Open
Source verified August 10, 2026
Volunteer Based Arts Organizations
Annual operating support for volunteer-based arts organizations
Funding available
Up to 10% of project cost
Deadline
December 1, 2026
Location
Alberta, Canada
Who can apply
Organizations with public programming and participation in the film and video, literary, visual arts, and/or performing arts as their primary purpose and principal mandate.
See full eligibility
Overview
Annual operating funding supports Alberta arts organizations that rely primarily on volunteers and foster community connections through the arts. Eligible uses include artistic programming, production and presentation costs, and rent, utilities, insurance, and facility operations.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Enhance an existing program
- Improve governance or administrative structure
Eligible Funding
- Up to 10% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Alberta
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Culture and Arts
Target groups
- Nonprofits / charities
Revenue structures
- 100% donations / grants
Scope
- Provincial
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Production, presentation, and dissemination of artistic works
- Providing artists with support in alignment with an organization’s mission and mandate
Documents Needed
- Most recent board-approved annual financial statements
- Board of directors list
- Primary contact information
- Summary of staff and volunteers
- Planned activities and artistic programming details
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Organizations with public programming and participation in the film and video, literary, visual arts, and/or performing arts as their primary purpose and principal mandate.
- Organizations legally registered and operating in Alberta for a minimum of one full fiscal year, and in good standing, under one of the listed Acts.
- Organizations with an Alberta-based address and 50% or more of their board members living in Alberta.
- Stand-alone arts organizations at arms-length from municipalities, commercial enterprises, or organizations and institutions receiving annual operating funding from other Government of Alberta sources or their affiliates.
Who is not eligible
- Municipalities
- For-profit organizations
- Funding agencies or other funders
- Organizations that primarily benefit those outside of Alberta
- Organizations with overdue or incomplete accounting or reporting related to any grant previously awarded by the AFA or Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women
Eligible expenses
- Fees for artists, curators, and technicians
- Cultural protocol, including honoraria, tobacco offering and fees for Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Cultural Advisors
- Production and programming; marketing, communications, and promotion
- Salaries and professional fees; rent, utilities, and insurance
- Maintenance of equipment, fixed assets, and costs for facility operations; other expenses as required to fulfill your organization’s mandate
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Scholarships, prizes, gratuities, and awards and payments for individual benefit
- Endowment funds
- Third-party funding to another organization, including donations, grants, scholarships, or prizes
- Consignment fees; capital costs for renovations or facility improvements, land or facility purchase, and major equipment and/or vehicle purchase
- Bad debt or debt reduction; other expenses deemed unreasonable by the AFA
Eligible geographic areas
- Alberta
Selection criteria
- Funding is based on total eligible expenses to a maximum of 10 per cent.
- Organizations outside the Calgary and Edmonton metropolitan regions may be eligible for an additional 2 per cent, subject to available funds.
- Available funds are distributed equitably among eligible applicants.
- Applications are assessed using the organization’s most recent, board-approved financial statements.
How to apply
- Apply through Alberta’s Digital Grants Service (DGS).
- Register an Alberta.ca Account for Organizations to access DGS.
- Sign in to DGS using your Alberta.ca log-in credentials and submit your application.
- Applications must be received through DGS no later than 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on the deadline date.
- If the deadline falls on a statutory holiday or a weekend, it is extended until the next working day.
- Late applications will not be accepted.
Processing and Agreement
- Department staff evaluate applications according to eligibility criteria and prepare recommendations to the board.
- The AFA Board of Directors reviews and approves all funding.
- All decisions are final and no appeals will be considered.
- Applicants receive email notification upon AFA board approval, generally between four to six months from the application deadline.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations Program
What is the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations?
Annual operating funding supports Alberta arts organizations that rely primarily on volunteers and foster community connections through the arts. Eligible uses include artistic programming, production and presentation costs, and rent, utilities, insurance, and facility operations.
How much funding can be received?
Volunteer Based Arts Organizations Funds up to 10% of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations program?
To be eligible for the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations program, you must:
Public programming and participation in the film and video, literary, visual arts, and/or performing arts must be the primary purpose and principal mandate.
The organization must be legally registered and operating in Alberta for a minimum of one full fiscal year, and in good standing, under one of the listed Acts.
The organization must have an Alberta-based address, have 50% or more of its board members living in Alberta, and operate as a stand-alone arts organization at arms-length from municipalities, commercial enterprises, or organizations and institutions receiving annual operating funding from other Government of Alberta sources or their affiliates.
What expenses are eligible under Volunteer Based Arts Organizations?
Production, presentation, and dissemination of artistic works
Providing artists with support in alignment with an organization’s mission and mandate
Who can I contact for more information about the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations?
You can contact Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) by email at cynthia.enzenhofer@gov.ab.ca or by phone at 780-415-0282.
Where is the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations available?
The Volunteer Based Arts Organizations program is available the province of Alberta.
Is the Volunteer Based Arts Organizations a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Volunteer Based Arts Organizations is a Grant and Funding