Guidelines: Project Grant Program – Organizations

Calgary Arts Development is committed to open, fair, and transparent processes. If you have any questions, want feedback on your application or if it’s your first time applying, please don’t hesitate to contact us for support.

While we may not be able to meet in person at this time, our team will be available to provide support over the phone, through email, or through the use of audio and video platforms.

Please see Investment Program FAQ for answers to common questions, and contact the program specialist as early as you can to ensure they can provide the best support possible. Staff can provide feedback on your application up to one week before application deadlines.

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

• 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 would prefer to answer the 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.
• Language interpretation for phone or video meetings (Note: This will depend on the availability of external service agencies).
• Grant writing assistance if you need help.

You may be eligible for application assistance to pay someone to help you prepare and submit an application if you need it or for any of the reasons listed below:

• An applicant who is Deaf, hard of hearing, has a disability or is living with a mental illness.
• An applicant facing language, geographic or cultural barriers.

Please contact Marta Ligocki, Specialist for Arts Organizations, at 403.264.5330 ext.205 or marta.ligocki@calgaryartsdevelopment.com to inquire about application assistance.

This program is intended to provide one-time project funding to registered non-profit arts organizations and current operating grant clients. Organizations must demonstrate that the arts are at the core of their mandate. Registered for-profit organizations and artistic projects by non-arts organizations will not be eligible for this funding.

Organizations must either be based in Calgary (known as Mohkinsstsis in Blackfoot), or be able to demonstrate that they make significant contributions to the arts that are accessible to Calgary citizens on an ongoing basis. Post-secondary, credit, or degree granting organizations are not eligible for this program. Please review the Investment Program FAQ for a glossary of terms and frequently asked questions about program eligibility.

Applicants may apply for up to $25,000 to support one-time projects which contribute to the vibrancy and vitality of Calgary’s arts sector, and strengthen the organization’s ability to connect with their community.

Projects funded through this program must be complete by December 31, 2022.

The total pool of funding will be $800,000. Calgary Arts Development is aiming to allocate a minimum of 70% of this pool to organizations who are not currently operating grant clients. The target percentage may be adjusted based on the number of applications as well as assessor scores. This program will be assessed by an arms-length peer committee.

This program is open to registered non-profit arts organizations and current operating grant clients in Calgary. Organizations must demonstrate that the arts are at the core of their mandate. Registered for-profit organizations and artistic projects by non-arts organizations will not be eligible for this funding. For a glossary of terms and more important information about eligibility, please refer to the Investment Program FAQ.

We welcome applications from organizations working in all artistic disciplines and their various cultural forms, including but not limited to: circus arts, craft arts, community and social practice, curation, dance, Deaf/deaf arts, digital arts, disability arts, film, Indigenous arts, literature, media arts, multidisciplinary practice, music and sound, performance, theatre, and visual arts.

While activities do not have to take place in Calgary, applicants must either be Calgary-based, or be able to demonstrate that they regularly make significant contributions to the arts that are accessible to Calgary citizens. If you are not based in the city, Calgary Arts Development staff will determine eligibility through the applicant’s commitment to the arts and the scope of activities within Calgary’s arts community.

An organization may only apply to this program for one project, or one distinct phase of a project. We will only accept one application per organization, and one application per project. You may not receive more than one Calgary Arts Development grant for the same project or phase of a project. Success in this program does not affect your eligibility to apply to other Calgary Arts Development grant investment programs.

Please reach out with any questions about eligibility before you begin your application.

Projects should have a clear start and end date, with a specific set of goals. This could include one distinct phase of a larger project. This program cannot fund projects retroactively, meaning that projects can begin before the application deadline, but projects that will be fully complete before the application deadline of July 12, 2021 are not eligible.

Projects funded through this program must be complete by December 31, 2022.

Please note that the eligible and ineligible expenses and activities listed below are given as examples and are not exclusive. If you have questions about eligible expenses or activities, please contact the program specialist.

