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Company Envelope: Top-Tier

Annual support for Canadian music companies

Offered by
Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTR)
Official source: factor.ca

Source change captured

Funding available
$ 600,000
Up to 50% of project cost
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Canadian companies that invest in the production and promotion of sound recordings by Canadian artists, tours and showcases by Canadian artists, publishing of Canadian musical works, and the management of Canadian artists.
See full eligibility

Overview

Company Envelope: Top-Tier supports Canadian music companies, including record labels, music publishers and artist managers, to develop Canadian artists in Canada. It funds production and marketing of sound recordings, touring and showcasing, concert production, music publishing and artist management.

At a glance

Funding available

Maximum funding
$600,000
Maximum share of project costs
50%
Financing goals
  • Improve governance or administrative structure
  • Develop strategic partnerships
  • Access new markets
  • Launch or market a product/service
  • Ensure financial sustainability

Eligible candidates

Location
  • Canada
Eligible Industries
All industries
Annual revenue
From $ 250,000 to $ 20,000,000 in revenue
Organisation size
All organization sizes
Audience
  • Canadians
Legal structures
For-profit business

Receipt of requests is now closed

Get notified about updates to this grant.

Availability timeline

2026
Periods: 2

Latest changes

Company Envelope: Top-Tier deadline update

Applications now open November 19 for the January 21, 2027 deadline, replacing the prior January 22, 2026 deadline.

See more

The deadline on the Company Envelope: Top-Tier page has changed from January 22, 2026 to January 21, 2027. The page now says applications open November 19 for the January 21, 2027 deadline.

Official source: factor.ca
October 7, 2026

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Canadian companies that invest in the production and promotion of sound recordings by Canadian artists, tours and showcases by Canadian artists, publishing of Canadian musical works, and the management of Canadian artists.
  • Record labels
  • Music publishers
  • Artist managers
  • Companies undertaking concert production activities that are responsible, artistically and financially, for all aspects related to the live activities of their artists

Who is not eligible

  • Companies streamlined to the Company Envelope: Top-Tier program are not eligible for FACTOR’s Support for Eligible Music Companies, juried, and standalone Video programs.
  • Companies streamlined to the Company Envelope: Top-Tier program are ineligible for FACTOR’s Promoter Program.

Eligible expenses

  • Sound recording production expenses, including salaries and benefits and/or professional fees, artist, musician and backing vocals fees, arrangers, artistic director, cover art, equipment rental, executive producer, manufacturing expenses, mastering, music producer, participation expenses, studio charges, and travel expenses as per the Government of Canada’s Travel Directive.
  • Touring and showcasing expenses, including salaries and benefits and/or professional fees, artist, musician and technician fees, equipment rentals, production expenses, promotion expenses, and travel expenses as per the Government of Canada’s Travel Directive.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

  • Sound recordings produced for fundraising, advertising or promotional campaigns, and sound recordings produced for educational purposes.
  • Tour-related activities that are not for a particular artist and their career development, including musicals, retrospective or tribute shows, large scale shows, charity or corporate shows.
  • Tour-related activities that are not intended to promote an artist’s new sound recordings, and related revenues from booking, distribution or ticketing activities cannot be accounted for in the funding request.
  • Publishing activities related to commissioned works for the audiovisual sector, and other activities aimed at the creation of musical works intended solely as soundtracks or background music.
  • Any activity that contains or promotes hate propaganda, obscene or child pornography, pornography without an overriding educational or similar purpose, excessive or gratuitous violence, material denigrating to an identifiable group, or any other similarly offensive material.

Eligible geographic areas

  • Canada

Activities funded

  • Production of sound recordings that meet FACTOR’s definition of “Active”
  • Marketing of sound recordings
  • Concert Production
  • Music Publishing
  • Artist Management

How to apply

  • Submit the Portal Application Form through FACTOR’s portal.
  • Complete the Business Plan in response to the portal application questions, including company history, short- and medium-term strategy, AI disclosure, and artist strategy and tactics.
  • Upload financial statements for the past 3 fiscal years to the Gross Revenue section of the Applicant Profile.
  • Submit the policy on gender equality, diversity, and inclusion for management positions and/or Board of Directors.

Documents Needed

  • Portal Application Form
  • Business Plan
  • Financial statements for the past 3 fiscal years
  • Policy on gender equality, diversity, and inclusion for management positions and/or Board of Directors, including representation of various equity-deserving groups in those leadership positions
  • Agreements confirming control of the Canadian rights related to planned investments

Selection criteria

  • The company’s ability to reach audiences, assessed based on recent revenues and recent investments.
  • The company’s efforts to develop the careers of Canadian artists, promote their music, and develop their audiences, based on the business plan, planned investments across CMF priority areas, and the feasibility of the investment strategy.
  • Business plans and planned investments are weighted at 60% of the total budget.
  • Revenues are weighted at 20% of the total budget, and recent investments are weighted at 20%.
  • Ranking also considers investments in new artists, artists from CMF priority groups, and international investments.

Processing and Agreement

  • The program awards funds competitively among eligible applicants depending on the available budget.
  • Applicants will be notified of their results in May.
  • Recipients may redirect funding between expenditure categories within certain limits, particularly if the new activities are similar to those proposed in the original application.
  • After approval, changes to proposed artist activities with a negative budget impact of 20% or more of planned direct artist investments must be reported and discussed immediately.
  • Recipients of sound recording funding must notify FACTOR for two years after commercial release before selling, assigning, licensing or otherwise transferring control of the sound recording, and repayment may be required in some cases if it is transferred to a non-Canadian label.

Additional information

  • FACTOR welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities and offers accommodations throughout the application process, as well as an Application Accessibility Support Fund.

Contacts

info@factor.ca
514 861-8444 | 1 800 861-5561

Official sources

Company Envelope: Top-Tier

Program guide

Company Envelope: Top-Tier (2026)
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Company Envelope: Top-Tier Program

What is the Company Envelope: Top-Tier?

Company Envelope: Top-Tier supports Canadian music companies, including record labels, music publishers and artist managers, to develop Canadian artists in Canada. It funds production and marketing of sound recordings, touring and showcasing, concert production, music publishing and artist management.

How much funding can be received?

Company Envelope: Top-Tier Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $600,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the Company Envelope: Top-Tier program?

To be eligible for the Company Envelope: Top-Tier program, you must: Canadian-owned and controlled company headquartered in Canada. At least 3 years of continuous operations as a Canadian music company. Minimum $250,000 eligible annual gross revenues in the most recent fiscal year.

What expenses are eligible under Company Envelope: Top-Tier?

Sound recording production expenses, including salaries and benefits and/or professional fees, artist, musician and backing vocals fees, arrangers, artistic director, cover art, equipment rental, executive producer, manufacturing expenses, mastering, music producer, participation expenses, studio charges, and travel expenses as per the Government of Canada’s Travel Directive. Touring and showcasing expenses, including salaries and benefits and/or professional fees, artist, musician and technician fees, equipment rentals, production expenses, promotion expenses, and travel expenses as per the Government of Canada’s Travel Directive.

Who can I contact for more information about the Company Envelope: Top-Tier?

You can contact Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTR) by email at info@factor.ca or by phone at 514 861-8444 | 1 800 861-5561.

Where is the Company Envelope: Top-Tier available?

The Company Envelope: Top-Tier program is available across Canada.

Is the Company Envelope: Top-Tier a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Company Envelope: Top-Tier is a Grant and Funding