How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 25% of admissible expenses, capped at $25000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is 2025-12-01T23:59:59Z.

Who are the financial supporters of the Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories?

Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories is funded by Digital Museums Canada (DMC)

What are Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories's eligibility criterias?

Be a museum, heritage, cultural, or indigenous non-profit organization, registered or equivalent. Manage a facility or offer programming to the public in Canada. Have been legally in existence for at least one year at the time of application.

Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories

Last Update: August 1, 2025

Canada

Funding for digital storytelling projects by Canadian heritage organizations

Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories at a glance

Eligible Funding

From $25,000 to $25,000
Up to 25% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : June 15, 2025
Closing date : December 1, 2025

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Information and cultural industries
Educational services
Arts, entertainment and recreation

Grant Providers

Digital Museums Canada (DMC)

Program status

Open

Overview of the Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories program

The Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories program offers up to $25,000 in funding to support museums and heritage, cultural, or Indigenous organizations across Canada in creating engaging digital storytelling projects using MNC's web platform. The initiative aims to strengthen digital capacity by funding the development of new online experiences that share diverse community stories, in both English and French, and supports additional translation for projects including a third language.

Financing terms and conditions

Funding amount of $25,000 CAD per project produced in English and French.
Additional funds are available for projects including a third language: coverage of actual translation costs plus a $2,000 allocation.
Maximum investment for translation to a third language may be set depending on available funds.
Funds are disbursed in phases, contingent on review and approval of deliverables.
One project may be funded at a time per applicant.

Eligible projects & activities

Creation of new online digital storytelling projects using the Digital Museums Canada platform.
Development of bilingual (French and English) web-based history experiences designed for a specific target audience.
Production of trilingual or multilingual digital stories (with eligibility for additional funding for a third language).
Projects that provide an engaging user experience based on key messages and thematic narratives.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 25,000

Highlighting Ukrainian settler stories with trilingual web content

$ 24,800

Virtualizing Acadian cultural artifacts as bilingual online stories

$ 24,800

Showcasing Métis beadwork traditions through virtual storytelling

$ 24,500

Digitally narrating Japanese Canadian internment during WWII

$ 24,600

Documenting Black Nova Scotian community history online

$ 24,900

Exploring early Chinese immigration in British Columbia online

Eligibility criteria of the Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories program

The applicant must be a museum, heritage, cultural, or Indigenous organization established and active in Canada, with a physical site open to the public or offering public programming.
The applicant must have operated and held legal status for at least one year prior to applying.
The organization must be legally registered as a charity, non-profit, Indigenous nation/group, municipal/provincial/First Nation heritage organization, or be affiliated with a university.
Only one proposal per organization can be submitted per call, and the applicant cannot be part of the Canadian Heritage portfolio.
The project must involve creating a new digital story experience, distinct from existing on-site or online content, and be developed using the designated MNC website platform.

Who is eligible?

Museums
Heritage organizations
Cultural organizations
Indigenous organizations (including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit heritage organizations)
Galleries
Historic sites
Historical societies
Science centres
Botanical gardens
Planetariums
Artist-run centres
Archives
Zoos
Aquariums

Who is not eligible

Associations of museums and professional associations.
Membership-based organizations.
Community centers and recreation centers.
Magazines and publishing companies.
Organizations that are part of the Canadian Heritage portfolio.

Eligible expenses

Professional translation and comparative review costs for production in French and English (and an additional third language, if applicable).
Actual translation costs into a third language, plus a set allowance if the project is produced in a third language.

Eligible geographic areas

Organizations established and active anywhere in Canada.

Eligibility criteria of the Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories program

Respect for the program spirit: Projects must be respectful, open, inclusive, and accessible, recognizing the subject matter, target audiences, and communities involved.
Distinct digital storytelling: Proposals must present a unique digital product designed for online audiences, not a replica of existing physical or digital content.
Professional use of official languages: Projects must be professionally produced and translated (with comparative review) in both English and French.
Adherence to timelines: Projects must meet required launch deadlines—within 2 years for bilingual projects or 2.5 years for trilingual projects.
Recognition of the funding body: The organization must acknowledge Digital Museums Canada (MNC) in all communications, including the required credit line and logo.

How to apply to the Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories program

Review eligibility and guidelines

Read all program guidelines and eligibility requirements
Review eligibility of your organization and project
Consider participating in information and mentoring sessions

Submit eligibility questionnaire

Create a profile on the online application platform
Complete and submit the eligibility questionnaire
Wait for eligibility confirmation (about 10 business days)

Start application on portal

Access the application platform with your profile
Choose the 'Community Stories' funding stream
(Optional) Complete equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility questionnaire

Complete proposal and documents

Provide answers to proposal questions
Prepare and upload required documents (project calendar, budget, support letter, estimates if applicable)

Final review before submission

Review all application content for accuracy and completeness
Ensure all eligibility criteria and mandatory requirements are met

Submit the application

Submit the complete proposal and supporting documents via the online platform by December 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm (EST)
Retain confirmation of submission

Await results of application

Wait for the evaluation by the independent advisory committee
Receive written notification of acceptance or rejection by April 2026

Additional information

The digital storytelling projects must be uniquely designed for online audiences and not replicate existing exhibitions or digitized catalogs.
Organizations previously funded by Digital Museums Canada must complete all prior funded projects before submitting a new proposal.
Additional funding is available for projects produced in a third language, based on actual translation costs and a fixed allowance.
Detailed timelines for notification, agreement signing, and project launch are set and must be respected by successful applicants.

Contact Digital Museums Canada (DMC)

propositions@museesnumeriques.ca

Apply to this program

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