Eligible Expenses

Funds from this program may go towards almost any expense that are directly related to your project and its goals, for example:

• Accessibility expenses
• Artist fees
• Documentation
• Honorariums
• Materials
• Marketing, publicity or outreach
• Purchase of equipment, including hardware and permanent software (up to a maximum of $2,000 total) *
• Professional fees (e.g., fees paid to individuals offering professional services such as web design, publicity or marketing, facilitation, financial, accounting or legal services, consulting services, etc.)
• Rental of equipment or space
• Salaries and wages directly related to this project (e.g., contractors, additional staff supports)

*If you request grant funds for the purchase of equipment, please consult the Investment Program FAQ for information on making a case.

Ineligible Expenses

Funds from this program are not intended to support any of the following:

• Salaries and wages for existing staff (e.g., salaries for permanent full-time employees, ongoing contracts, etc.)
• Expenses related to regular administration (e.g., fixed operating expenses such as rent, utilities, etc.)
• Expenses not directly related to the project, including retroactive expenses
• Debt repayment
• Purchase of or financial contribution towards equipment, land, or buildings over a total of $2,000 (capital expenditures)
• Purchase of any equipment not directly related to the project

Ineligible Activities

This program is not intended to support any of the following:

• Projects that are fully complete before the application deadline.
• Projects that have already received funding from another Calgary Arts Development grant program.
• Projects related to post-secondary or credit, degree, certificate, or diploma granting educational programs or artistic work related to those educational programs.
• Fundraising activities (e.g., activities undertaken for the purpose of raising funds on behalf of a political party or charity).
• Contests and competitions (e.g., grant funding cannot be re-granted in the form of prizes or awards).
• Activities that do not comply with or respect cultural protocols.
• Activities that use or present Indigenous cultural material, traditional knowledge or stories without permission from the community.
• Activities that promote hatred or intolerance.
• Activities that are illegal or contravene provincial or federal law.
• Activities related to campaigning for a specific political candidate or party in an election.

As part of our responsibility to Calgarians to ensure equitable access to public funding, Calgary Arts Development is dedicated to addressing and working to eliminate institutional inequity in our programs, policies, and practices. We also acknowledge that our actions—both conscious and unconscious, past and present—have benefited some communities while limiting opportunities and outcomes for others.

Applications to this program will be assessed by arms-length peer committees in two streams. General recommendations for stream selection are:

Create & Develop

• This project is internally focused and strengthens operating, governance, or administrative practices. Work in this area will allow organizations to strengthen their overall operations for meaningful connections to their communities in the future, or;
• This project is about the creation and development of artistic work that will not be shared with a general public at this time. It may eventually be shared publicly, but it is not part of the project timeline and goals for this grant application.

Program & Present

• This project will result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public as part of the project timeline and goals for this grant application, or;
• This project is externally focused, and is about creating and sharing work in the organization’s mandated discipline with the public, or involves the creation and production of work all the way to presenting it to an audience.

The intention of having two streams is to help manage volume by grouping projects that are most similar together in assessment and to have criteria that align to that particular stream. If you are having difficulty selecting a stream, please refer to the Investment Program FAQ or contact the program specialist.

Please see the assessment process below and Terms of Reference for further information.

Projects will be funded based on the criteria of community connection, artistic impact, and planning. The Create & Develop and Program & Present streams are each defined by a unique set of criteria statements. Assessors will evaluate applications by rating each criteria statement as exceptional, good, or weak according to the below matrix, based on the information provided in the application:

Exceptional

• Exceptional applications demonstrate a deep understanding of the organization’s mandate and goals, their role and relationship to communities and what is required to undertake the proposed project.
• Exceptional applications have clear, detailed, thoughtful responses that directly address the criteria of the program.
• Exceptional applications include all the relevant information and support required to create overwhelming trust and confidence that the project will be completed as described and that the applicant will reach their goals.
• There is a clear sense of readiness and critical awareness within the application.

Good

• Good applications demonstrate a general understanding of the organization’s mandate and goals, their relationship to communities and what is required to undertake the proposed project.
• Good applications have sufficient responses that address the criteria of the program, but may be lacking detail or rationale.
• Good applications include most of the relevant information required to create trust that the project will be completed as described and that the applicant will reach their goals.
• There may be some information, support or evidence missing that would have created more confidence.

