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Please note: When deadlines pass, many organizations will offer the same or different grants again around the same time the following year. Revisit websites!

National Grants - Canada

Documentary Heritage Communities Program (Annual)

    • Financial assistance in the form of contributions, multi-year funding options available
    • Two contributions categories:
      • Small contributions below $25,000
      • Large contribution between $25,000 and $50,000
    • Managed by the Library and Archives Canada
    • Deadline is 12 January 2021 for the 2020-2021 funding cycle
    • Website: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/documentary-heritage-communities-program/Pages/dhcp.aspx
    • Notes: Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations with local regional focus, such as libraries, archives, historical societies, Indigenous organization, Indigenous government institutions. Give yourself ample time if you haven’t applied before - application is fairly lengthy and requires a detailed timeline and budget. Describe project through concrete, achievable, measurable goals. Subscribe to DHCP mailing list for updates.

    Young Canada Works Program (Annual)

    • Funds to hire a student or young graduates (16-30 years of age). Must provide 30 to 40 hours per week of work, but can apply for hours to be split between institutions.
    • Managed by the Canadian Council of Archives for English-language archives and related centres (other Heritage delivery organizations include Fédération des milieux documentaires, Canadian Museums Association, Cultural Human Resources Council, National Trust for Canada).
    • Summer Job Deadlines: January 22nd (in Heritage Organizations-Summer) and February 1st (Both Official Languages – Summer).
    • Internship Program Deadline: March 15th in 2021 via Canadian Council of Archives
    • Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/young-canada-works/employers.html
    • Notes: Give your organization ample time if you haven’t previously completed an application. Also requires post-grant reporting on projects. Dates may change annually, please check website.

    Legacy Fund – Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage

    • Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage - Legacy Fund component 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.
    • Eligible organizations must have been in existence for at least two years and plan to continue operating after the project’s completion. They include:
      • local incorporated non-profit organizations;
      • local band councils, tribal councils or other local Aboriginal government and organizations (First Nations, Inuit or Métis);
      • municipal administrations and their agencies, boards and commissions that demonstrate an active partnership with at least one community-based group for the purposes of the proposed project.
    • Eligible projects:
      • Funding supports community-initiated capital projects that:
        • commemorate a significant local historical event or pay tribute to a significant local historical personality;
        • involve restoration, renovation, or transformation of existing buildings or exterior spaces with local community significance that are intended for community use;

        • mark a 100th anniversary or greater, in increments of 25 years (125th, 150th, etc.);

        • encourage arts and heritage activities in the local community that are intended for and accessible to the general public

    • Application deadline: Ongoing. Projects must be submitted before the anniversary date of the event or personality to be commemorated.
    • Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/building-communities/legacy-fund.html

    Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

    • The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) 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. In Budget 2017 the Government of Canada announced an additional $300 million over a ten year period, starting in 2018-2019, to further support creative hubs and other cultural spaces. This additional investment is a part of the social infrastructure component of the Investing in Canada Plan.The Creative Canada Policy Framework outlined a commitment to include and support the work of a broader range of creative disciplines as part of the CCSF investment in creative hubs.
    • The Creative Canada Policy Framework outlined a commitment to include and support the work of a broader range of creative disciplines as part of the CCSF investment in creative hubs.

    • Creative hubs provide Canadian creative talent with access to shared space, equipment and other resources to develop the skills needed to thrive in, and contribute to, the creative economy. These spaces bring together professionals from a range of arts or heritage sectors and creative disciplines where they can build their entrepreneurial skills, create, collaborate and innovate, and help generate new markets for Canadian creativity in all its forms. The CCSF will continue to invest in traditional arts and heritage facilities, such as museums, theatres and performing arts centres.

    • The CCSF annual grants and contributions budget is %54 million for the period 2018-2028

    • To be eligible for funding, your oganization must be:

      • A not-for-profit arts and/or heritage organization operating in a professional manner, incorporated under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, or under the equivalent provincial or territorial legislation.
      • A not-for-profit organization, incorporated under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, or under the equivalent provincial or territorial legislation, that is proposing the development and management of a creative hub.
      • A provincial/territorial government, a municipal administration, one of their agencies or an equivalent Indigenous peoples’ institution or organization that has historically demonstrated its support to professional artistic or heritage activities including Indigenous cultural practice in their community
        • Federal organizations and Crown corporations are not eligible for funding.
    • The Canada Cultural Spaces Funding receives and reviews applications on an ongoing basis.
    • Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/cultural-spaces-fund.html

    Canada Cultural Investment Fund

    • The Canada Cultural Investment Fund encourages private sector investment, partnership and sound business practices to help arts and heritage organizations be better rooted and recognized in their communities. The CCIF provides support through two components:
      • Endowment Incentives
        • The Endowment Incentives component encourages arts organizations to build new revenue streams. Canadians are encouraged to support the arts by providing donations to an arts organization’s endowment fund. The government provides a funding incentive for these donations. To date, more than 230 arts organizations have received matching funds.
        • Read more about who can apply for funding from this CCIF component
        • Deadline: December 1
      • Limited Support to Endangered Arts Organizations
        • The Limited Support to Endangered Arts Organizations component supports those rare instances where a professional arts organization faces the prospect of closure but there is a high degree of support for its continuation and a viable business/restructuring plan. Assistance can enable an arts organization to restructure, so it can continue to contribute to the community it is serving.
        • Read more about who can apply for funding from this CCIF component
        • Applications are accepted at any time throughout the year.

