Application Guidelines - Canada Arts Training Fund

1. Description

The objective of the Canada Arts Training Fund (CATF) is: To contribute to the development of Canadian creators and future cultural leaders of the Canadian arts sector by supporting the training of artists with high potential through institutions that offer training of the highest calibre.

The CATF supports independent, non-profit, incorporated, Canadian organizations that train Canadians for professional national/international artistic careers at the highest levels. The artistic impacts of these organizations must be pan-Canadian, and their activities national in scope. Through their achievements, these organizations support the cultural development of Canada. This program provides stabilizing support on a multi-year or annual basis for the ongoing operational activities of the organization's professional program. Funding is not for capital infrastructure.
The CATF can fund media arts training only to the extent that it relates to artistic practice and focuses on training people intending to work as artists using media arts tools. The CATF does not fund training in preparation for work in the commercial film and video industry.

The Program offers two types of support:

A) Annual or Multi-Year Funding for Pre-eminent Arts Training Institutions
This component is for organizations that score highly in the assessment process under each of the three key assessment criteria described in Part Three, on page three.

B) Annual Targeted Funding for Developmental Support to Arts Training Institutions.
This component is for organizations that score highly in the assessment process under two of the three key assessment criteria described in Part Three, but may need to improve in terms of the demonstrated national significance of their training program, or in the area of institutional capacity.

The assessment process will determine whether organizations receiving support will be funded through component A or B. The assessment process is described in Part Three of these guidelines, on pages three and four. See also Part Five of these guidelines (pages five and six).

2. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

  • be incorporated in Canada as a non-profit organization;
  • demonstrate that the activity for which funding is requested is not funded as a provincial   post-secondary education activity (for the purposes of this program, post-secondary education is defined as education which follows twelve years of primary and secondary education), and that the activity does not result in the granting in that province of a post-secondary qualification, such as a diploma, certificate or degree;
  • receive support for at least 30% of costs related to training work from sources other than this program, e.g. tuition, other levels of government, and fundraising. Total support from all levels of government cannot exceed 90% of the activity costs;
  • be directed by recognized professionals. While organizations may operate programs for different purposes, funding under this program is directed to supporting training for a professional artistic career;
  • have an administrative infrastructure to support their organizational objectives;
  • have maintained a full-time operation in support of the professional training program for a minimum of three years;
  • be accessible to Canadians through a national competitive admission process available in both of Canada's official languages. More specifically, it is expected that an organization that is national in scope would have at least 20% of its student body from regions outside the training area. An exception to this would be made for training programs involving students 10-18 years of age, where the academic education accompanying the training program is offered only in French. In addition, the national significance of an organization should be demonstrated in the context of the artistic discipline(s), with graduates having an impact, and achieving wide recognition in their field.

If your organization offers training related to Aboriginal arts or to artistic practices based on culturally diverse traditions, please call the program officer at 819-997-3777 to determine whether and to what extent the final two eligibility requirements must be met.

Applicants are eligible to apply for funding through the CATF if they meet the stated eligibility criteria, but if the CATF Departmental National Review Committee determines that an organization does not have a sufficient artistic merit and impact relative to funded organizations, the applicant may not be recommended for funding. This determination is made by the Committee through a scoring process, based on the assessment criteria below. Available funds for the CATF may also be taken into consideration.

3. Assessment Criteria

To receive annual or multi-year financial support under the CATF, organizations must demonstrate that they meet the following funding criteria:

  • Highest level of artistic excellence, in teaching, training, and coaching in their artistic field as demonstrated by the success of their graduates and independent assessments prepared by professionals;
  • Pre-eminent institutions of proven national significance, i.e. recognized as such throughout Canada by those familiar with, or working in, the artistic discipline;
  • Robust and proven institutional capacity as demonstrated by their financial and governance practices.

All applications will be assessed according to the following:

Artistic Merit

  • Is the training essential to the health and development of the discipline/art form?
  • Does the training exhibit the highest standards of excellence?
  • Is there a quality and vitality to the artistic vision?
  • How well the audition/entry process is able to identify the best available students in Canada, and how accessible it is in both official languages.
  • The quality/experience of teachers/mentors/elders for delivery of this particular training.
  • The quality and relevance of curriculum/training work. Links between the curriculum/training work and the needs of artistic discipline/art form.
  • The quality of career counselling.
  • The quality and appropriateness of the facilities and equipment.

Impact

  • Does the training contribute to the development of individual participants into artists who will have meaningful professional careers?
  • Are graduates recognized for their excellence in Canada and internationally?
  • Does the training meet fundamental needs of the artistic profession while providing flexibility to students to cover a wide range of artistic practices?
  • Does the training contribute to and encourage the expression of the diversity of Canadian society?

Institutional Stability

  • Is the organization financially stable?
  • Does it have an adequate administrative structure for the training?
  • Is there a quality planning process for the training?
  • Is there a diversification in revenue for the training?
  • Does the organization have an appropriate governance structure?

