Cultural Funding - Heritage Funding Program

• The maximum amount that individuals can request for project funding is $15,000.
• Organizations with an accumulated deficit greater than 15% of their operational revenues are not eligible for project funding.
• For annual or multi-year operating funding, the maximum allocation an organization may receive is 90% of its total operating budget.

• The applicant must be a not-for-profit organization.
• The organization must have its office and official mailing address within the City of Ottawa, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, or Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.
• The majority of the organization's programming and events must occur within the City of Ottawa or an Anishinabe Algonquin First Nation.
• The organization must have an active board of directors or steering committee with at least three members, and at least 50% of members must reside in the Ottawa region.
• The organization must operate in a non-discriminatory manner, adhering to the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Who is eligible?

• Not-for-profit heritage organizations
• Organizations serving or representing Indigenous communities (Anishinabe Algonquin Nation, First Nations, Métis, Inuit)
• Not-for-profit organizations working in partnership with heritage professionals, community elders, or culture keepers

Who is not eligible

• For-profit businesses or ventures.
• Crown corporations and government agencies.
• Organizations whose primary role is fundraising for third parties.
• Political parties.
• Organizations receiving operating funding from another Cultural Funding Support Unit program.
• Organizations whose activities fall under other City of Ottawa departments (including Business Improvement Associations, Ottawa Tourism, Ottawa Film Office, school boards, hospitals, universities, military programs, etc.).

Eligible expenses

• Personnel salaries and benefits related to heritage project activities.
• Consultant fees for heritage professionals, community elders, or knowledge keepers.
• Materials and supplies required for educational programming, exhibitions, or documentation.
• Costs associated with research, writing, and documentation (e.g., historical research, oral history, book proposals).
• Production expenses for public lectures, workshops, seminars, or multimedia initiatives.
• Venue and facility rental essential for project delivery.
• Travel expenses directly related to project execution.
• Marketing and promotional costs for sharing project results with the community.

Eligible geographic areas

• City of Ottawa
• Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
• Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation
• Within a 150 km radius of Ottawa (for individual Anishinabe Algonquin First Nation applicants)

• Heritage Merit: Strength and authenticity of the heritage project proposal, including achievable goals and objectives and relevance to local heritage.
• Community Impact: Clarity and measurability of benefits to the community of interest or broader community, including strength of partnerships and contribution to heritage or cultural identity.
• Viability/Organizational Effectiveness: Realism of planning, budgeting, and the organization's or individual's track record to deliver the proposed project.

• Applicants may only submit one application per fiscal year to the Cultural Funding Support Unit’s programs, with few exceptions.
• The application portal opens two months before the deadline and late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
• All required documents, including budgets, must be uploaded in specific formats (Excel or PDF only; zip files are not accepted).
• Applicants are responsible for ensuring proper submission and functionality of their application materials, as errors after the deadline will not be accommodated.