Advocacy

Building Communities through Arts and Heritage — Local Festivals component provides up to $200,000 to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists; local artisans; local heritage performers or specialists; and local First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultural carriers.

This program provides up to $125,000 to make communities and workplaces across Canada more accessible for persons with disabilities. It will fund projects that create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to take part in community activities, programs and services, and access employment.

This program provides up to $200,000 to support projects that increase awareness through National Accessibility Week (NAAW) activities in 2025 and in 2026. It will fund projects that improve understanding and knowledge of Canadians on accessibility and disability inclusion, reduce stigma and attitudinal barriers towards persons with disabilities, and share best practices and lessons learned related to NAAW activities within the disability community.

Receive an investment of up to $250,000 to develop an online project from the ground up, with the support of a web development agency.

Receive an investment of up to $25,000 to develop a community stories website using Digital Museum Canada’s website building platform.

The Government of Ontario is expanding the SALC program. Eligible organizations are invited to propose launching a new SALC program to serve older adults in places that are accessible for people with disabilities and will encourage active and healthy living, social engagement, and learning.

The Great Lakes Local Action Fund provides funding to projects that help communities take action to increase climate change resiliency and protect or improve water quality in the Great Lakes ecosystem.

The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) community-based stream is a federal grant. It supports projects that are designed by seniors and for seniors in their communities. This program provides up to $25,000 for projects that empower seniors in their communities and contribute to improving their health and well-being.

Delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs), the Tourism Growth Program (TGP) provides $108 million over 3 years (2023-2024 – 2025-2026) to support communities, small- and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations in developing local tourism products and experiences.

The Commemorate Canada program provides funding to initiatives that commemorate and celebrate historical figures, places, events and accomplishments of national significance.

The Access to Heritage component of the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) provides funding to heritage organizations for travelling exhibitions in Canada, and to promote access to heritage across different geographic regions.

The Collections Management component of the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) provides funding for projects to improve knowledge, skills and practices related to key museum functions.

The Artistic Institutions component of Engage and Sustain funds major Canadian arts organizations rooted in their communities and dedicated to supporting artists and a variety of arts practices. Grants support institutions as artistic leaders to carry out activities that encourage and promote the work of creators, strengthening their relationships with the public.

The Booster Fund invites organizations to request additional financial resources to increase their support for artists and arts workers who are participating in their existing activities or projects. The areas of support includes all aspects of an organization’s operations such as creation, programming, leadership development, training, outreach, or education.

The 2024 Booster Fund will offer grants of up to $30,000 to boost projects or activities planned for 2025, primarily through the lens of increased remuneration and access. The Booster Fund focuses on elements of existing projects and activities, not new projects or activities created in response to this funding opportunity.

The program from the Ontario Arts Council supports Ontario-based artists and artist collectives working in visual arts, craft and media art practices in the presentation of their artwork in a confirmed public exhibition, offering a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $2000

OTF grants support the work of eligible non-profit organizations to help them deliver direct community-based programs and services in Ontario. Grow grants range from $100,000 to $600,000 over 2 or 3 years. Grants support established programs and services that have a proven track record of success and meet community need. Applicants can apply for funding to expand, improve or adapt an existing program or service.

OTF invests in projects that help build healthy and vibrant communities. OTF’s funding priorities focus on areas that identify the types of change OTF invests in. Select the funding priority that best meets the goal of your project:   

• Foster physically active lifestyles
• Help people build stronger connections and a deeper sense of belonging in their community 
• Enrich lives through arts, culture and heritage
• Support youth to develop stronger social, emotional and leadership skills
• Support participation in the conservation and restoration of the environment
• Enable economically vulnerable people to meet their basic needs and/or strengthen their financial stability

The Ontario Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant (2024-25) is a program that will provide funds to eligible faith-based, cultural, 2SLGBTQQIA+, First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Indigenous organizations and communities to enhance or implement measures to ensure community spaces remain safe and secure from hate-motivated incidents. 

To be eligible for the grant, the applicant must hold gatherings of religious, spiritual or cultural significance, at least once a month as part of regular activities. 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations that primarily hold 2SLGBTQQIA+ annual cultural gatherings are also eligible. The applicant must be a registered charity or not-for-profit corporation without share capital, First Nations band council, First Nations tribal council or First Nations education authority.

