Grants Ontario is Live: Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Grants Ontario an online tool that provides one-window access to information about grants offered by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
Grants Ontario supports elements of the 2011 Partnership Project report where non-profit organizations asked the Ontario Government to ‘… institute standardized application forms, timelines accountability and reporting requirements across ministries by moving as much as possible online.
Benefits of Grants Ontario
Simplified application process
By replacing antiquated software Grants Ontario now allows you to locate, draft and submit grant applications, check application status and manage reports – all online!
Grants Ontario’s automated features relieve the burden of repeated manual input of information which reduces the amount of time spent on submitting applications. Once you have registered, the system will automatically record your contact details such as name, address and title, and uses common application questions to simplify online submissions.
The addition of online report filing in April 2012 will further reduce workload and demonstrates a commitment to a cleaner environment. Payment processes to successful applicants will also be streamlined.
Secure information
Grants Ontario is a secure system that can only be accessed via the Government of Ontario’s encrypted ONE key log-in system. Until data is submitted to the ministry only the applicant will see it.
Get Ready for Grants Ontario
While program application material is not yet available, grant recipients and prospective applicants are encouraged to register on the Grants Ontario system to obtain their One-Key ID and password as soon as possible.
Applicants must complete the enrolment process on the new Grants Ontario before applying to any of the Ministry’s funding programs.
Find out more about Grants Ontario
Visit Grants Ontario ( www.grants.gov.on.ca) to access the online training material and a Frequently Asked Questions section. Technical support will be available during regular business hours.
Province provides more than $2.1-million in funding to Ottawa festivals
OTTAWA—The recipients of 2011 Celebrate Ontario funding have been announced, and this year the provincial government’s commitment to several Ottawa area festivals is over $2.1-million, marking an increase of over half a million dollars from last year’s investment.
The twelve festivals benefiting from this year’s funding are the Canadian Tulip Festival, Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, Festival franco-ontarien, Music and Beyond, Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival, Ottawa Folk Festival, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Ottawa International Children’s Festival, Ottawa International Writers Festival, Rideau Canal Festival, Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival, and the TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival.
“It is very encouraging to see an increased commitment from the province,” says Barb Stacey, Executive Director of Ottawa Festivals, a not-for-profit organization that represents more than 50 not-for-profit festivals, special events and fairs that take place in Canada’s Capital Region, “There is no question that these events have tremendous socio-economic impact on the community by providing affordable access to cultural and community-based activities while also attracting more visitors. These events help showcase Ottawa’s identity while also creating significant economic impact that supports increased prosperity, jobs and opportunities for our community.”
Created to help festivals and events improve their programming and services to attract new audiences, increase visitor spending and create jobs; Celebrate Ontario is investing a total of $20-million in 230 events across the province.
Music festivals fear for Canada Council grants
Canadian festival programmers are disappointed that the Canada Council for the Arts is not accepting applications for a well-used grant program that provided funding for programming initiatives and artistic collaborations.
In a letter dated Jan. 19, the council informed festivals across the country that it had cancelled the Feb. 15 deadline for its music festival programming project grants, which have been offered for more than 10 years.
Russell Kelley, head of the Canada Council’s music section, says the program has not been cut, but it is under review. “We’re trying to make sure, as we always do, that what we offer with the dollars that we have available is absolutely the most effective thing that we can do,” Kelley said Tuesday. “What’s happening now in this quarter of the fiscal year is that we’re starting the programs that go forward into the next fiscal year, and we looked at everything, going ‘OK, if we spend all of our money, we won’t necessarily be able to make the program changes that we’re looking to do.’ ”
In recent years, the $300,000 program awarded grants ranging from about $8,000 to $20,000 to music festivals for special projects, such as the composers’ collective at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival and a cross-cultural collaboration at the Ottawa Folk Festival that brought diverse artists together to create music in the week leading up to the festival.
While Kelley said he is not yet able to comment on how the funding will change, he promised there will be an announcement on a “larger picture” program in the next two or three months.
But that’s too late for festival organizers planning events this summer.
Read more: www.ottawacitizen.com
Festivals fear loss of grant dollars
Canadian festival programmers are disappointed the Canada Council for the Arts is not accepting applications for a well-used grant program that provided funding for programming intiatives and artistic collaborations.
In a letter dated Jan. 19, the council informed festivals it had cancelled the Feb. 15 deadline for its music festival programming project grants, which have been offered for more than 10 years. Russell Kelley, head of the Canada Council’s music section, says the program has not been cut, but it is under review.
“We’re trying to make sure, as we always do, that what we offer with the dollars that we have available is absolutely the most effective thing that we can do,” Kelley said Tuesday. “What’s happening now in this quarter of the fiscal year is we’re starting the programs that go forward into the next fiscal year, and we looked at everything, going ‘OK, if we spend all of our money, we won’t necessarily be able to make the program changes we’re looking to do.’ ”
Community Capital Fund Pre-Application Workshop
Space is limited so register today!
