First-Time Grant Applicants – Chances are better than you think!

One of the misconceptions about applying for grants is that first-time applicants have little or no chance of success. The reality is that first-time applicants actually fare better than one might believe.

An analysis of granting results for Ontario Arts Council applications received from 2004 to 2006 indicated that approximately one-quarter of first-time applicants receive grants.

Statistics also show that one-third of all applications are by first-time applicants. For example, approximately 34 percent of submissions to the Multi-Arts Projects program were by new applicants. About 30 percent of the new applicants were successful. Other programs where approximately 30 percent of first-time applicants were successful included Exhibition Assistance, Word of Mouth, Popular Music, Emerging Artists: Film and Video, Jets de Théâtre, Theatre Creators Reserve, Visual and Media Arts Projects and the Artists in the Community/Workplace program.

Grant results are affected by several factors. These include the variety and numbers of applications submitted from year to year, the overall success rates in an individual program and the unique makeup of OAC juries and advisory panels that oversee these applications. During the 2005–2006 fiscal year, nearly 300 people served as jurors and advisors at OAC.

Despite the complex variables at play in grant assessments, statistics suggest that the number of grants awarded to first-time applicants seem to be proportionate to the number of applications received.

If you have questions about OAC’s grant success rates, please contact Pat Bradley, Research Manager at pbradley@arts.on.ca, 416-969-7433 or 1-800-387-0058 ext. 7433.