Community and Cultural Grant Program (Canada)

Deadline: 13-Apr-25

The Community and Cultural Grant Program supports Richmond Hill’s unique character and sense of community by providing funding to community and cultural organizations, and individual artists who deliver programs, services, events, or activities for the community.

Program Streams

• The Community and Cultural Grant Program has two streams:
  • Community Stream: Funding related to a specific program, service, event, or activity that is of significant benefit to Richmond Hill in terms of vibrancy, inclusivity, and connection – in areas such as social services and health, recreation, or the environment.
  • Cultural Stream: Funding related to a specific program, service, event, or activity that is of significant benefit to Richmond Hill in terms of vibrancy, inclusivity, and connection – in areas such as the performing arts (theatre, dance, music), visual arts, literary arts, media arts, textile, craft, heritage, and community arts.

Funding Information

• Grant amount up to a maximum of $5,000.
  • Grants $2,500 and under – 50 per cent upon approval of the grant and 50 per cent upon review of the final report.
  • Grants over $2,500 – 75 per cent upon approval of the grant and 25 per cent upon review of the final report.
• Applicants may apply for funding to support a specific project or annual program that occurs between June 2025 – June 2026.
• The project or annual program must be completed within this 12-month time frame.

Eligible Expenses

• Related Project or Annual Program Expenses e.g. includes contracted and permanent staff, artists, consultants, honorariums. Please note: staff salaries included in the budget must directly relate to the application. For example, if organizational staff spend 15 per cent of their time on the proposed application, only 15 per cent of their salary is eligible;
• Venue/space rental;
• Materials;
• Marketing and promotion;
• Some administration expenses are eligible e.g. rent, insurance, office supplies, telephone, internet but must directly support the application and can make up no more than 10 per cent of the total request;
• Commissioning expenses (cultural applications only);
• Touring expenses (cultural applications only) including freight, per diem, accommodation, travel and entry expenses.

Ineligible Expenses

• Fundraising expenses;
• Retroactive expenses;
• Capital expenses – new building, renovations, equipment;
• Operating expenses of the organization not directly related to the proposed application.
• Deficit reduction;
• Attendance at conferences and/or conventions;
• Enrollment in workshops, courses or other forms of training;
• Board and/or organizational development expenses;
• Scholarships, prizes, awards;
• Moving expenses;
• Purchase of land or buildings.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, community and cultural organizations must:
  • Be an incorporated not-for-profit or non-incorporated collective which operates on a not-for-profit basis;
  • Be Richmond Hill based or be undertaking the project or annual program in Richmond Hill;
  • Have a volunteer Board of Directors (incorporated organizations only);
  • Have an active volunteer base;
  • Demonstrate operational effectiveness, financial stability and an appropriate level of self-sufficiency;
  • Maintain financial records, i.e. Boardapproved financial statements, audited financial statements.
• Individual Artists
  • To be eligible, individual artists must:
    • Be an emerging, mid-career or established professional artist;
    • Be a Richmond Hill resident;
    • Be conducting a project or annual program on a not-for-profit basis.

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are ineligible to apply:
  • School boards;
  • Parent/teacher organizations;
  • For profit groups/organizations;
  • Organizations with political affiliations/ political organizations;
  • Civic departments, commissions or committees;
  • Religious groups/faith organizations where services/activities include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith;
  • Hospitals, clinic-based services or medical treatment programs;
  • Fundraising associations/events;
  • Provincial/national organizations, except where the application is made by a local chapter.
• Eligible organizations/individuals may not be considered if:
  • The applicant has not submitted required reports or has outstanding grant overpayments for previous grants awarded by the City of Richmond Hill;
  • The applicant is intending to act as a funding body for other organizations or individuals;
  • The applicant is in a budget deficit situation;
  • Application is incomplete or is submitted after posted deadline.

For more information, visit Richmond Hill.