Grants to Alberta professional performing arts nonprofits for operating support in the areas of programming, administrative services, and maintenance. First-time applicants must contact program staff and create an account prior to applying. Funding is intended to support organizations that self-create and self-produce performing art productions.
AFA operating funding typically supports expenses such as
Administration
Programming
Salaries and fees
Maintenance of equipment and fixed assets
Promotion
Other expenses as required to fulfill an organization’s mandate
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)
Additional Eligibility Criteria
Organizations must:
- Be a not-for-profit organization
- Be registered and in good standing under the appropriate legislation and have been in operation in Alberta for at least three years
- Have at least 50% of the organization’s board members living in Alberta
- Pay a ‘fee for service’ at minimum industry standard rates (such as a union or nationally recognized rate) to at least 75% of the artists involved in the organization’s performance program for all performances
- Demonstrate the ability to operate using good governance principles, effective administration practices, and a commitment to fiscal responsibility while maintaining an artistic mandate
- Operate as a stand-alone arts organization at arms-length from municipalities, commercial enterprises, or organizations and institutions receiving annual operating funds from the Government of Alberta or its affiliates
- Comply with all Canadian Arts Database (CADAC) financial and statistical data requirements
- Have a board-approved cash reserve policy
First time applicants must have met all eligibility requirements for the three annual fiscal periods prior to application. You must also provide board-approved financial statements that demonstrate the organization has positive net assets and has been operating with no annual deficit for each of these three fiscal periods.
Organizations that engage primarily in competition-based activity are not eligible for AFA funding. Organizations can only receive operating funding from one AFA grant program.
To be eligible for Professional Performing Arts Organizations operating funding, you must:
- Have public performing arts programming as your organization’s principal mandate as stated in its incorporation documents
- Engage in on-going development, implementation and promotion of performing arts programming as its core primary activity in an annual program or full season of professional self-created and self-produced work for public presentation
- Employ at least one full-time equivalent administrative and/or artistic staff member for the minimum duration of your programming season
Ineligible expenses for operating funding include, but are not limited to:
- Alcohol
- Amortization
- GST expenses
- Fundraising expenses
- Bad debt and other paper losses
- Capital expenses
Pre-Application Information
Applications are due November 1, 2022.
Applications are accepted online and must be received no later than 11:59 PM Mountain Time on the deadline date, unless the deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend when it will be extended to the next working day.
Eligible first-time applicants are accepted only at the beginning of each three-year cycle. If this is your organization’s first application for Professional Performing Arts Organizations operating funding, you must contact the Foundation at least three months before the deadline for a preliminary eligibility assessment to ensure your organization meets the eligibility criteria.
First-time applicants will require a GATE username and password. Contact the Foundation via email at least five business days prior to the application deadline.
Organizations that have an average annual CDR under $1 million, and have been in an AFA funding stream for a minimum of three years, may apply to the Creative Year option under this funding. This option allows organizations to receive non-reduced funding in a year without a performing season. Discipline-specific project expert panels assess the proposals for this option. To prepare for this option, organizations must contact the AFA at least one year prior to the proposed Creative Year.
Successful recipients will be notified upon board approval, generally between four to six months from the application deadline.
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