Weak

• Weak applications do not demonstrate a clear understanding of the organization’s mandate and goals, their relationship to communities or what is required to undertake the proposed project.
• Weak applications have limited or insufficient responses that do not sufficiently address the criteria of the program.
• Weak applications do not provide enough information, support or evidence to create trust and confidence that the project will be completed as described and that the applicant will reach their goals.
• There is a lack of readiness or critical awareness present in the application and the applicant would benefit from feedback.

Create & Develop Criteria Statements

Artistic Impact

• The applicant has demonstrated a deep understanding of the organization’s mandate and the role they play in their artistic communities or disciplines.
• The proposed project and organization’s goals are clearly described and align with the organization’s mandate.
• The applicant has demonstrated clear reasons why this project is compelling and relevant and how it will allow them to advance the organization’s goals, mandate, and vision.

Community Connection

• The applicant has clearly demonstrated who their organization connects with through their mandate. This could include artists, volunteers, members, audiences, students, and partners. If the project will result in work that may eventually be shared with the public, the applicant has identified who the community will be for that work.
• The applicant has clearly demonstrated how this project is important to their ability to connect with their communities. If the project will not result in something that will directly impact their community, or will not be shared with the public at this time, the applicant has demonstrated how this will enable the organization to connect with their community moving forward and how they are considering them at this phase of the work.

Planning

• The applicant has a clear understanding of what is required to complete the project. This is demonstrated by a clear, well-researched and achievable timeline, plan and budget that outlines who they will work with, what it will cost, how much time it will take, and what tasks and activities are required.
• The applicant has created overwhelming trust and confidence that the project will be completed as described and that the applicant will reach their goals.

Program & Present Criteria Statements

Artistic Impact

• The applicant has demonstrated a deep understanding of the organization’s mandate and the role they play in their artistic communities or disciplines.
• The proposed project and applicant’s goals are clearly described and align with the organization’s mandate.
• The applicant has demonstrated clear reasons why this project is compelling and relevant to the organization, and how it will allow them to advance their goals, mandate, and vision.

Community Connection

• The applicant has clearly demonstrated who the organization will connect with through this project. This could include artists, collaborators, partners, members, volunteers, participants, or audiences that are part of their overall artistic mandate, or who will experience this work.
• The applicant has clearly demonstrated how this project is important to their ability to connect with their communities they’ve identified through this project, or how the project will allow them to connect with their communities in the future.
• The applicant has clearly demonstrated why this project is important to the communities they’ve identified and how they are considering them.

Planning

• The applicant has a clear understanding of what is required to complete the project. This is demonstrated by a clear, well-researched and achievable timeline, plan and budget that outlines who they will work with, what it will cost, how much time it will take, and what tasks and activities are required.
• The applicant has created overwhelming trust and confidence that the project will be completed as described and that the applicant will reach their goals.

Applications to the program will be evaluated by independent arm’s-length assessment committees made up of peers and community members. The program specialist and Calgary Arts Development staff will select committee members.

Anyone can ask to participate on a Calgary Arts Development assessment committee by completing the assessor nomination form or by emailing grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

Assessment Committees

Assessment committees are chosen to represent the broad diversity of Calgary and its artistic communities, including but not limited to: artistic discipline, gender, sexuality, age, religion, beliefs, nation, physical and neurological identities, etc.

• Seven-Member Committees: Each stream will be split into sub-committees dependent on the volume of applications.
• Artistic Peers: These will be from a variety of artistic disciplines and practices and can also include arts workers with experience and knowledge in the arts community for example, staff, volunteers, board members, etc.
• Arts Champions and Artistic Community Members: These are people who actively participate in, experience, and advocate for the work of the arts community. They may also have perspectives and skill-sets transferable to the arts sector.
• Conflicts of Interest: Calgary Arts Development thinks of conflicts of interest as close family members, people who are involved in the activity being applied for or where there is a real or perceived financial benefit. If in doubt, assessors are encouraged to talk with Calgary Arts Development staff.
• If a committee member has applied to the program or declared a conflict of interest they will not assess those specific applications or be present for any discussions of those applications.