4. In addition to the completed application form, all applicants must provide:

A. A budget (note that clients who request an increase to their level of funding must provide a justification for the increase, detailing where the requested increase will be invested and clarifying how their training work will be enhanced and their results improved)

  1. For annual applications:
    • projected budget for year in which support is sought, including amount of the contribution requested under this program. Use the attached budget sheets, or a reasonable facsimile;
  2. For multi-year applications:
    • a copy of existing multi-year plan;
    • a multi-year business plan approved by the Board of Directors for the period covered by the application;
    • projected budget for years in which support is sought, including amount of the contribution requested under this program. Use the attached budget sheets, or a reasonable facsimile, and make the necessary adjustments for the subsequent years.

Organizations will only be considered for multi-year funding if they can provide the required multi-year plans, and proof that their planning includes both Board and staff participation.

Please note that your current application must include a completed application form and the support material requested.  The completed application form should not be bound, mounted into plastic nor stapled.

Letters of acknowledgment will indicate if there are support materials that are missing, and applicants will be given an additional two weeks to provide the required information/supporting materials. Failure to answer all the questions and to provide all the required support material within prescribed timelines may render your application ineligible.

If you have any questions about your application, you are invited to contact the program officer for the Canada Arts Training Fund at
819-997-3777, or by e-mail at  fcfsa-catf@pch.gc.ca

5. New component: Targeted Funding for Developmental Support to Arts Training Institutions

This component will assist institutions to improve their capacity through targeted support toward costs, such as professional fees for teachers/mentors/elders, student coaching, administration, facilities costs, or other costs related to the professional training program. A maximum amount payable to an organization under this component is $600,000, and recipients should not receive this targeted funding for more than four years.  This funding will be reviewed annually to evaluate the long-term potential of these organizations. Some institutions may lose CATF support at the end of the four-year term if they fail to meet the Program's expectations related to the three key funding criteria, described on page two, under “Assessment Criteria.”

Eligible Expenses and maximum amount payable

A) Annual or multi-year funding for pre-eminent arts training institutions

Eligible expenses include the operational expenses of the organization directly relating to the training proposal presented, such as artistic and administrative salaries, fees and benefits, curriculum development and training delivery, audition fees, travel, marketing and publicity, fundraising, administrative expenses, facility costs, i.e. rental/mortgage; and maintenance, office supplies, professional development. The maximum amount of contribution payable to any one recipient will not exceed 70 percent of the total eligible costs or $6,000,000 annually, whichever is less. Note that the total funding from all levels of government cannot exceed 90% of eligible expenses, and capital infrastructure expenses are not eligible.

B) Targeted Funding for Developmental Support to Arts Training Institutions

For Developmental support, eligible expenses include the expenses directly related to the professional arts training provided by the institution, such as artistic salaries and expenses, student coaching, improved management and administration, facility costs, i.e. rental/mortgage, etc. The maximum amount of contribution payable to any one recipient will not exceed 70 percent of the total eligible costs or $600,000 annually, whichever is less. Note that the total funding from all levels of government cannot exceed 90% of eligible expenses, and capital infrastructure expenses are not eligible.

As mentioned above, Developmental support funding will be reviewed annually to evaluate the long-term potential of organizations, and recipients should not receive this targeted funding for more than four years. Some institutions may lose CATF support at the end of the four-year term if they fail to meet the Program's expectations related to the three key funding criteria.

6. Application Process

The Canada Arts Training Fund is administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Please contact the Arts Policy Branch, 25 Eddy Street, 13th Floor (25-13-V) , Gatineau, Quebec, KlA OM5, 819-997-3777, fcfsa-catf@pch.gc.ca for program information. The toll-free number of Canadian Heritage is 1-866-811-0055.
Applications and support material must be postmarked by June 30, and must be sent to the Arts Policy Branch, at the above address.

Assessment

The process of evaluating an application is based on the analysis of a completed application form, the support material listed above, and on-site assessment as required. The Departmental National Review Committee will determine whether organizations will receive annual/multi-year funding or targeted developmental support.

Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee funding, nor does failure to receive financial support necessarily reflect a negative assessment of the organization.
Applicants may be eligible to apply for funding through the CATF if they meet the stated eligibility criteria, but if the CATF's Departmental National Review Committee determines that an organization does not have a sufficient artistic merit and impact, the applicant may not be recommended for funding.  This determination is made by the Committee through a scoring process, based on the assessment criteria detailed in these application guidelines (Part Three).  Available funds for the CATF may also be taken into consideration. All applicants should be aware that any expenses for programming are undertaken at their own risk, and that previous funding is not a guarantee of continued support.

The Department of Canadian Heritage will be considering support to commence in the next fiscal year (April 1 – March 31), and will not provide retroactive funding.

7. Department of Canadian Heritage Participation

All contributions from the Department of Canadian Heritage are subject to an agreement that must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

The Department provides the contributions in more than one instalment.

8. Recognition

The organization agrees to recognize publicly, in both official languages, the Department's financial support in all advertising, promotional, and program materials.  For this purpose, the Department has developed guidelines that address issues such as public announcements, publications, etc., and which are fully described in our funding agreements. Failure to comply with the recognition guidelines could result in cancellation of a funding agreement.

9. Access to information

All applications are subject to information requests under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.