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Ontario Arts Council (OAC)
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Alternative Services and Application Processes

The following are available at the Ontario Arts Council (OAC): 



Alternative services and processes for Deaf persons and persons with disabilities 

To provide fair and equitable access to the OAC, Deaf persons and persons with disabilities may request the following accommodations:  
  • alternative ways of participating in OAC events, meetings or receiving OAC services 
  • alternative ways or formats for communicating with OAC 
  • alternative formats and timing for submitting applications, final reports or other required materials  
  • alternative ways or support for individuals to participate in OAC panels as an assessor 
 
OAC abides by the duty to accommodate under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act when reviewing requests for accommodation by Deaf persons and persons with disabilities. OAC is committed to providing all possible accommodations within established timelines and budgets. 

Who can make a request: Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may request alternative services or accommodation. OAC does not require the disclosure of a person’s disability, only the identification of the barriers to be removed by OAC.  
 
How to make a request: Contact the relevant program administrator or program officer and tell us what you need. If you are requesting an alternative process or format for submitting an application or final report, requests should be made at least four weeks before a deadline/due date
 
What you can request: You can request alternative formats for communicating with us or receiving notices or grant application notifications. They include, but are not limited to:  
  • phone 
  • email  
  • regular post 
  • Video Relay Service 
  • ASL or LSQ   
 
You can also request alternative formats for submitting your application or final report. They include, but are not limited to:  
  • email 
  • paper sent by mail 
  • ASL/LSQ 
  • oral format 
 
Accommodation may also take the form of an extension to an application deadline, final report due date, or deadline for meeting a grant condition.  

In addition, OAC has the following two support funds:  
  • Accessibility Fund – Application Support 
    Applicants who need support to complete their grant applications or final reports can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from service providers.  
  • Accessibility Fund – Project Support  
    Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for supplementary funds for their accessibility expenses to carry out a project. Learn more.

If you are an assessor, you can request accommodations to support you in the assessment process. Some examples include: 
  • assistance travelling 
  • sign language interpretation (ASL or LSQ) 
  • alternative formats of applications 
  • assistance documenting scores and comments 
  • services of a support person or attendant  
  • alternative ways of organizing or conducting the assessment panel meeting 
 


Offline submissions for persons with limited internet access 

OAC grant applications and reports are submitted through Nova, our online system. We may provide an offline, or partially offline, application process to applicants who do not have adequate internet access where they live, and do not have reasonable access to a public internet source, such as at a public library. 
 
Who can request an offline process: applicants/recipients to project grant programs who do not have access to broadband internet service capable of upload speeds to use Nova to submit the application, final report or artistic examples, such as audio/visual or digital files 
 
How to request an offline process: Get in touch with the program administrator or program officer at least 10 business days before the grant program deadline, or final report due date. OAC may not be able to accommodate requests made any later. Depending on the limitations of your internet access, OAC will determine whether the full application, or certain components, may be submitted offline. 
 
Note: Alternative project applications must be received at OAC or postmarked no later than the application deadline. Late applications are ineligible and will be withdrawn.  
 
OAC does not consider requests for offline applications based on preference, having outdated or malfunctioning devices or systems, or having limited internet access in a temporary residence or travel location. 
 


Oral applications for Indigenous persons 

The OAC recognizes the importance of oral culture in the transmission of Indigenous language, history, knowledge and practice. OAC accepts oral submissions of some parts/components of a project grant application, when oral culture is relevant to the project or the artistic practice.  

Who can request an oral application process: First Nations, Inuit or Métis applicants applying for a project grant for themselves, or on behalf of an ad-hoc group, collective or organization.
 
How to request an oral application process: Get in touch with your program administrator or program officer at least 10 business days before an application deadline or final report due date. OAC may not be able to accommodate requests made any later.  

If the application is funded, grant recipients may also submit components of the final report orally. 

Note: The option to submit application content orally does not apply in the following written language-based programs: 
  • Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators 
  • Recommender Grants for Writers 
  • Theatre Projects 
  • Literary Creation Projects: Works for Publication 
  • Littérature – projets francophones (Création de la longueur d‘un livre) 
  • Théâtre – projets francophones