    Virtual Exhibits Investment Stream (VMC)

    • The Virtual Exhibits investment stream helps Canadian museums and heritage organizations develop online products that engage audiences of all ages, interests and abilities in Canada’s history, heritage and culture.
    • For the 2019 Call for Proposals, eligible institutions were invited to submit a proposal for an online product on the subject of their choice. This type of product provides a complete online experience for users; content can be consumed in any location, without specialized equipment. Examples include virtual exhibits, virtual tours, web-based games, web applications, educational resources, and more.
    • Online products that receive funding through the Virtual Exhibits investment stream must be available online in both English and French for a period of five years following the launch of the product.
    • Next proposal intake period begins June 2021.
    • Website: https://vmc.historymuseum.ca/virtual-exhibits-investment-program/
    • The Virtual Exhibits investment stream includes two sizes of investment:
      • a medium investment of $50,000 to $150,000 (excluding applicable taxes)
      • a large investment of $150,000 to $250,000 (excluding applicable taxes)
    • Not-for-profit Canadian museums and heritage organizations, including equivalent Indigenous peoples’ organizations, are eligible. Members of the Canadian Heritage Portfolio, and institutions currently working on a VMC-funded project that will not launch before the closing date of this call for proposals, are ineligible.

    Community Stories Investment Stream (VMC)

      • The Community Stories investment stream helps smaller Canadian museums and heritage organizations work with their communities to develop virtual exhibits that engage online audiences in the stories, past and present, of Canada’s communities.
      • This stream provides an investment of $15,000 per production
      • Eligibility:
          • A wide range of organizations are eligible, including: museums, art galleries, historic houses and sites, historical societies, libraries, archives, botanical gardens, planetaria, zoos, preservation projects or sites, and professional cultural associations or groups.
          • To be eligible for investment, an organization must also:
              • Be a not-for-profit
              • Have no more than five permanent full-time paid staff.
              • Not currently be working on another project for which it received investment from the Virtual Museum of Canada (applies to Community Stories and Virtual Exhibits streams.)
                  • NOTE: For the purposes of the program, “community” is defined as a group that shares a common history or interest and that may be situated in a specific location in Canada.
      • The budget of the Program is limited. Eligible proposals are evaluated on a competitive basis.
      • The next call for proposals will open 13 November 2019.
      • Website: https://vmc.historymuseum.ca/community-stories-program/

      Provincial Grants – Manitoba

      Manitoba Heritage Program Grants (Annual)

      • Managed by Sport Culture and Heritage Department (Government of Manitoba).
      • Includes: Heritage Grants Program, Community Museum Grants Program, Designated Heritage Building Grants Program (Being replaced in 2020 by the Heritage Resources Conservation Grant), and Military Memorial Conservation Grant (New Grant Program)
      • Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/grants/heritage_grants.html (view each section for deadline)
      • General Heritage Grants Program covers grants for projects (Special Initiatives, Collections Management, Conservation, Exhibitions, Research, etc). Will fund up to 50% of project expenses.

      Manitoba Heritage Trust Program (Multi-Year)

      • Program seeks to provide long-term sustainable revenue for heritage organizations.

      • Managed by the Winnipeg Foundation in partnership with various community foundations

      • Program duration is April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021

      • Website: https://www.endowmanitoba.ca/manitoba-heritage-trust-program/

      • Notes: Requires a minimum $2500 to deposit. Designed to amplify fundraising activities through initial partial matching funds from Government of Manitoba.

      Thomas Sill Foundation

      • Grants for Manitoba projects (broad mandate), managed by Thomas Sill Foundation
      • No fixed deadlines for application
      • Website: http://thomassillfoundation.com/guidelines/
      • Notes: Requires that applicants contact the Foundation for information and applications

      Regional Grants – Winnipeg

      Winnipeg Foundation (Annual)

      • Community Grants
        • One time (up to $100,000), due Jan/May/Sept
        • Multi-year (Up to 3 years)
        • Major Capital Grant $100,000 +
      • Professional Development Grants
        • Up to $1,500 for conferences, short courses and workshops
        • Up to $5,000 for management training and/or safety training
        • Ongoing intake of applications
      • Website: https://www.wpgfdn.org/Granting/ApplyforaGrant.aspx

