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Grants

The City provides grant funding under a number of programs. Please note this is not an exhaustive list of grants available in the community and we encourage you to explore other available options.

Culture Operating Grant

Audience

Organizations

Status

Inactive

Cut Off Date

2024-10-08 00:00

2025 City of Nanaimo Culture Operating Grant intake is now CLOSED

View the 2024 Summary of Grants Awarded
View the Culture Grant FAQ page

Deadline: October 8, 2024
Grant applications must be received by 4:00 pm on the day of deadline to be eligible for consideration in this funding stream.

For more information contact:

Culture & Events
250-755-4483
culturegrants@nanaimo.ca

Important Notes

Introduction

The City of Nanaimo recognizes the vital contribution of arts and culture activities to the City’s economic and social progress; the value of artistic and cultural expression; and enjoyment of life by its citizens. The work of the Culture & Events team is guided by the City of Nanaimo’s strategic planning document, City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined. The City Plan outlines a commitment to investing in arts and culture for the purpose of strengthening the City’s economic base, improving the quality of life of residents, and enhancing community identity and pride. Further grounded within this integrated document are the City’s strategic goals to build respectful, collaborative relationships with the communities we serve. 

Culture opens our minds to new perspectives. As convener, connector, facilitator, enabler and funder, the City of Nanaimo recognizes the crucial role of Nanaimo’s independent arts, culture and heritage organizations to be united by a desire to create impact and value for diverse publics.

Purpose

To provide operational support for the activities of professional arts, culture and heritage organizations that play a significant role in contributing to the culture profile and economic vitality of Nanaimo.

Strategic Priorities 

The City’s strategic funding priorities for the program include:
  • activities that encourage the expression and visibility of arts and culture;
  • activities that promote and raise the cultural profile of Nanaimo;
  • innovative collaborations and partnerships with other arts groups, community and cross-sector organizations; and
  • neighbourhood-based activities.

Program Objectives

This grant is intended to support arts and culture non-profit organizations based in Nanaimo with demonstrated commitment to contributing to the cultural life of the City who: 
  • foster public enjoyment, engagement, community pride and a sense of shared identity through broad public access to a variety of quality arts and culture offerings
  • support and compensate local and regional professional artists
  • contribute a significant impact to the local creative economy
  • advance local arts and culture practices by contributing to Nanaimo’s cultural life locally, regionally, nationally and internationally

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:
  • be incorporated as a non-profit in Nanaimo and in good standing (provincially and / or federally) as a non-profit arts, culture or heritage organization with a mandate to serve the public;
  • be in operation for at least three (3) years;
  • offer year-round operation / seasonal public programming and / or services to artists; and
  • show evidence of support from other sources (public and / or private).

Operating grants fund a maximum of 25% of an organization’s total annual operating budget.

Ineligible Organizations

  • Organizations that do not have arts, culture or heritage mandates
  • City of Nanaimo departments
  • Organizations with outstanding balances owed to the City of Nanaimo
  • Publicly funded or private educational institutions (public schools, universities, colleges, training organizations)
  • Organizations located and operating outside of the boundaries of the City of Nanaimo
  • Organizations that have not submitted their final report
  • Organizations that have not had a representative attend a mandatory Grant Preparation Zoom meeting

Organizations are not eligible for Culture Operating Grant funding if they receive other operational funding from the City of Nanaimo.  

Organizations that receive operating grant support who wish to undertake opportune collaborative projects or capacity building activities that can be clearly demonstrated to be outside their regular operations may apply for one supplemental Culture Project grant per cycle. Projects that will be considered must be either a new (non-recurring) Collaboration or Partnership or a specific Organizational Capacity Building activity (ie. professional development, mentorship, strategic planning).  One supplemental Culture Project grant can be submitted alongside Operating grants. 

Eligible Activities

Operating grants fund a year-round cycle of operations at an organization, and are a contribution to the overall operations, programs and activities of the organization. An organization seeking operating funds must demonstrate their ongoing activity by providing a “Program of Work,” which describes programming, administration, community involvement and promotion. 

