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Ready to scale up a tested innovative project for greater regional, national, or international impact?

Apply for a GROW grant soon! March 13, 2024, is your last chance to apply for a grant under this time-limited program.

Grow Grants provide multi-year support for a limited number of longer-term, collaborative initiatives that propose sustainable solutions to issues within and beyond the arts sector and demonstrate strong potential to be scaled up for regional, national, or international impact. 

Grow provides large-scale support for existing innovation projects that have already been successfully developed, tested, prototyped and/or piloted.  Projects must address systemic issues in the arts sector and propose sustainable solutions to sectoral or cross-sectoral issues to help rebuild a more resilient, sustainable, equitable, accessible, greener, healthier, and connected arts sector. 

Looking for other innovation opportunities? Explore all the funding components of the Strategic Innovation Fund.

The application process has two stages:  

Stage 1 Proposal submitted through an Expression of Interest. Successful Stage 1 applicants will receive a Development Grant to cover costs of preparing their Stage 2 application.  

Stage 2 Shortlisted candidates from Stage 1 will be invited to submit a fully developed proposal and may be asked to meet with the evaluation committee to discuss their project.

Grow Expression of Interest – Stage 1

Activities: What can I apply for?

Eligible activities

Any project activities required to implement, optimize, scale up and expand an existing innovation project for greater sectoral or cross-sectoral impact.

To be eligible, the project must address complex issues in the arts sector, by responding to at least one of the following key strategic areas:   

  • Strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the arts sector, including new business and revenue models   
  • Advancing social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the arts   
  • Increasing the accessibility of arts and culture for people who are Deaf or have disabilities   
  • Decolonizing the arts sector    
  • Creating a greener arts sector    
  • Stimulating the digital transformation of the arts sector   
  • Improving the health, wellbeing, and financial security of artists and arts professionals   
  • Building networks and partnerships to strengthen the arts ecosystem and the role of arts in society   
  • Amplifying the benefit of the arts for thriving communities

Projects must also:

  • be successfully developed, tested, prototyped and/or piloted, with demonstrated impact 
  • stretch beyond a personal gain or benefit to your group or organization 
  • demonstrate the potential to be transformative for the Canadian arts sector 
  • be collaborative: undertaken by organizations in partnership and joint governance with other organization(s), collective(s) or group(s) within and/or outside the arts sector.

Ineligible activities

  • regular and ongoing operating activities  

The Strategic Innovation Fund is not designed to support artistic creation. Projects that primarily focus on creating, producing, programming or presenting artistic work should seek support through the Council’s regular funding programs.   

Activities related to content creation, artistic creation, media production and equipment or software acquisition will be considered if you demonstrate that they are necessary to achieving the project’s objectives and are within the acceptable range of eligible expenses. 

You can’t apply for activities that occur before the deadline date, those that receive funding from another Canada Council program or those on the general list of ineligible activities.

Application process

The Stage 1 portal application consists of:  

  • a description of your existing project, the sectoral or cross-sectoral challenge(s) it addresses, and what you have achieved so far  
  • your plans to scale or enhance the project, and how this will be transformative for the sector  
  • information about your partners, the project governance, and estimated timeline. 

Applicants – Who can apply?

Your application must identify an eligible lead applicant. The lead applicant must be a Canadian organization who is eligible to apply to the Fund, as determined by their validated profile created in the portal.

Types of potential lead applicants to the Grow component:

  • artistic organizations
  • First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations

Grow only supports collaborative projects that are undertaken in partnership with one or more organization, collective or group. Project partners do not require a Canada Council profile.

Organizations presently receiving core grants are eligible to apply to this component. 

Deadline and Grant Amount – Stage 1

13 March 2024
Please see the Deadlines and Notification of Results page.

$25 000 development grant

Grow – Stage 2

If you are invited to apply for Stage 2, you will need to provide the following information, including:  

  • the context, rationale, and impact of the project to date 
  • the proposed activities and anticipated impact  
  • plans to track the project’s progress and share results  
  • the project team and governance structure, including letters of agreement   
  • your plans for achieving long-term sustainability and operational sustainability  
  • financial participation from other funders or partners (in cash or in kind).  

Deadline and Grant Amount – Stage 2

Fall 2023 (date to be determined)
Please see the Deadlines and Notification of Results page.

Up to $1 000 000 contribution

For more information:

If you have any questions or need advice, write to us at innovationfund@canadacouncil.ca before submitting your application.

Grow Webinars

These webinars are your chance to learn more about the Grow grant of the Strategic Innovation Fund, ask questions, and meet our Program Officers. Register now for a webinar by clicking on the RSVP link below. Sessions are offered in English with ASL and in French with LSQ.

Date

Time (Eastern)

Language

Registration Link

February 22, 2024

2:00 PM

French and LSQ

RSVP

February 23, 2024

2:00 PM

English and ASL

RSVP

Registration is mandatory. 

Are you new to the Canada Council? Create a profile on the portal and review the application guidelines.