CEF Arts Program

• Board of Directors list
• Staff list
• Financial Statements
• Program Marketing Material
• CV

Who is eligible?

• Incorporated not-for-profit arts organizations
• Professional and semi-professional arts organizations
• Individual artists and artist collectives

Who is not eligible

• Individual artist or collective applicants are not eligible for the Arts Operating, Arts Festivals, and Capacity Building streams
• Not-for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply to the Arts Creation & Presentation stream
• Registered charities are not eligible to apply to the Arts Creation & Presentation stream
• Unincorporated groups with not-for-profit goals and governance structure are not eligible to apply to the Arts Operating, Arts Festivals, and Capacity Building streams
• Business Improvement Associations are not eligible

Eligible expenses

• Arts Operating: all ongoing artistic and administrative expenses
• Arts Festivals: artistic fees and travel; production and technical costs including equipment and venue rental; marketing, promotion, and audience development; administration; insurance; policing and security; road closure charges; evaluation
• Capacity Building: external experts/consultants/coaches’ fees and travel costs; professional development fees and travel for seminars or workshops; mentor and job shadowing honoraria and travel costs; licensed organizational development tools and related costs; direct administrative costs related to the project; public consultation costs
• Creation & Presentation: materials; production and technical costs; studio or practice space rental or fees; equipment purchases up to $2,000; equipment rental; promotion costs; travel costs within Ontario; residency costs; artist remuneration

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Arts Operating: costs associated with capital projects, including equipment, renovations, and purchase of buildings
• Arts Operating: awards, bursaries, grants, prizes, or scholarships
• Arts Festivals: hospitality including alcohol
• Arts Festivals: equipment purchase
• Creation & Presentation: completed projects or expenses incurred prior to funding submission

• Arts Operating: 34% Organizational Capacity, 36% Program Merit, 30% Community Impact for established organizations; 35% Organizational Capacity, 50% Program Merit, 15% Community Impact for emerging organizations.
• Arts Festivals: 30% Organizational Capacity, 40% Program Merit, 30% Community Impact.
• Capacity Building: 50% Organizational Capacity, 40% Program Merit, 10% Community Impact.
• Creation & Presentation: 40% Artistic Direction, 45% Project / Artistic Merit, 15% Community and Creative Impact.

• Create an account for the organization or applicant in the City Enrichment Fund Survey Monkey Apply online platform.
• Update saved organization information and contacts before starting a new application.
• Complete all sections of the application online.
• Upload all required documents using the checklist.
• After each task is finished, select Mark as Complete.
• When all tasks are complete, review the application for completeness by selecting Review.

• If the application receives a passing score above 60%, the score and recommended level of funding will be presented to the City of Hamilton Grants Sub-Committee for review and approval in spring 2026.
• Funding notifications will be delivered by email and will include instructions to receive funding and the timeline for release of funds.
• CEF funding must be used in the same year it is awarded.
• Grantees must acknowledge City of Hamilton support in program materials and promotion.
• Grantees must submit a Final Report by February of the following year, with a template provided after funding confirmation.