Current Funding Opportunities

Please see below for a variety of collected funding opportunities relevant to Ontario's museums. This page will be refreshed regularly, however, deadlines may pass between updates.
 
Additionally, please note that the OMA may be unable to provide information about specific opportunities; it is advised to contact the funders directly.

Last Updated: April 23, 2024

April 30, 2024: Community Anniversaries - Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, Canadian Heritage

  • Building Communities through Arts and Heritage – Community Anniversaries component provides funding to local groups for non-recurring local events, with or without a minor capital project.

May 22, 2024: Inclusive Community Grants, Government of Ontario

  • The Inclusive Community Grants Program provides up to $60,000 for projects to local governments, community organizations and Indigenous communities and/or organizations to help ensure they consider Ontarians of all ages and abilities at every stage of community planning and development.

June 26, 2024: Seed Grant, Ontario Trillium Foundation

  • Seed grants support the research, development, and testing of new ideas and different approaches.

November 6, 2024: Grow Grant, Ontario Trillium Foundation 

  • Grow grants provide a higher level of funding over 2-3 years to help proven community projects increase their impact.

Ongoing: Tourism Growth Program in Northern Ontario, Government of Canada

  • Delivered by Canada's regional development agencies (RDAs), the Tourism Growth Program (TGP) provides $108 million over 3 years to support communities, small- and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations in developing local tourism products and experiences.

Ongoing: Local Festivals – Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, Canadian Heritage

  • Building Communities through Arts and Heritage — Local Festivals component provides funding to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists; local artisans; local heritage performers or specialists; and local First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultural carriers. This includes the celebration of LGBTQ2+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations.

​Ongoing: Museums Assistance Program - Exhibition Circulation Fund, Canadian Heritage

  • The fund component assists museums with the costs related to the hosting of travelling exhibitions originating from another museum or from a federal heritage institution and the borrowing of artifacts from any of the National museums of Canada. Read the Application Guidelines for more information.

Ongoing: Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

  • OCAF has three specific aims: to increase cultural tourism by providing investments to assist Ontario cultural organizations to promote, market and present one-off or first-time events, or a significant expansion of existing activity, which are designed to attract new tourists and visitors to cultural events; increase the earned revenue capacity of the applicant organization; and support events that foster economic growth and contribute to job creation.

Ongoing: Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, Canadian Heritage

  • The fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage culture and creative innovation. The fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.

Ongoing: Community Enhancement Program, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation

  • The program is designed to help build strong and resilient Northern communities through infrastructure investments, to upgrade / repair existing assets to improve community quality of life, economic development infrastructure and strategic economic development initiatives. It has three streams; Enhance Your Community Program, Rural Enhancement Funding Stream and Broadband and Cellular Expansion Projects. 

Ongoing: Community Events Stream, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation

  • The stream supports organizations that host events that increase community profile and promote economic development in Northern Ontario. Municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations, and Local Services Boards located in Northern Ontario are eligible to apply. 

Ongoing: People and Talent Program, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation

  • The program is designed to attract, retain and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce. It has 2 streams: Indigenous Workforce Development Stream, and Workforce Development Stream. 

Ongoing: Events - Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program, Canadian Heritage

  • The program provides funding to community-based events that promote intercultural or interfaith understanding, promote discussions on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination, or celebrate a community’s history and culture such as heritage months recognized by Parliament. Read the Application Guidelines for more information.

Ongoing: Movable Cultural Property Grants, Canadian Heritage

  • The grant helps designated organizations acquire cultural property of outstanding significance and national importance to Canada, as outlined in the Cultural Property Export and Import Act. Designated organizations are located in Canada and demonstrate the ability to ensure the long-term preservation of cultural property. Grants can be used to purchase cultural property for which an export permit has been denied; or that is important to Canada’s national heritage and available for purchase outside the country.

Ongoing: Legacy Fund – Building Communities through Arts and Heritage, Canadian Heritage

  • Provides funding for community-initiated capital projects, intended for community use. Recipients may receive up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses up to a maximum of $500,000. 

Ongoing: Economic Development Initiative in Southern Ontario, FedDevON

  • FedDev Ontario delivers $800,000 annually through EDI to support projects encouraging economic diversification, business development, innovation, partnerships and increased support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Francophone communities in Southern Ontario. 

Ongoing: Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program, Canadian Heritage 

  • Through the program, the Government of Canada assumes the financial responsibility for loss or damage to objects and appurtenances in eligible travelling exhibitions. The Program has two objectives: first, to increase access for Canadians to Canada's and the world's heritage through the exchange of artifacts and exhibitions in Canada; and second, to provide Canadian art galleries, museums, archives, and libraries with a competitive advantage when competing for the loan of prestigious international exhibitions. 

Ongoing: Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program, Canadian Heritage 

  • The objectives of the programs are to support Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages and cultures, and in the production and distribution of Indigenous audio and video content. 

Ongoing: Regional Development Program: Eastern Ontario Development Fund, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

  • The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario.

Ongoing: Regional Development Program: Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade 

  • The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern Ontario.

View Ontario Arts Council 2024 grants HERE.

View Canada Council funding opportunities HERE.

 

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