Alberta Creative Development Initiative: Grants to Organizations

The Alberta Creative Development Initiative is currently under review by the partner agencies. We anticipate announcing the result of that review in the Spring of 2010. For more information please contact the Program Officer.

Please read the documents attached below.

ACDI Grants to Organizations: Update and Tipsheet April 2008 (PDF Acrobat format)

ACDI Preparing Your Grant Application April 2008 (PDF Acrobat format)

Program Description

The Alberta Creative Development Initiative (ACDI) is a partnership between the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council for the Arts, in collaboration with the Calgary Arts Development Authority and the Edmonton Arts Council. This targeted initiative is designed to enhance the continued development of the arts in Alberta.

This is a three-year initiative, with the possibility of a two-year extension. The program eligibility criteria, assessment criteria and other details may be modified following this competition.

The objectives of the program are to:

• support the development of professional artists and arts organizations in Alberta
• foster a dynamic, vibrant arts community in Alberta, and  
• enable the success of Alberta artists and arts organizations locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

The Alberta Creative Development Initiative: Project Grants to Organizations component supports projects by small and mid-sized Canadian, professional arts organizations in Alberta. Eligible organizations can request funding for projects that are intended to strengthen the organization’s artistic voice, its audience or its administrative capacity.

Project proposals can fall into the following categories:

• annual or multi-year project grants for research, creation, production and (or) dissemination
• annual or multi-year audience development project grants that increase the public impact and (or) profile of the organization, and (or)
• annual or multi-year project grants that build administrative capacity.

Individual artists, arts administrators, collectives, groups, bands and ensembles are not eligible to apply to this component. They should refer instead to the Alberta Creative Development Initiative: Grants to Individuals component guidelines and application form, available separately.

Eligibility

Applicant Eligibility

The Project Grants to Organizations component of this program is open to professional arts organizations incorporated in the province of Alberta. Eligible organizations are small to mid-sized, with annual operating revenues that do not exceed $2 million (based on the average of the organization’s three previous years’ operating revenue).

A professional arts organization or company:

• is legally constituted as a non-profit organization (with the exception of a publishing company)
• has a primary mandate in the arts
• is staffed by arts professionals (artists, arts presenters and administrators who are paid for their work), and
• supports, presents or produces the work of professional artists.

The Eligibility Criteria by Discipline section as detailed on page 6 of the guidelines of the application form sets out discipline-specific eligibility criteria. Applicants must also meet the criteria for their discipline to be eligible to apply to the ACDI program.

Project Eligibility

Organizations can apply for an annual or multi-year project grant for research, creation, production, dissemination, audience development and (or ) administrative capacity building activities. They may apply to both the ACDI program and to other Canada Council programs, but not for support of the same costs or for the same phase of the activity.  

“Presenting” projects with a primary focus on paying artists’ fees to present a concert or festival performance are not eligible.

Grant Amount

Arts organizations may apply for the following:

• annual project grants up to $30,000 for any combination of eligible activities,

or

• multi-year project grants to a maximum of $75,000 over three years.

Successful applicants may not necessarily be awarded the full amount requested.

Eligible Expenses

Eligible project expenses include:

• artists’ fees and fees for project personnel
• costs of production and material
• costs of audience and market development, and dissemination
• equipment rental costs, and
• research costs and travel related to research on a specific project.

Further Information

Stephen Williams
Western Canada Program Officer
Canada Council for the Arts
350, Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8

Téléphone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4690
In Alberta: 780-428-2956

TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: 613-565-5194

Fax: 613-566-4390

May 2008