Organization Structural Change Grant
Applications closed
Update: October 2022
Calgary Arts Development is pleased to announce the Future Focus Granting Program, a joint pilot initiative with the Rozsa Foundation and Calgary Foundation. Building off the learnings from the Organization Structural Change Program, the Future Focus Granting Program is aimed at supporting arts organizations to investigate, plan and implement strategic adaptations in their operations to build capacity, strengthen business models, explore new directions, examine structural change and address life cycle questions.
To learn more about this program and how to apply, please visit the Future Focus Granting Program page.
Background
In 2021, Calgary Arts Development piloted the Organization Structural Change Grant, which was intended to provide resources for organizations to explore and implement organizational changes specifically related to mergers, permanent strategic partnerships, hibernations and organizational closure.
This program was a response to data emerging through 2020 that showed that the arts sector had been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, resulting in significant losses to earned revenue, staff and audiences. Our own research, as well as research completed across the broader non-profit sector in Canada and abroad, indicated that many organizations would be facing difficult conversations about their ongoing viability. The Organization Structural Change Grant was created to recognize resources and expenses required to responsibly consider and implement measures such as merging with another organization or outright closure, which can be both costly and human resource intensive.
We spent 2021 in conversations with organizations across the sector and continually engaging with emerging discoveries through research. Thankfully, the sector did not see the drastic levels of organizational precarity and closures estimated in the early months of the pandemic, in part due to the federal support available to organizations. As we look ahead to 2022 and beyond, we know that the long-term impacts of the pandemic on our sector will begin to surface. While resources for mergers, closures and strategic partnerships will continue to be important, we are also aware of other types of structural and transformational change work necessary for COVID-19 recovery and the development of new business models.
We spent 2022 evaluating the Organization Structural Change Program, alongside our other organization funding programs and reporting from past years. This work informed our collaboration with the Rozsa Foundation and Calgary Foundation to pilot a redesigned program focused on structural change and the development of organizational capacity, called the Future Focus Granting Program.
Evaluation & Case Study
Through 2021 and 2022, Calgary Arts Development engaged Brian Loevner of BLVE Consults to undertake an evaluation and live case study of the Organization Structural Change Program.
The arms-length nature of this process is an effort to ensure the analysis and recommendations of the case study are free from staff bias, and reflect an accurate assessment of the program intent, process, and impact. BLVE is undertaking ongoing evaluation of the Future Focus Granting Program through surveys, focus groups, and community interviews.
Click here to learn more about this evaluation and case study process.
Questions
Please note that Calgary Arts Development staff are continuing to work remotely. If you have questions, please visit the Future Focus Granting Program page for more details and contact information.
Stay informed. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.