 A “Program of Work” should describe:
 
  • The mandate of your organization and the kinds of activities you undertake, including public engagement and community outreach initiatives
  • How your organization is composed, including the governance structure, and ongoing administrative and creative staffing
  • Specific initiatives that foster collaborations and partnerships with other organizations (public and private, non-profit and for-profit)

Ineligible Activities 

  • Capital projects
  • Recuperation of deficits
  • The distribution of bursaries or scholarships

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
 
(40%) MERIT
  • Quality of proposed programming activities, participating artists and / or contributors
  • Alignment of proposed activities and goals with the organization’s mandate, vision and mission
  • Degree to which proposed activities are innovative and / or degree to which proposed activities have community support
(40%) RELEVANCE / FEASIBILITY
  • Activities that align with  the Culture Grant program objectives and strategic priorities
  • Organizational capacity, governance and demonstrated ability to deliver the proposed project
  • Financial health of the organization, as demonstrated by financial statements and realistic proposed budgets with diverse sources of revenue
(20%) COMMUNITY IMPACT
  • Ability to provide rich cultural experiences and learning opportunities for the public that build appreciation for arts and culture
  • Offer professional services and opportunities to artists that can support and advance their work or career 
  • Economic impact in the community, contribution towards the health and vitality of the arts and culture sector

Adjudication Process

Applications must be received by the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be screened to determine eligibility and evaluated according to the assessment criteria. Recommendations will be made to Council for distribution of funds. Decisions are guided by the program’s mandate, objectives and assessment criteria. Council decisions are final. 

Appeal Process

If there was an error in the assessment process (for example, that support material was misplaced), applicants may file a formal complaint, in writing, within 10 calendar days of notification of results. All appeals will be reviewed by an appeals committee.

Terms & Conditions of Funding

General Terms and Conditions
Your signed submission indicates that you formally acknowledge terms and conditions of funding. The awarding of a grant is at the sole and absolute discretion of the City of Nanaimo. The City of Nanaimo retains the right to rescind or reduce any grant previously awarded. The circumstances for rescinding a grant include but are not limited to:
  • failure to meet the terms and conditions of the grant
  • failure to comply with legal obligations
  • failure to respect the commitment to provide a workplace free from harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct
  • unapproved changes to funded activities
  • significant risk of insolvency or bankruptcy
Final Reports
Grant recipients must use the Culture Grant Report Form to complete and submit their final report by the due date specified in the results letter. 
Final reports must detail any substantial changes to your original proposal and must include an accounting of spent and unspent funds. Failure to provide a final report will result in the rejection of all new funding applications. 

Grant Repayment
If for any reason you cannot use the grant at the expected time, decide not to carry out the plans described in your grant application or refuse the grant conditions, you must notify us immediately. If you are unable to undertake your Program of Work, funds may need to be returned to the City of Nanaimo.


Payment
The City of Nanaimo will deliver awarded funds by direct deposit. To receive funds via electronic funds transfer (EFT), recipient must fill out and return the EFT form, along with VOID cheque or verified account information printout from banking institution.

Statement of Inclusivity
Recipients of City of Nanaimo Culture Grant funding must demonstrate commitment to City of Nanaimo Policy C4.2 Equity and Inclusivity: 
“Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates resources and opportunities to support more positive outcomes for all regardless of age, ability, gender, sexual orientation, faith practice, ancestry, or background. By identifying inequities and targeting investment in prevention and intervention, the wellbeing and inclusion of the diversity of people that make up our entire community can be enhanced, creating a city that puts people first and supports a sense of belonging.”

Funding is provided with the expectation that recipients will:
Create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere where all people feel safe, comfortable and represented (Policy C4.2.1) 

Encourage diversity awareness and build a culture of compassion for people of all cultures, genders, orientations, ages and abilities (Policy C4.2.8).

Changes to Activities
Changes to the scope of your original proposal must be approved by the City of Nanaimo. You must notify the City of Nanaimo immediately if you cannot use part or the entire grant during the period stated in your application. If there are major changes to your proposed activities (for example: changes to the purposes of your organization) you must submit an interim update for Staff approval. 

Acknowledgement of the City of Nanaimo and Logo Use
Public acknowledgement of support is required for all grant recipients. Please ensure that all materials (including copies of reports, advertising, oral presentations and publicity relating to the project(s) or programming credit the support of the grant. Please ensure proper logo use when crediting the City of Nanaimo’s support. You can request logo files by contacting culturegrants@nanaimo.ca.

Permits, Fees, Applications
The approval of this grant does not indicate approval of associated required permits for public events. Processing special event permits can take several weeks. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all necessary permits have been obtained prior to commencing project and or event and ensure compliance with all required permits.