Eligible organizations in Ontario can receive a one-time grant of $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000 as well as additional funding for non-registered chapters that meet eligibility guidelines.

Applicants are required to use the entirety of the grant on eligible expenses related to safety, security and capacity building measures against hate-related incidents for the organization (including additional non-registered chapters, if applicable). All approved applicants will have until September 2, 2025, to spend all funds received on eligible expenses.

The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) recognizes the impact that healthy and resilient families have on the future success of young people. 

We define a parent, guardian or caregiver as someone who is responsible for the physical, emotional, and economic wellbeing of children and youth.  Our definition of parents, guardians and caregivers is inclusive and respects diverse cultural and decolonized interpretations of these roles. 

By investing in grassroots projects that are community-led and community-designed, opportunities are created for families to develop culturally anchored solutions to issues faced by people like them, and empower parents, guardians and caregivers to improve their social and economic stability. Through shared identities, culture and traditions, families can find ways to connect and create networks of support to navigate social systems and services that present obstacles to their success through a Family Innovations Grant. 

Eligible groups can apply for a Family Innovations Test grant to support a project designed With a Family Innovations Test grant, parents, guardians and caregivers can:

• Try out a new idea that has the potential to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of parents, guardians and caregivers
• Research, learn and understand more about a specific topic or issue
• Bring parents, guardians and caregivers together to discuss an issue and explore new approaches collectively

YOF prioritizes grassroots groups that are looking to address the experiences of Indigenous (First Nation, Métis or Inuit) and/or Black parents, guardians and caregivers who continue to face systemic barriers and oppression.

In addition to the prioritization of Black and Indigenous grassroots groups and parents, guardians and caregivers, YOF prioritizes investing in projects that positively impact parents, guardians and caregivers with the following intersecting lived experiences or identities:  

• Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children in conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers at risk of contact or in contact with child welfare services
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers whose children are at-risk of dropping out or have dropped out of school
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children living with disabilities or special needs
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children who are two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+)

The Expression of Interest is the first step of a grant application and it provides OTF with the information needed to assess your proposed project. Groups with Expressions of Interest that are shortlisted will be invited to complete Step 2 of the grant application. It is due April 9, 2025.

The final grant application is due July 9, 2025, 5 PM ET.

Term length: Minimum 1 year, Maximum 3 years
Amount awarded (per year): Maximum $100,000

Successful local projects tailored to the needs of youth can resonate in ways that require a scaled-up response to continue to meet the demand created through trust and collaboration. 

YOF believes that grassroots leaders with at least two years of experience running community-based projects have the skills to expand and improve them for the communities they serve. By scaling these proven initiatives, they can further improve the social and economic well-being of youth in their communities. A Youth Innovations Scale grant is designed to help groups: 

• Enhance their existing project to create a deeper impact, or
• Expand their project to reach more youth.

YOF prioritizes grassroots groups that are looking to address the experiences of Indigenous and/ or Black youth who continue to face systemic barriers and oppression.

In addition to prioritizing Black and Indigenous grassroots groups, YOF prioritizes investing in projects that positively impact youth with the following lived experiences or identities:  

• Youth in conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law   
• Youth in care or leaving care   
• Youth at-risk of dropping out or have dropped out of school  
• Youth living with disabilities and/or special needs between the ages of 12 to 29   
• Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) youth

Term length: Minimum 2 years, Maximum 3 years
Amount awarded (per year): Maximum $150,000

The Expression of Interest is the first step of a grant application and it provides OTF with the information needed to assess your proposed project. Groups with Expressions of Interest that are shortlisted will be invited to complete Step 2 of the grant application. It is due April 9, 2025.

The final grant application is due July 9, 2025, at 5 PM ET

The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) recognizes the impact that healthy and resilient families have on the future success of young people. Through the Family Innovations grant stream, established groups led by parents, guardians and caregivers can apply for a grant to scale work they have been delivering to community. YOF believes that grassroots leaders with at least two years of experience running community-based projects have the skills to expand and improve them for the communities they serve. 

