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The Flying Squad: An Organizational Assistance Program

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Deadlines

1 April and 1 October

  • Dance
  • Music    
  • Theatre   
  • Audience and Market Development (agents and managers)

15 April and 15 October

  • Visual Arts
  • Media Arts
  • Inter-Arts
  • Writing and Publishing
  • Audience and Market Development (art dealers)

If the date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Please refer to the Program Guidelines for detailed information.

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Program Objectives

The specific objectives of this program are to:

  • assist professional arts organizations in targeted organizational development
  • assist groups and associations of professional organizations that propose innovative organizational development activities, and
  • assist individuals working in the management of organizations to develop skills, networks and support systems within their communities and the community at large.
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Program Description

The Flying Squad program enables Canadian professional arts organizations to work with consultants/specialists who can advise or assist them with an aspect of internal organizational challenges, opportunities and (or) new developmental directions. The consultants/specialists may recommend measures or a plan of action, and leave the full responsibility for implementation to the organization. The Canada Council is not accountable for the advice given by consultants/specialists.

The program has four components:

I. Organizational Research and Planning - Organizations may apply for funds to assist with research and planning related to their organizational development.

II. Mentorship - Organizations may apply for funds to allow their management personnel to be mentored, for a minimum of one week, by an in-service artsprofessional at another arts organization.

III. Collaborative Initiatives - Organizations may apply for support of initiatives involving a group or association of professional organizations connected by region or sector, or for support of collaborative initiatives that serve the general needs of their milieu.

IV. Professional Development - Organizations may apply to assist up to two individuals (such as artistic directors, administrative directors, editors or publishers, marketing managers and (or) board directors) to attend professional development workshops and seminars that directly relate to specific organizational development needs identified by the organization.

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Applicant Eligibility

General Applicant Eligibility

Note that meeting the eligibility criteria allows your organization to apply to the program. This does not, however, guarantee that you will receive a grant.

All eligible organizations are encouraged to apply for support of activities that meet an organizational development need. This includes organizations that are new and emerging, geographically isolated, undergoing restructuring or reorganization, in transition or experiencing growth. This also includes organizations that are producing or presenting works for young audiences.

This program is also open to Aboriginal organizations and organizations of diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada

Specific Applicant Eligibility, by Component

Components I and IV

To be eligible to apply to Components I and IV, your organization must meet all of the following criteria. It must:

  • be a Canadian non-profit organization, or a Canadian book or magazine publisher, or a Canadian manager/agent/art dealer
  • be directed by individuals who are recognized as professionals in their artistic disciplines, and
  • have received an operating, project or touring grant from the Canada Council within the last three years.
Component II

To apply to this component, your organization must meet all of the above eligibility criteria for Components I and IV. In addition, the individual(s) being mentored must meet all of the following criteria. They must:

  • be Canadian citizens or have permanent resident status, as defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  • be currently employed in a management position at an eligible organization, and
  • demonstrate the ability to meet all of the terms of the mentorship agreement.
Component III

To apply to this component, your group or association of organizations must:

  • consist of Canadian non-profit organizations or eligible Canadian book or magazine publishers ,and
  • have a majority of partner organizations that have received an operating, project or touring grant from the Canada Council within the last three years.
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Grant Amount

Components I, II and III − a maximum of $10,000

Component IV − a maximum of $2,500 each year

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Further Information

You must contact the appropriate Flying Squad Coordinator indicated below to discuss your project before submitting an application to this program.

Anglophone dance and music organizations, including Audience and Market Development:
Joan Bosworth,
joan.bosworth@canadacouncil.ca

Anglophone theatre organizations, including Audience and Market Development:
Claudia Buckley
claudia.buckley@canadacouncil.ca

Anglophone visual arts, media arts and inter-arts organizations, including Audience and Market Development:
Su Ditta
susan.ditta@canadacouncil.ca

Anglophone writing and publishing organizations:
Roy MacSkimming
roy.macskimming@canadacouncil.ca

Francophone organizations, including Audience and Market Development clients:
Francine d’Entremont
francine.dentremont@canadacouncil.ca

Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON  K1P 5V8

lorraine.bourgeois@canadacouncil.ca (Program Assistant)

Telephone: 1-866-359-7782 (toll free) or 613-566-4443

TTY: 1-866-585-5559

Fax: 613-566-4409

 April 2011