
Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream
Last Update: June 3, 2025
ON, Canada
Money for Ontario magazine publishers and diversity enhancement
Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream at a glance
Eligible Funding
- From $5,000 to $15,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : May 30, 2024
- Closing date : May 30, 2024
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Information and cultural industries
Grant Providers
- Government of Ontario
- Ontario Creates
Status
Open
Closing Soon
Overview of the Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream program
The Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream offers up to $15,000 in project support to racially diverse, Francophone, or otherwise provincially recognized diverse Ontario-based magazine publishers. This program supports business development and the implementation of new strategic initiatives aimed at achieving business growth and marketing objectives.
Financing terms and conditions
- Funding covers up to 75% of the total eligible project costs.
- For the main stream, maximum funding available is up to $80,000 per applicant, determined by eligible sales revenue.
- For the Diversity Enhancement Stream, grants range from $5,000 to $15,000, covering up to 75% of total activity costs.
- For the main stream, funding is distributed in instalments: 60% upon agreement execution, 25% on interim report, and 15% on final report delivery. For the Diversity Enhancement Stream, 80% is disbursed upon approval, with the remainder after completion of deliverables.
Eligible projects & activities
- Marketing and business development initiatives to drive sales and increase publisher revenue.
- Development or enhancement of online and mobile magazine formats, including website redesign or upgrades.
- Creation and dissemination of online marketing campaigns or content optimization projects.
- Launching new magazine titles or special editions from existing publishers.
- Business development activities such as professional training, business planning, and attendance at industry conferences.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 11,250
Implementation of a magazine subscription box initiative to increase readership
$ 11,250
Creation of a bilingual version of our magazine to reach Francophone audiences
$ 11,250
Launch of a digital archive for Quebecois literature magazine to celebrate local authors
$ 11,250
Redesign of our magazine’s website to enhance user experience and accessibility
$ 11,250
Development of a new digital marketing strategy for Ontario-based magazine
$ 10,500
Enhancement of our environmental magazine by introducing an eco-friendly print edition
Eligibility criteria of the Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream program
- The applicant must be a business owned by individuals who self-identify as racially diverse, Francophone, or otherwise meet dimensions of the provincial definition of diversity.
- The business must be Ontario-based, with its central place of business located in Ontario.
- The business must be incorporated in a Canadian jurisdiction or be a registered business with a Master Business Licence.
- The company must have been in operation for a minimum of one year, with a completed 12-month publishing cycle, and must generate more than 50% of its revenue from magazine publishing activities.
- For print magazines: must have published at least two issues in the last 12 months and a minimum circulation of 1,500; for digital publications: must have regular substantive content over 12 months and minimum 5,000 unique monthly visitors or 1,500 members/subscribers.
Who is eligible?
- Ontario-based, independent magazine publishers
- Racially diverse-owned businesses (under provincial definition of diversity)
- Francophone-owned magazine publishers
- Companies generating more than 50% of revenue from magazine publishing activities
Who is not eligible
- Publications produced primarily to promote the business interests of the publisher or associated organization, rather than magazine publishing as their principal activity.
- Publications created by companies or individuals whose main business is not magazine publishing.
- Publications that predominantly reproduce content from current or past issues or from other publications or online sources.
- Publications inciting hatred or characterized by undue exploitation of sex, crime, horror, cruelty, or violence, or those deemed contrary to public policy by Ontario Creates.
- Publication types including blogs, newsletters, journals, professional association periodicals, in-house publications, guides, comic books, newspapers, alternative newsweeklies, directories, financial reports, catalogues, schedules, calendars, timetables, classifieds, or listings.
Eligible expenses
- Professional development courses and business planning consultants related to business development.
- Brand development, advertising, and publicity costs for marketing and promotion.
- Strategic business travel and conference attendance directly tied to project activities.
- Direct mail campaigns, subscription renewal initiatives, promotional campaigns, and newsstand projects for circulation development.
- Creation of media kits or promotional material for advertising sales.
- Production costs for special issues, sections, or new magazines from existing publishers.
- Website redesign or upgrades, including enhancement of online/mobile magazine formats.
- Costs for online marketing campaigns, podcasts, videos, and webcasts.
- Optimization of online content and exploration of alternate sales channels.
- International business development activities, including travel, when relevant to the project.
- Expenses for enhancing internal workflow or backend processes (e.g., CRM implementation).
- Capital expenses directly related to the project (hardware, software), up to 15% of the total project budget.
- Direct project-related long distance phone, paper, courier, and similar expenses incurred in Ontario (excluding marketing and business travel, which may be incurred outside Ontario).
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
Eligibility criteria of the Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream program
- Track record of the business and/or its founders (10%).
- Feasibility of the budget and proposed activities (20%).
- Innovation, quality and creativity presented in the proposal (15%).
- Degree to which the proposed activities will contribute to the growth, capacity, and sustainability of the business (30%).
- Potential for critical and commercial success as a result of the investment (25%).
How to apply to the Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream program
1
Register on the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal
- Visit .
- Click on “Register” to create a user account if you do not have one.
- Register your company’s corporate information with the portal.
2
Access the Application
- Log into the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal.
- Ensure your company is registered; the Magazine Fund deadline should appear in your dashboard.
- Click on “Start new application” to access the application form.
3
Prepare Your Application
- Review the Magazine Fund Guidelines thoroughly before starting.
- Complete the application form provided in the portal.
- Prepare necessary documents, such as strategic initiative details and expected outcomes.
- Use the Magazine Fund Budget Template to outline budget details.
4
Submit Your Application
Once all sections of the application are filled and reviewed, submit it via the Online Application Portal before the deadline.
5
Confirm Submission
- After submission, confirm receipt of an automated confirmation email with your application number.
- Keep the confirmation email for your records.
Additional information
- Information sessions and office hours are available prior to the application deadline for applicant support.
- Some elements of the application can be completed over multiple sessions, allowing for saving and editing information before submission.
- Successful applicants receive funding in installments, based on deliverables and reporting requirements.
- Applicants with accessibility needs can request accommodations, including French-language information sessions or support for disabilities.
Contact Government of Ontario
programs2@ontariocreates.ca
416-642-6652
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