We define a parent, guardian, or caregiver as someone, or one of the people, responsible for the physical, emotional, and economic wellbeing of children and youth. Our definition of parents, guardians and caregivers is inclusive and respects diverse cultural and decolonized interpretations of these roles. With a Family Innovations Scale grant, parents, guardians and caregivers can:

• Enhance the quality of parents, guardians and caregivers’ experiences to deepen the impact of a current project, or
• Expand a current project to impact more parents, guardians and caregivers.

YOF prioritizes grassroots groups that are looking to address the experiences of Indigenous and Black parents, guardians and caregivers who continue to face systemic barriers and oppression.

In addition to prioritizing Black and Indigenous grassroots groups, YOF prioritizes investing in projects that positively impact parents, guardians and caregivers with the following intersecting lived experiences or identities:  

• Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children in conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers at risk of contact or in contact with child welfare services
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers whose children are at-risk of dropping out or have dropped out of school
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children living with disabilities or special needs
• Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children who are two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+)

The Expression of Interest is the first step of a grant application and it provides OTF with the information needed to assess your proposed project. Groups with Expressions of Interest that are shortlisted will be invited to complete step 2 of the grant application. It is due on April 9, 2025.

The final grant application is due July 9, 2025, at 5 PM ET. 

Term length: Minimum 2 years, Maximum 3 years
Amount awarded (per year): Maximum $150,000

Improve community facilities and spaces. Capital grants provide funding over one year to help organizations respond to the capital needs of Ontario’s communities.

Programs and services that support the people of Ontario are delivered locally in a range of community buildings and spaces. These places provide opportunities for activity, recreation and connection and play an important role in creating healthy and vibrant communities where everyone feels a sense of belonging. 

In the Capital grant stream, OTF funds projects that update buildings, enhance spaces, and purchase fixed and non-fixed equipment so people and communities can thrive.

OTF invests in projects that help build healthy and vibrant communities. OTF’s funding priorities focus on areas that identify the types of change OTF invests in. Select the funding priority that best meets the goal of your project:   

• Foster physically active lifestyles
• Help people build stronger connections and a deeper sense of belonging in their community 
• Enrich lives through arts, culture and heritage
• Support youth to develop stronger social, emotional and leadership skills
• Support participation in the conservation and restoration of the environment
• Enable economically vulnerable people to meet their basic needs and/or strengthen their financial stability

Term length: Maximum 12 months
Amount awarded (per year): Minimum $10,000 Maximum $200,000

Delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs), the Tourism Growth Program (TGP) provides $108 million over 3 years to support communities, small- and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations in developing local tourism products and experiences.

Building Communities through Arts and Heritage — Local Festivals component provides funding to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists; local artisans; local heritage performers or specialists; and local First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultural carriers. This includes the celebration of LGBTQ2+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations.

The fund component assists museums with the costs related to the hosting of travelling exhibitions originating from another museum or from a federal heritage institution and the borrowing of artifacts from any of the National museums of Canada. Read the Application Guidelines for more information.

OCAF has three specific aims: to increase cultural tourism by providing investments to assist Ontario cultural organizations to promote, market and present one-off or first-time events, or a significant expansion of existing activity, which are designed to attract new tourists and visitors to cultural events; increase the earned revenue capacity of the applicant organization; and support events that foster economic growth and contribute to job creation.

The fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage culture and creative innovation. The fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.

The program is designed to help build strong and resilient Northern communities through infrastructure investments, to upgrade / repair existing assets to improve community quality of life, economic development infrastructure and strategic economic development initiatives. It has three streams; Enhance Your Community Program, Rural Enhancement Funding Stream and Broadband and Cellular Expansion Projects.

The stream supports organizations that host events that increase community profile and promote economic development in Northern Ontario. Municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations, and Local Services Boards located in Northern Ontario are eligible to apply.

The program is designed to attract, retain and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce. It has 2 streams: Indigenous Workforce Development Stream, and Workforce Development Stream.

The program provides funding to community-based events that promote intercultural or interfaith understanding, promote discussions on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination, or celebrate a community’s history and culture such as heritage months recognized by Parliament. Read the Application Guidelines for more information.