Assessment Process

• Committees will read applications in the online granting interface, and rate each criteria statement according to the matrix outlined in the program criteria and matrix sections of the guidelines.
• Calgary Arts Development staff will download each assessor’s evaluations into a scoresheet and assign numerical scores to the ratings. Each criteria statement will be weighted equally. The score assigned to each rating will be consistent across all criteria statements (e.g.: exceptional will always equal the same number of points).
• The committee will convene to discuss each application and make final funding decisions in a meeting facilitated by the specialist for organizations. The committee will discuss each application and make final funding decisions in a meeting facilitated by the specialist for individuals and collectives.

Assessment committees are held to the Terms of Reference and Group Agreements intended to commit to open, generous, and respectful evaluations and communications.

Please see the Disclosure of Grant Information Policy for information about how Calgary Arts Development collects and uses information submitted through grant applications.

The Investment Program FAQ includes answers to common questions, definitions of terms, and some helpful suggestions. It may be helpful to review these as well as the program criteria as you work through your application.

Marta Ligocki, Specialist for Arts Organizations, is available to assist applicants, answer questions, and provide feedback on your drafted application, up to one week before the program deadline. If you would like assistance or feedback, please email marta.ligocki@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or call 403.264.5330 ext.205 as early as you can to ensure they can provide the best support possible.

Application

Further description and information about each application requirement can be found in the application form in the grant interface. Please note that the grant interface uses character counts, rather than word counts. Keep in mind that the maximum character amounts listed below are not necessarily the goal—if you can be clear and succinct in fewer words that is great. These ranges are merely suggestions for each of the written sections.

• Contact Information (name, address, phone, email)
• Project Name
• Brief Description of Project (up to 250 characters)
• Funding Request (up to $25,000)
• Start and End Date of Project
• Organization Mandate (1,000 to 3,000 characters or 100 to 300 words)
• Project Description (1,500 to 5,000 characters or 150 to 500 words)
• Artistic Impact (1,500 to 5,000 characters or 150 to 500 words)
• Community Connection (1,500 to 5,000 characters or 150 to 500 words)
• Project Timeline or Work Plan (upload)
• Project Budget (upload your own, or use our Standard Budget Template)
• Support Material (up to four optional upload fields, maximum 3MB each, video and audio material should be provided as a link)

Audio or video files cannot be directly uploaded to the granting interface. Instead, they must be uploaded to a file sharing site such as YouTube, Vimeo or Dropbox with the link provided in the application. If the link requires a password to access the audio or video file, please provide that in your application as well. Please contact us early on if you require assistance.

Application Templates

Project Budget

Policies

Deadline Extension Policy
Accessibility & Accommodation Policy
Disclosure of Grant Information Policy

Other

Terms of Reference
Group Agreements
Application Assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
Assessor Nomination Form

Applicants will be notified of their results by email. Successful applicants will be sent an investment agreement via Docusign and are required to sign and return the agreement within 30 days of receiving it in order to receive funding.

We use electronic fund transfers to make grant payments. If your application is approved, you will be required to provide a void cheque or direct deposit form with your banking information. Please let us know if you need any help with this.

We’re interested in hearing how the grant benefitted your organization and communities and what you learned through the process. We will ask you to report this back to us through a final report online, due 90 days after your final activity. We would like to know:

• What you accomplished and how this grant helped support your organization’s mandate. We are also curious about any learnings or changes from your original proposal (500 words maximum).
• How this funding impacted your communities (others involved) or your organization’s understanding of community.
• How the grant funds were spent. Please upload a new budget with actuals. (2MB) Please keep receipts and invoices for audit purposes. You may also be asked to provide them.
• Optional: Please share any materials that resulted from your activities, such as images, website links, video or audio material, written samples, etc. (up to two upload fields, maximum 3MB each, video and audio material should be provided as a link).
• Optional: Anything else you’d like to share with Calgary Arts Development (250 words maximum).

Successful applicants may also be asked to participate in optional surveys, research, and peer-to-peer learning. Please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com with any questions about reporting requirements.