NEW DATES ANNOUNCED! Register Now!
Ottawa - January 31-February 2011
United Way Ottawa. Boardroom, 363 Coventry Road (in English only)
Toronto – February 3-4, 2011
OTF Offices, 6th floor (NOTE: only 6 spaces left)
Thinking of applying for the Community Capital Fund, but need to learn more or feeling challenged to raise the 50% matching funds?
Eligible organizations can register now for a free two-day workshop, presented by ClearlySo Canada and Aperio, and hosted by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The 2-day workshop will:
- Expose participants to strategic, multi-faceted approaches to capital project fundraising, including major gifts, commercial loans and investor partnerships
- Stimulate creative entrepreneurial thinking amongst participants
- Provide clear, concise and practical ideas and tools that participants can use to find, evaluate and make presentations to funders of various types
- Provide real-time practice of fundraising pitches.
- Receive feedback and suggestions from other participants and make valuable connections
Interested?
- Ensure your group is eligible for CCF funding. Read the program guidelines (pdf) or visit the
Community Capital Fund page on the website - Space is strictly limited. There are a handful of spaces remaining for the Toronto workshop and 40 spaces for Ottawa. Register for the Toronto or Ottawa workshop now
- The Ottawa workshop is offered in English; however questions may be asked and answered in French.
Only two area events avoid tourism program funding cuts
Balloon Festival, Bluesfest get grants, but others left out
By Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest and the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival each received a second year of support from a federal funding program for events that attract tourists, but organizers of Ottawa’s Jazz and Chamber Music Festivals say they’re mystified why they were left out after receiving support last year.
Read more: Only two area events avoid tourism program funding cuts
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest receives federal tourism funding
By Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
Read more: Area festivals mystified after being shut out of federal tourism funding program
Federal government could invest in innovation through visual artists
For immediate release
News release
Federal government could invest in innovation through visual artists
Ottawa, Thursday, March 4th, 2010 – Visual artists are encouraged to see that the 2010 federal budget will maintain support for the Canada Council for the Arts but are concerned about cuts to the Department of Canadian Heritage. Given the ability of the cultural sector to attract talent and investment at a low cost, the cultural industries should be an important part of the federal government’s plan to foster innovation and economic growth going forward.
According to a 2008 report from the Conference Board of Canada, “Arts and culture industries are magnets for talent.” Current economic theories suggest that advanced industrial nations are transforming to knowledge-based and creative economies. Economic success depends on the capacity to generate innovated business models and increase productivity. Creativity is the source of innovation.
“Investing in the Canada Council for the Arts is a good way for government to maximize the impact of their investments,” said April Britski, Executive Director of the national association of visual artists (CARFAC). “Creating jobs in the culture sector is nearly ten times cheaper than some sectors they are focussing investments on. It’s also interesting to see a focus on giving Canadians access to foreign markets only a year and a half after cancelling programs that did just that for the arts.”
CARFAC made the following recommendations to the House of Commons Finance Committee. The full budget submission is available on CARFAC’s website.
Bring the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts to $300 million
Increasing the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts would allow them to increase funding to individual artists. There is a capacity for artists to create value that is being wasted because the level of investment is too low. Every year there are projects put forward by visual artists that are highly recommended by Canada Council juries that are turned away because of a lack of funds. Increasing the level of investment would allow the Canada Council to support high quality projects that are currently being turned away.
Allow artists to pay tax based on their average income over five years
The income of a self-employed visual artist can fluctuate widely from year-to-year. Exhibition and sale opportunities often occur in clusters as artists complete a project or series of works and it generates interest. A good sales year can be followed by several years of little to no income as the artist works on new projects.
Artists are, therefore, at a tax disadvantage – paying tax at a higher rate in a good year, even though that income will support them in following years. Allowing artists to pay tax based on the average income they bring in over several years would rectify this unfairness and help to ease the financial pressure on visual artists.
Assign a zero tax rate to income from grants and awards
Many artists’ incomes are supplemented by grants from municipal and provincial arts councils, in addition to federal funding bodies such as the Canada Council for the Arts. Receiving a grant is a mark of success and demonstrates that an artists’ work is valuable and successful.
Grant and awards are currently subject to tax deductions. In most cases, the amounts awarded are already minimal, and any deduction makes a big difference. If grants and awards were not subject to tax, it is money that would otherwise be invested back into the artist’s work.
CARFAC (The Canadian Artists’ Representation/le Front des artists canadiens) is the national association of Canada’s professional visual and media artists. CARFAC defends artists’ rights through advocacy and professional development and produces a schedule of artists’ fees that is widely recognized as the national standard. The Status of the Artist Act empowers CARFAC to negotiate with national organizations on behalf of all visual artists in Canada.
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For more information contact:
Melissa Gruber
Communications Coordinator
CARFAC National
communications@carfac.ca
613-233-6161
For media inquiries outside business hours, call 613-791-6411.
