Responding to Concerns Raised About OAC Grant Recipients

OAC aims to be accessible, equitable, transparent and accountable in its service to the arts community and its management of public funds. We value our interactions with the public and strive to meet everyone’s needs within the context and parameters of our programs, services and role. 

All OAC grant recipients must abide by the obligations and expectations outlined in the Terms and Conditions – OAC Operating Grant Applications and Terms and Conditions – Receipt of OAC Operating Grant Funds or the Terms and Conditions – Project Grant Applications and Terms and Conditions – Receipt of OAC Project Grant Funds, as agreed to at the time of application.  

Should a concern be shared with OAC about an organization or individual that was awarded an OAC grant, we proceed with care to protect parties involved, while taking measures to ensure grant recipients meet the obligations associated with their use of OAC funds.  

Concerns about organizations in receipt of OAC operating funding 

• When concerns are raised to OAC about an operating grant recipient, we will relay this feedback to the organization for response. The complainant may choose whether or not we share their name with the organization. 
• The organization is required to provide a prompt response confirming or demonstrating that it is abiding by the terms and conditions of their grant.  
• If the organization is unable to satisfy this expectation, the payment of its grant may be withheld or the repayment of a past grant may be required. The organization may also be ineligible for future OAC funding. 
• If concerns raised about an organization are significant enough to threaten its stability, OAC may require that the organization meet additional or more frequent application, assessment and reporting requirements in order for OAC to monitor its health and continued eligibility for funding. 
• OAC may encourage the complainant to speak directly with the organization and to seek out external support services.   

Concerns about individuals, collectives, ad hoc groups or organizations in receipt of OAC project funding 

• When concerns are raised to OAC about a project grant recipient, we will relay this feedback to them for response. The complainant may choose whether or not we share their name with the grant recipient. 
• The project grant recipient is required to provide prompt response confirming or demonstrating that that they are abiding by the terms and conditions of their grant.  
• If the grant recipient is unable to make that confirmation or provide a satisfactory response, they may be required to fully or partially repay their grant, and they may be ineligible for future OAC funding. 
• OAC may encourage the complainant to speak directly with the grant recipient and to seek out external support services.   

 

Peer assessment 

• If OAC becomes aware of concerns regarding an individual, collective, ad hoc group or organization that has applied to OAC for a grant, that information is not shared by OAC staff or included in the discussion at the peer assessment panel unless: 
  • the concerns are raised by the applicant within the application being assessed, or 
  • the concerns, whether substantiated or not, have been raised publicly and are relevant to the application being assessed. 

 

Limitations 

• OAC will not discuss the confidential details of its relationship with a grant recipient with a third party. 
• OAC will only address and respond to concerns about a grant recipient that are raised in the context of an active grant or active application (when applicable – see “Peer assessment”). 
• OAC’s ability to act on concerns raised is limited to ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant in question. 
• Provided a grant recipient continues to abide by the terms and conditions of the grant, OAC relies on peer assessment to make its grant recommendations and does not directly intervene in the artistic or administrative decisions of its grant recipients. 
• Depending on the nature of concerns raised, OAC is not always able to determine that requirements of the terms and conditions have not been met. OAC is often not the most authoritative entity to investigate allegations of unlawful conduct or to intervene in legal disputes. Should an external tribunal, court or other formalized process have findings of wrongdoing, OAC will take steps to follow-up from those findings.   
• OAC will acknowledge receipt of information about such situations, but its ability to act is conditionally restricted to confirming compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant through an attestation or the provision of relevant information or policies. OAC may take further action if an authoritative external investigation concludes that the grant recipient has acted in a way that violates OAC’s terms and conditions for the grant.   
• Complainants are encouraged to communicate directly with the grant recipient when they have concerns and/or to engage with a lawyer, their union or relevant professional association for guidance or support.