      Gail Parvin Hammerquist Fund City-Wide Heritage Program

      • The City-Wide Heritage Program provides financial assistance to individuals and various types of organizations for initiatives that preserve and interpret Winnipeg's rich heritage. Financial assistance is available through Capital Project Grants and Heritage Research and Interpretive Grants under the Gail Parvin Hammerquist Fund City-Wide Heritage Program.
      • Grant intake ongoing unless deadlines posted online
      • Website for more information: https://winnipeg.ca/ppd/Heritage/IncentivePrograms.stm

      International Grants

      IASA (International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives) Research Grant

      • IASA regularly offers financial awards to encourage and support research and publication within the field of audiovisual archiving and preservation.
      • Research can, but need not, form part of an academic programme.
      • The level of financial support will be determined by the IASA Executive Board individually on a case by case basis, but individual awards will not normally exceed 2,000 Euro. All costs are eligible if the applicant can show clear justification for them within the scope, aims, and purposes  of the project.
      • IASA will only consider applications from IASA members whose membership is in good standing at the time of application.
      • IASA promotes diversity in the audiovisual archiving field and encourages applications from developing countries.
      • IASA will support a research project only if there is evidence that the results are within the scope of IASA's purposes. This includes, but is not limited to the care of, access to, and long term preservation of sound and audiovisual heritage including the development of best professional

        standards and practice for sound and audiovisual heritage. See paragraph 2 of the IASA constitution (www.iasa-web.org/iasa-constitution#intro) for an articulation of IASA’s purposes. 

      • Depending on the scope and the overall duration of a research project, the applicant should arrange appropriately defined project phases. Interim reports should be sent to IASA at the end of each phase. A final report must be submitted no later than two (2) months following the end of the project.

      • The recipient will acknowledge IASA in all papers, presentations, and other publications that reference research supported by IASA.

      • Website: https://www.iasa-web.org/research-grant


      Specific Grants for Indigenous Communities

      Listen Hear our Voices

          • Application due date: December 11th, 2020
          • Application form: English / French
          • This year, the initiative provides funding of up to $60,000 per project to eligible Indigenous organizations to digitize existing culture and language recordings, and to help them build the skills, knowledge and resources they need to carry out this work in their communities.

      Conseil des arts du Manitoba Arts Council (Annual)

        • The Indigenous 360 Learn program supports learning and artistic development activities in all disciplines for professional Indigenous artists, arts/cultural professionals, and Knowledge Keepers.
        • What you can apply for:
            • Professional development
            • Artistic mentorships
            • Cultural mentorships: transmission of knowledge, sharing of customs, values, languages, and practices
        • Who can apply:
            • Professional artists
            • Knowledge Keepers
            • Arts/cultural professionals
        • Grant amount:
            • Professional development – up to a maximum of $2,500
            • Mentorship – up to a maximum of $5,000
        • Deadline: March 25 and September 25
        • Website: https://artscouncil.mb.ca/grants/learn/

      Museum Assistance Program (Annual)

      • The Museums Assistance Program (MAP) supports heritage institutions and workers in the preservation and presentation of heritage collections. The program fosters the preservation of Indigenous culture and facilitates access to heritage collections for all Canadians. It also promotes professional knowledge, skills and practices related to key museum functions.
      • Deadline is November 1 for most components , Exhibition Circulation applications are ongoing
      • The Indigenous Heritage component of the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) provides funding for projects related to the preservation, management and presentation of Indigenous cultural heritage.
      • Who can apply:
          • Applicants must meet the criteria in one of the following three categories:
              • Indigenous governing bodies or organizations with a mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage.
              • Incorporated non-profit Canadian museums* which:
                  • provide services to the public year-round;
                  • employ the equivalent of one full-time paid professional staff;
                  • have policies for key museum functions; and
                  • have a current three to five-year strategic/business plan.
              • Museums associations and incorporated non-profit Canadian service organizations whose membership relates to the museum sector which:
                  • provide services to the public year-round;
                  • employ the equivalent of one full-time paid professional staff;
                  • have a current three to five-year strategic/business plan.
      • Eligible museums that are governed by provincial/municipal government or by academic or cultural institutions can apply to MAP, as long as their principal mandate is linked to heritage. They must also have distinct objectives, programs and budgets related to heritage. Federal departments, Crown corporations and agencies are not eligible for MAP funding.
      • Funding priority is given to projects submitted by Indigenous organizations and conducted for the benefit of Indigenous communities. Applications submitted by other heritage organizations are considered when a partnership with an Indigenous heritage group is demonstrated.
      • How to apply:
          • Applicants are required to:
              • review the Museums Assistance Program – Guidelines for 2020-2021;
              • contact the nearest regional office of the Department of Canadian Heritage to discuss their project and request an application package;
              • complete and submit an application package.

      Important Resources

      The Association of Manitoba Museums also provides a list of possible grants if you are also a Museum. Check out their website for more information.

      https://www.museumsmanitoba.com/en/grants-available

      **Thanks to Petra Lundy, Sarah Ramsden, and Marta Dabros for their work developing this resource**

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