Changes made to Operating Grant amounts resulting from adjustments to program goals, criteria and eligibility requirements.

Reduction of Grant – Appeals Process

Eligible Reasons for Appeal

Appeals will be heard in cases only where it can be demonstrated that:

• The reduction to the grant amount was over 25%.
• The special assessment committee materially and fundamentally misunderstood the flag conditions and information provided by the organization such that recommendations were made in error.
• Due process as outlined by the Fair Notice Policy was not followed.

Ineligible Reasons for Appeal

The following matters will not be considered grounds for appeal:

• The reduction to the grant amount was under 25%.
• The reduction to the grant amount was as a result of the published program eligibility requirements, application guidelines, and assessment process.
• The appeal must be limited to the content of the original information supplied to the special assessment committee, not facts or circumstances occurring after the date of submission. These include but are not limited to:
  • External circumstances or variables that have affected the organization’s ability to achieve their mandate
  • Changes in the information since it was provided
  • Information not originally included

Appeal Procedures

• Applicants will have 10 working days from the date that special assessment notification letters are emailed to notify Calgary Arts Development in writing of their intent to appeal the assessment committee’s decision.
• The organization will be given the opportunity to respond to the recommendation and comments in writing, stating the basis of their appeal.
• Staff will review the written case for appeal and determine if the organization has made an eligible case.
• If the case is eligible, staff will convene a secondary peer assessment panel comprising members of the previous assessment committee and new members, who will review in full the interim report, response from the organization and case for appeal, and make a final recommendation:
  • Uphold the decision to reduce the grant amount
  • Recommend an alternate reduction to the grant amount
  • Restore the grant amount in full

Removal of Grant — Secondary Peer Assessment

If the special assessment committee recommends complete removal of a grant amount after three years or more of consecutive flagging, the following process will automatically be applied. Organizations do not need to request an appeal.

• The organization will receive a written notice of the recommendation in addition to the compiled feedback and comments from the assessment committee.
• The organization will be given the opportunity to respond to the recommendation and comments in writing, outlining the conditions contributing to the flag and plans to mitigate those conditions.
• If appropriate, the organization may provide evidence demonstrating that the assessment committee fundamentally and materially misunderstood the content of the application such that the recommendation to remove funding was made in error.
• Staff will convene a secondary peer assessment panel comprising members of the previous assessment committee and new members, who will review in full the interim report, application and response from the organization, and make a final recommendation:
  • Uphold the decision to remove funding entirely
  • Suspend the grant for one year
  • Recommend a reduction of the grant
  • Restore the organization to their funding level in full
• Calgary Arts Development’s suspension or withdrawal of an organization’s grant requires majority approval by Calgary Arts Development’s board of directors.
• Decisions made through the secondary peer assessment process and approved by Calgary Arts Development’s board of directors cannot be appealed.

Download the Fair Notice Policy as a PDF

Calgary Arts Development’s Privacy Policy is intended to ensure we make every reasonable effort to ensure personal information is handled with respect and consideration.

Developed using the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act as a guideline, Calgary Arts Development is responsible for all personal information in its custody and under its control including employee and investment information.

To review FOIP legislation in detail, please reference the Government of Alberta Privacy website at servicealberta.ca.

The Operations Manager is designated to ensure Calgary Arts Development remains in compliance with this policy, and all members of staff are required to abide by its guidelines.

Personal Information

Personal information will be obtained only for reasonable purposes and only as much as is reasonable for those purposes.

Personal information will be disclosed or used only for reasonable purposes and those purposes will be shared with the individual prior to disclosure or use. Calgary Arts Development will never reveal personal information to any third party without prior knowledge and consent, unless required to do so by law.

Calgary Arts Development obtains consent for all its mailing lists. Requests for removal can be made at any time.

Individuals or organizations may request to see what information about themselves Calgary Arts Development has gathered. If reasonable, Calgary Arts Development will provide information about the existence, use or disclosure of the information and provide access to that information.

Calgary Arts Development makes every reasonable effort to maintain accurate information and will, on request, correct information that is inaccurate.

Calgary Arts Development makes every reasonable effort to ensure personal information is secure and keeps the information only as long as is reasonable.

If you would like more information regarding our Privacy Policy, please contact info@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

Download the Privacy Policy as a PDF