Confidentiality
Documents submitted by applicants become property of the City of Nanaimo. The City will make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of each application and the information contained therein except to the extent necessary to communicate information to Staff and the committee for the purpose of evaluation and analysis. The City will not release this information to the public except required under the Province of BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other legal disclosure process.

Tax Implications
Organizations must be registered non-profit societies, in good standing, and will receive payment in the society name.  

FAQ Culture & Events Grants

Where can I find the Grants information session presentation for reference?

The all grants information session presentation can be seen as a PDF document HERE.

What Culture & Events funding opportunities are available through the City of Nanaimo?

Where can I find a summary of Grants awarded in 2024?

2024 City of Nanaimo Summary of Culture Grants (Operating & Project)

My organization is located outside the City of Nanaimo boundaries. Are we eligible?

In order to be eligible for funds at the City of Nanaimo, your organization must be registered as a non-profit with an address inside the boundaries of the City . Organizations that operate in multiple communities must be able to demonstrate public activities taking place inside the City limits in order to receive funding through the Culture Operating Grant.

What type of grant should I apply for? What is the difference between Project and Operating?

Operating grants differ from Project grants in that they fund a year-round cycle of operations at an organization, and are a contribution to the organization's administration as well as public activities. Groups with operating funds are expected to run a year-round cycle of activities, hold an established administrative structure that reports to a volunteer Board of Directors, and has the capacity to have independently prepared or audited financial statements. The funding received is a contribution to ALL activities, including all programs that arise throughout the year. An organization seeking operating support must be able to demonstrate confirmed ongoing activity by providing a “Program of Work,” which describes programming, administration, community involvement and promotion. An organization in receipt of operating funds has flexibility to adapt their program of work to respond to organizational change, and may only apply to one stand-alone project grant per year.

Project grants differ from operating grants in that they are allocations toward the realization of a specific project or series of activities. Instead of a ‘Program of Work,’ an application for project funding would describe the nature of the project or series of activities, who is involved in delivering the activities, when and where the activities will take place. Administrative costs associated to the delivery of the project are eligible (for example: venue rental, staffing, or promotional costs), but ongoing operating expenses (like office rent, or utilities) are not considered a project cost.

My organization is applying to host our annual cultural event fundraiser, with proceeds going to charity. Can we seek support from the City of Nanaimo?

Fundraising activities, where the outcome generates funds for a separate charitable cause are not eligible for funding through this program. Organizations that undertake fundraising activities, such as regular programs and events that charge a fee for entry, where the funds raised will be a portion of the revenues at the organization applying for funding, are eligible to apply, provided their fundraiser is not the sole activity of the organization.

Can I apply for more than one Project grant project/initiative?

Yes. Based on funds available, up to three Project Grant applications may be approved in a year.

Can our organization apply for a Culture Project Grant and a Culture Operating Grant?

Applicants who are receiving Culture Operating support may apply for one supplemental Project grant. Organizations that receive an Operating grant may apply for one project grant that is either a collaboration with another organization or a capacity building activity. The application must clearly demonstrate how the request falls outside of regular operations.

Can our organization apply for a Culture Project Grant and a Downtown Event Revitalization Grant?

Organizations may apply to both funds, provided the requests are for separate projects, events or activities.

My activity/ project will start in 2025, but will last into 2026, am I still eligible to apply?

Yes, the fund supports activities that are initiated in 2025. Organizations with activities that carry over into 2026 must supply an interim report if/when submitting a new application to the Culture Project Fund.

Can I apply for more than one Downtown Event Revitalization project/initiative?

Yes. Based on funds available, up to four Downtown Event Revitalization applications may be approved.

Can I apply for Downtown Event Revitalization funding if I have received other funding from City of Nanaimo for my project?

Organizations and individuals may apply more than once to the City of Nanaimo, but the funds must support a different project, program or activity.

How do I book a City of Nanaimo park?

Visit the City of Nanaimo’s website and complete the Event Booking Form to submit your request to the City. More useful information about event planning can be found online.

Further Questions?

We're happy to help. Having trouble accessing the forms linked above? Questions or concerns? Contact us directly at 250-755-4483 or cultureandevents@nanaimo.ca. Subscribe to receive Love Arts Nanaimo Updates and follow us on Instagram at @prc_nanaimo.

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