Application Assistance
Application Assistance contributes to costs for services to help applicants with the application or prize nomination process.
Who can ask for assistance?
Individuals or the lead applicant for a group who self-identify as:
- Deaf, hard of hearing, having a disability or living with mental illness
- First Nations, Inuit or Métis facing language, geographic and/or cultural barriers.
What type of support can I ask for?
Profile assistance
- Create a portal account and submit an applicant profile
- Fill out and submit a peer assessor self-nomination form
And/or
Grant/prize assistance
- Submit a grant or prize application, nomination, grant acceptance, project update or final report
When do I submit my request?
Recommended timelines:
- Portal account/profile or peer assessor self-nomination: before the work begins
- Application/nomination: 1 to 4 weeks before you plan to send in the application or nomination
- Grant/prize acceptance: as soon as you know your results
- Updates/reports:1 to 4 weeks prior to your report due date
How do I ask for assistance?
For profile assistance
Send the name and contact information of someone who can help you (a service provider) to info@canadacouncil.ca.
Questions? Call 1-800-263-5588, extension 5060.
For grant/prize assistance
First, you must:
- have a validated applicant profile in the portal (for grants)
- meet the eligibility requirements
Then, gather the following information:
- the name and contact information of someone who can help you (service provider)
- the grant/prize you need support with
- a brief description of your project or activities
- the type of support you need (see below)
Lastly, send the information to the program (for grants) or prize team that you are requesting assistance from:
- Program: Contact us
- Prizes: prizes@canadacouncil.ca
What happens next?
- The Council reviews what you have sent and responds within 3 business days.
- Your service provider assists you.
- You submit your application, report, etc.
- Once the work is finished, your service provider emails an invoice to the program/prize or an officer (see below for rates), and the Council pays the invoice.
What if I have received assistance in the past?
- If you are asking for assistance for a new application or nomination using the same service for the same program or prize, you can continue without asking for approval. However, you must get approval first if:
- you are requesting a different type of support
- you are applying to a different program or prize.
Maximum covered by the Council
Profile assistance
This applies to applicants who face barriers and are having difficulty creating a portal account and/or submitting a profile or peer assessor self-nomination form.
Contact: info@canadacouncil.ca or call 1-800-263-5588, extension 5060.
| Hours | Maximum amount | |
|---|---|---|
|
Create an account and submit a profile Submit a peer assessor self-nomination form |
Up to 2 hrs | Up to $100 |
Grant or prize assistance
- You can only receive one category of assistance per request.
- For additional applications or nominations, you must submit a separate request.
Contact
- Grants: Contact us
- Prizes: prizes@canadacouncil.ca
The Council recognizes that service rates vary from region to region. Please base the total amount on the hourly rates in your area. The total cost of your request should not exceed the maximum amounts below.
Category of support
General assistance
This category is for applicants who face barriers with the writing process. Services can include general transcription, application development, writing, editing and organizing support materials.
| Grant/Prize | Hours | Maximum amount |
|---|---|---|
|
Travel Professional Development Small-Scale Activities Prize nominations (candidate) |
Up to 5 hrs | Up to $300 |
|
Project grants Short-Term Projects Prize applications (candidate) |
Up to 10 hrs | Up to $600 |
|
Composite project grants Long-Term Projects Prize nominations (nominators) |
Up to 17 hrs | Up to $1020 |
|
Grant acceptance Reports Access Support |
Up to 3 hrs | Up to $100 |
Indigenous language translation into written English or French
This category is for applicants writing an application in an Indigenous language who require translation into written English or French.
| Grant/Prize | Hours | Maximum amount |
|---|---|---|
|
Travel Professional Development Small-Scale Activities Prize nominations (candidate) |
Up to 6 hrs | Up to $300 |
|
Project grants Short-Term Projects Prize applications (candidate) |
Up to 12 hrs | Up to $600 |
|
Composite project grants Long-Term Projects Prize nominations (nominator) |
Up to 18 hrs | Up to $900 |
|
Grant acceptance Reports Access Support |
Up to 6 hrs | Up to $300 |
Sign language interpretation and translation
This category is for applicants who self-identify as Deaf and use sign language.
| Grant/Prize | Hours | Maximum amount |
|---|---|---|
|
Travel Professional Development Small-Scale Activities Prize nominations (candidate) |
Up to 8 hrs | Up to $800 |
|
Project grants Short-Term Activities Prize applications (candidate) |
Up to 16 hrs | Up to $1600 |
|
Composite project grants Long-Term Projects Prize nominations (nominator) |
Up to 21 hrs | Up to $2100 |
|
Grant acceptance Reports Access Support |
Up to 6 hrs | Up to $600 |
I’m a service provider. What do I need to know?
Note that you cannot have a leadership or artistic role in the project, except in the Creating, Knowing and Sharing program.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Have a discussion with the person you will help. Discuss how their project, activity or nomination aligns with the grant or prize.
- Read the guidelines, form, and budget (if applicable).
- Ensure that the person has an up-to-date arts and cultural CV.
- Review the Guide to Getting a Grant to familiarize yourself with the application process.
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions.
- If applicable:
- review the Resources section of the portal
- ensure that all required documents and support materials are attached
- follow up to ensure that the application or nomination was submitted successfully.
Where do I send my invoice?
- Profile assistance: Send your invoice to: info@canadacouncil.ca
- Grant/prize assistance: Submit your invoice to the program or prize officer who approved the Application Assistance request.
What do I include in my invoice?
- Your legal name, address, and contact information
- The name of the applicant/prize candidate or nominator
- The grant/prize and project name (if applicable)
- The date the work was done (and when the application/nomination was submitted)
- The service provided, number of hours and total amount (based on maximum amounts listed above)
- Your social insurance number (SIN) or business number
What other ways can I get help?
If you are not eligible for or do not wish to request Application Assistance, here are some options:
- Call 1-800-263-5588, extension 5060, or email info@canadacouncil.ca with general inquiries.
- Contact a program or prizes officer to discuss your application/nomination.
- Ask a family member, friend or colleague to help you.
- Give third-party access to a grant writer (or someone you trust) to give them access to your application. They will also need a portal account.
- Consult the Frequently Asked Questions or the Guide to Getting a Grant.