The grant helps designated organizations acquire cultural property of outstanding significance and national importance to Canada, as outlined in the Cultural Property Export and Import Act. Designated organizations are located in Canada and demonstrate the ability to ensure the long-term preservation of cultural property. Grants can be used to purchase cultural property for which an export permit has been denied; or that is important to Canada’s national heritage and available for purchase outside the country.

Provides funding for community-initiated capital projects, intended for community use. Recipients may receive up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses up to a maximum of $500,000. 

FedDev Ontario delivers $800,000 annually through EDI to support projects encouraging economic diversification, business development, innovation, partnerships and increased support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Francophone communities in Southern Ontario. 

Through the program, the Government of Canada assumes the financial responsibility for loss or damage to objects and appurtenances in eligible travelling exhibitions. The Program has two objectives: first, to increase access for Canadians to Canada’s and the world’s heritage through the exchange of artifacts and exhibitions in Canada; and second, to provide Canadian art galleries, museums, archives, and libraries with a competitive advantage when competing for the loan of prestigious international exhibitions.

The objectives of the programs are to support Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages and cultures, and in the production and distribution of Indigenous audio and video content. 

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario.

The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern Ontario.

The Public Outreach component of Arts Across Canada supports activities of Canadian groups and organizations, as well as professionals in architecture, that contribute to the public appreciation and enjoyment of the arts. Grants fund a wide range of live events, publications and other initiatives that build connections between artists and diverse audiences.

The purpose of this program is to provide approximately $ 1.5 million in funding each year to local organizations in support of Canada’s documentary heritage. The term “documentary heritage” refers to records and publications (written or audio-visual) that reflect Canada’s history. Some examples include:

• photographs
• audio or visual recordings
• treaties
• dictionaries and lexicons
• portraits
• diaries
• maps

OCAF has three aims: (1) to increase cultural tourism by providing investments to assist Ontario organizations to develop, promote and present one- off or first time events, or a significant expansion of existing activity, which are designed to attract new tourists and visitors to cultural events; (2) increase the earned revenue capability of the applicant organization; and (3) support events that foster economic growth and contribute to job creation. It achieves this by providing up front working capital directed towards the applicant’s marketing and promotional costs, with the investment taking the form of a partially repayable loan. Eligible recipients of the fund include Ontario-based, not-for-profit and/or charitable professional arts, heritage or cultural organization, or an Ontario municipality / municipal agency, or First Nation, Band Council, Metis, Inuit community that is undertaking a major project in the arts or heritage sector.

This fund assists professional arts organizations that are facing the prospect of closure.

In specific circumstances, funding is available for the restructuring of an arts organization, so it can continue to contribute to the community it is serving. This component was established for those rare instances where a professional arts organization faces the prospect of closure, yet there is a high degree of support for its continuation and a viable business/restructuring plan.

A restructuring project proposal must include:

• a viable debt elimination plan;
• a viable restructuring plan; and
• a repayment proposal approved by creditors.

Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCWHO) is an employment program for students. Eligible employers may benefit from wage subsidies and access a pool of talented youth with innovative ideas and competitive skills.

Who can apply

An employer may be eligible for funding if it is:

• an incorporated, non-profit organization in Canada with a heritage mandate such as a museum, archives, a library, or an organization managing built heritage (heritage site);
• an educational or cultural institution that has distinct objectives, programs and a budget related to heritage;
• a non-profit organization under a provincial, territorial, regional or municipal government, that has distinct objectives, programs and a budget related to heritage;
• a professional heritage service organization;
• an Indigenous regional government or governing body (band or tribal council) and/or Indigenous organization with a mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage (First Nations, Inuit and Métis); and
• stable and financially healthy.

Note: Priority will be given to employers that submit applications for full-time jobs.

An employer is not eligible if it is:

• a federal department, federal agency or Crown corporation;
• a provincial or territorial government department;
• a for-profit organization; or
• a non-profit organization with a heritage mandate in support of a federal entity, that is also operationally dependent on the federal entity by virtue of its administrative and/or contractual relationship.