Closed
Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program
Supports Ottawa cultural organizations in building organizational capacity
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Funding available
$ 15,000
Timeline
- Open Date : May 9, 2025
- Closing date : July 9, 2025
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Overview
The Cultural Funding – Capacity Building Program provides up to $15,000 in funding to support Ottawa-based arts, heritage, festival, and fair organizations in strengthening their organizational capacity and sustainability. Eligible activities include new initiatives in community engagement, accessibility, fundraising, governance, marketing, and strategic planning.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Increase social or community impact
- Improve governance or administrative structure
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : May 9, 2025
- Closing date : July 9, 2025
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Location
- Ottawa
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Language Minorities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Black Canadians
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Women
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Launching initiatives to enhance community engagement and outreach.
- Implementing new strategies or policies around equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, or anti-racism.
- Developing or revising the organization’s strategic plan or governance structures.
- Upgrading digital presence, including website development and online engagement tools.
- Creating or refining marketing plans to reach new audiences.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Local not-for-profit organizations with an arts mandate
- Local not-for-profit organizations with a heritage mandate
- Local not-for-profit organizations with a festival mandate
- Local not-for-profit organizations with a fair mandate
- Professional collectives representing or serving the arts, heritage, festival, or fair sectors
Who is not eligible
- For-profit organizations.
- Government agencies.
- Organizations whose activities fall under other government departments (such as school boards, hospitals, universities, social services, military programs, or business improvement associations).
- Political parties.
- Organizations with accumulated surpluses greater than 100% of total revenue (excluding capital assets).
Eligible expenses
- Consulting fees for the development and implementation of strategies and policies (e.g., Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Accessibility, Anti-racism).
- Professional fees related to strategic planning or the review of existing strategic plans.
- Costs associated with adapting to new technologies, including digitalization and enhancing online presence.
- Fees for website development and design, including documentation and archiving of creative work, online ticketing systems, and membership/subscription portals.
- Expenses for creating marketing plans aimed at building new audiences.
- Costs for organizing knowledge sharing, learning, and networking opportunities that support engagement, collaboration, and partnership building within the community.
Eligible geographic areas
- City of Ottawa
- Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
- Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
Additional information
- Applications must be submitted through the online portal by the specified deadline; late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
- Cultural Funding Officers are available for draft reviews and can provide feedback on eligibility and application requirements if consulted up to two weeks before the deadline.
- All outstanding final reports from previous funding must be approved before reapplying; failure to do so results in ineligibility for funding in the current year.
- Successful funding recipients are required to submit a final report through the portal; for funds received prior to 2021, reporting must be done by email.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program?
The Cultural Funding – Capacity Building Program provides up to $15,000 in funding to support Ottawa-based arts, heritage, festival, and fair organizations in strengthening their organizational capacity and sustainability. Eligible activities include new initiatives in community engagement, accessibility, fundraising, governance, marketing, and strategic planning.
How much funding can be received?
Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program Funds up to 90% of admissible expenses, capped at $15,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was July 9, 2025.
Who is eligible for the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program program?
To be eligible for the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program program, you must:
Local not-for-profit organizations or professional collectives with an arts, heritage, festival, or fair mandate.
Office/mailing address and majority of programming within Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.
Ability to receive payment in the organization's name.
What expenses are eligible under Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program?
Launching initiatives to enhance community engagement and outreach.
Implementing new strategies or policies around equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, or anti-racism.
Developing or revising the organization’s strategic plan or governance structures.
Upgrading digital presence, including website development and online engagement tools.
Creating or refining marketing plans to reach new audiences.
Who can I contact for more information about the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program?
You can contact City of Ottawa by email at infoculture@ottawa.ca or by phone at 613.580.2424.
Where is the Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program available?
The Cultural Funding - Capacity Building Program program is available the province of Ontario.