Deadline: 15-Feb-23
The City of Edmonton is accepting applications for WinterCity Festivals and Events Grant Program.
Funding Information
- The WinterCity Festivals & Events Grant allocations will vary based on the size, scope and scale of each event and will range from $500 for smaller community events to up to $60,000 for larger festivals and events. Grant funding may not exceed 25% of the total cost to produce the event.
- They will do their best to notify you of the grant decision within eight (8) weeks of the grant deadline provided they receive a complete application.
What types of events are eligible?
- Examples of eligible event types include:
- Cultural and historical celebrations and observances
- Concerts, performances, and music festivals
- Food, arts, and cultural festivals
- Parades and processions
- Sport and Active Recreation events / Active Living events
- Organized runs, walks and other sporting events
- Not-for-profit events attracted through partnership with Explore Edmonton that have public opportunities to participate.
Eligible Expenses
- Funding may be used towards:
- Winter Operations including, but not limited to:
- Purchase or rental of infrastructure and/or equipment required to support the safe delivery of the event and to keep attendees/staff/volunteers warm (i.e. four season tents, fire pits, heaters, warming huts, hot food, hot chocolate, cider, hot shots, trailers etc);
- Hiring more staff and artists or paying premiums (i.e. overtime) for those who have expertise in outdoor winter programming and production;
- Sourcing reliable snow making options (equipment or options to gather/haul), including water and/or dechlorination costs
- Purchase or rental of equipment / supplies to keep snow and ice cool (i.e. tents, air conditioners, etc.)
- Additional staffing/volunteers/officials needed to ensure health and safety protocols followed, especially in extreme cold weather (i.e. additional warm food, drinks, clothing (toques, scarves), hotshots, etc.
- Additional needs to manage increasing operational demands as more people embrace winter and enjoy outdoor winter activities;
- Other winter specific operating costs;
- Winter specific Civic Services costs, materials and equipment such as snow & ice removal, sand/gravel, grading, windrow removal, etc.;
- Winter Programming elements may be considered, however, are not the primary intent for this grant which is intended to cover additional operational expenses due to extremes in winter weather conditions.
- Winter Operations including, but not limited to:
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible for the 2023 WinterCity Festivals and Events Grant, a festival or event must be hosted outdoors and align with the City Plan to:
- Support Edmonton’s identity as a winter city through its infrastructure, design, events and economy (City Plan Intention 1.3.2);
- Celebrate their winter identity through the arts, recreation, events, storytelling and inspired design (City Plan Direction 1.3.2.1); and
- Encourage winter events, activities and festivals through community and business partnerships (City Plan Direction 1.3.2.3)
- Eligible events must also:
- Have expenses that as a result of winter conditions require additional funding;
- Take place in the city of Edmonton;
- Take place between January 1 and March 30, 2023 and/or November 15 and December 31, 2023;
- Be an outdoor event primarily located in the public realm (such as parkland, public open space, or road right-of-ways) with more than than 80% of the event’s programming taking place outdoors;
- Held in-person with an attendance of 100 people or more;
- Be open to the public. The event may be free to attend, or have a participation fee or require a donation to attend and/or be a ticketed event;
- Produced by an organization (not an individual) that:
- Is a not-for-profit or charitable organization
- Undertakes their work primarily in Edmonton, or has a history of significant activity in Edmonton when they also work elsewhere;
- Is in good standing, and not in arrears with the City of Edmonton.
- Be insured with a minimum of $2 million in general liability;
- Held in compliance with permitting or licensing requirements as required (Edmonton Fire, Development Services, etc); and public health requirements, restrictions and guidance imposed by the City of Edmonton, Alberta Health Services or the Government of Alberta.
Note: Events being hosted in multiple locations on multiple dates with similar program content will be counted as one event. Organizers wishing to host different events may apply for multiple grants for each event produced from January 1 to March 30, 2023 and/or November 15 to December 31, 2023 season. A separate application for each event will be required.
Evaluation Criteria
- Grant funding awards will be based on the following criteria:
- Opportunity for attendees to experience winter;
- Operational and winter-specific programming costs required to support the winter experience;
- Funding need;
- Event size, scope, and scale (including expected attendance and location capacity);
- Benefit to the public (cultural, recreational, charitable significance and/or supports engagement and representation of communities who have historically been marginalized and underrepresented);
- Public access (free versus charged/cost to participate);
- History of the event in Edmonton;
- Not-for-profit, charitable, or for-profit organization status;
- Receipt of funding from other City of Edmonton sources.
For more information, visit WinterCity Festivals and Events Grant.
