Emergency Resiliency Funds Overview
Calgary Arts Development has been granted $2,000,000 by The City of Calgary in one-time Emergency Resiliency Funds. The purpose of these funds is to enable non-profits, including The City’s civic and community partners, to continue to serve Calgarians during the response phase of the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring adequate services are available, and to pursue partner capacity to support Calgary’s social, economic, and cultural recovery.
Calgary Arts Development defines resiliency as the ability to “bounce-forward” in a time of difficulty. The intention of these funds is to remove some financial barriers and allow organizations to focus on adaptive leadership and creativity to re-imagine the operating structures and systems that support artistic programming and community engagement.
These funds will be invested through two programs: the Recovery Fund and the Resiliency Fund.
The Recovery Fund intends to set the foundation for organizations to look ahead to resiliency, directing funds towards the strategic operational, governance, and human resource structures required to imagine possible new futures for programming and artistic work all with the hopes of ensuring long term sustainability.
The Resiliency Fund will be directed towards organizations that are pivoting to meet the new realities facing the sector. It will support initiatives which contribute to the resiliency of the arts sector through adapted approaches to their business and artistic practice. This program will replace the 2020 Project Grant for Organizations. The $150,000 pool will be reallocated to The Resiliency Fund with those dollars earmarked for organizations not currently in the Operating Grant program, as originally intended.
These programs are open to current Operating Grant clients and registered non-profit or charitable arts organizations. Applicants must either be Calgary-based, or be able to demonstrate that they make significant contributions to the arts that are accessible to Calgary citizens on an ongoing basis. Organizations may apply to both the Recovery and Resiliency Funds.
Recovery Fund
Letter of Intent Deadline: July 27, 2020, 4:30pm MDT
Letter of Intent Opens: June 26, 2020
Application Deadline: August 10, 2020, 4:30pm MDT
Notification and Disbursement of Funds: September 2020
Program Overview
This fund will provide up to $50,000 to develop and implement strategic recovery and resiliency plans to help ensure long term sustainability. The Recovery Fund will be considered unrestricted operating funds (excluding capital contributions to property or land), but organizations should be considering any of the following:
- Human Resources: Staff salaries, wages, contract fees etc.
- Strategic Planning: Creation or redevelopment of recovery, resiliency, scenario, or strategic plans
- Administration or Operations: Fixed expenses, overhead, technology, etc.
Organizations not currently receiving operational funds from Calgary Arts Development must complete a letter of intent outlining their artistic mandate, non-profit status, and impact due to COVID-19. Letters of intent will be assessed by Calgary Arts Development staff who will provide access to the application process if eligibility is met. Letters of intent will be reviewed by staff on a rolling basis and eligible organizations will be granted access to the application form no later than Friday, July 31, 2020.
The application process has been intentionally designed to duplicate some information from the Operating Grant Increase Program in order to limit the volume of application work in a short period of time.
Organizations applying to the Operating Grant program may elect to have their information copied to the Recovery Fund. Please see the How to Apply section of the program guidelines for more information. Operating Grant organizations not eligible for an increase or who will not be applying for an increase, as well as eligible organizations not currently in the Operating Grant program will complete an application requesting the same information.
The total funding available for this program is $1,000,000.
Resiliency Fund
First Intake Application Deadline: September 14, 2020, 4:30pm MDT
First Intake Applications Open: August 10, 2020
Notification and Disbursement of Funds: October 2020
Second Intake Application Deadline: October 19, 2020, 4:30pm MDT
Second Intake Applications Open: September 14, 2020
Notification and Disbursement of Funds: December 2020
Program Overview
This fund will provide up to $50,000 to support initiatives which contribute to the resiliency of the arts sector through adapted approaches to their business and artistic practices. This could include partnerships or mergers, or new platforms for content delivery or community engagement all with the hopes of ensuring long term sustainability. This fund will invest in those organizations that are pivoting to reflect the new realities facing the sector. The Resiliency Fund is intended to invest in strategies supported by strong operational capacity and governance.
This program will be administered through two intakes, with a pool of $575,000 each. If the funds from the first intake are not fully expended, they will be rolled over into the second round.
The total funding available for this program is $1,150,000.
Accommodation and Accessibility
Calgary Arts Development is committed to open, fair, and transparent processes. While we may not be able to meet in person at the current moment, our team will be available to answer questions and offer support during the application process either over the phone, through email, or through the use of audio and video platforms.
Please see the investment program FAQs 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 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. Some examples of accommodations are:
- Translation of written materials
- Grant writing assistance
- Transcription
- Video or audio applications
- Interpretation for phone or video meetings (Note: This will depend on the availability of external service agencies)
Please note that Calgary Arts Development staff are continuing to work remotely.
If you have any questions about this program please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.
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