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Ontario Arts Council (OAC)
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Terms and conditions – OAC project grant applications

Please carefully read the following Terms and Conditions governing application to the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) before submitting your application through OAC’s online application system, Nova. 

 
I confirm that I, my co-applicant, my group and/or organization:
  • meet(s) all eligibility criteria for the program.
  • understand that ineligible or incomplete applications will be withdrawn at any time in the process. I will be notified by OAC if my application is withdrawn. 
  • understand that I cannot add further information once I have submitted my application through OAC’s Nova system and no further information will be submitted to assessors as of the application deadline.
  • understand that any extra artistic examples or support documents that exceed the program’s limits will not be reviewed by assessors in the evaluation of an application.
  • understand that all application material and related subsequent documents/information must be submitted in OAC’s Nova system.
  • can deposit a cheque in the name of the applicant if the application is successful. 


1. Applicant eligibility criteria

I confirm that, at the time of submission, my application meets the applicable eligibility criteria set out below.
 

If you are applying as an individual or individual co-applicant, you must:

  • be a professional artist or arts professional
  • be 18 years of age or older
  • be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, or have an application pending for permanent resident status
  • be a resident of Ontario

To establish residency in Ontario, you must have lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months before submitting an application. This applies to new Ontario residents and former Ontario residents returning after frequent or long-term absences.
 
As an Ontario resident, you may be absent from the province only under the following circumstances to maintain your eligibility:
  • If you are absent from Ontario on a recurring basis, such absences must not exceed four months (cumulatively) of the 12 months before the submission of your application. This applies even if you kept an address in Ontario during your absence.
  • If you are absent from Ontario on a temporary, one-time basis (for a residency or contract, for example), such an absence must not exceed 12 months of the 12 months before the submission of your application. You must also have been in Ontario for at least 8 months of the year preceding an absence of this length. During this absence, you must not have applied to public funding agencies or ministries in the jurisdiction of your temporary residence.

If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify your residency information.

 

If you are applying as an ad hoc group or collective, you must:

  • be comprised of at least two members who meet the eligibility requirements for individuals listed above and who will be responsible for the administration of the grant on behalf of the ad hoc group or collective
  • have at least 50 per cent of members residing in Ontario (or both members in the case of two-person collectives)
  • not be a corporation
  • be able to deposit a grant cheque in the name of the ad hoc group or collective
If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify your residency information.

 

If you are applying as an incorporated not-for-profit organization, you must:

  • be incorporated in Ontario or federally
  • have a head office in Ontario
  • be governed by a volunteer board of directors or an advisory board
If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify this information.

 

If you are applying as a for-profit organization, you must:

  • be an Ontario-based, Canadian-owned book or magazine publisher eligible for funding in OAC’s publishing programs
  • be incorporated in Ontario or federally
  • have a head office in Ontario
If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify this information.

 

If you are applying as a college or university, you must:

  • be Ontario-based
  • present or produce professional Ontario artists, arts professionals, arts groups, arts collectives or arts organizations
  • be registered through the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities
  • have a designated staff member responsible for arts programming
If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify this information.

 

If you are applying as a municipality, school board, First Nation or school administered by a First Nation or an Indigenous administered authority, you must:

  • be Ontario-based
  • engage professional Ontario artists, or present, produce or publish the work of professional Ontario artists, arts groups, arts collectives or arts organizations
  • have a designated staff member responsible for arts programming
If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify your residency information.

 

2. OAC limitation of liability

I acknowledge and agree that:
  • assessors and OAC staff involved in the assessment of my application for OAC funds will have the ability to view, access and download my application information and any artistic examples or support documents or reports associated with my application that I have uploaded to the OAC Nova system (the “Application Information”)
  • OAC shall have no obligation, duty, liability whatsoever in contract, tort, or otherwise to me for any actions or inactions on the part of any third party, including but not limited to assessors, that may result in any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages whatsoever including, but not limited to, damages for loss of profits, for business interruption, loss, theft, unauthorized use, disclosure of or access to the Application Information by or to any unauthorized person or persons. These limitations, exclusions and disclaimers shall apply irrespective of the nature of the cause of action, demand or action by you, including, but not limited to contract, negligence, tort, strict liability or other legal theory
  • any such claim shall be solely against such third party
 

3. Consent to release

I consent to the release of application information, and any artistic examples or support documents, or reports associated with this application submitted through OAC’s Nova system submitted under these terms to OAC assessors and other partner granting agencies or organizations to which I have also applied.
 

4. Disclosure of information

I understand that:
  • of the information that I provide in the “Profile” section, OAC will only share the applicants’ name and location (e.g. city/town/First Nation) with the program assessors; and grant results by program and deadline, including the recipients’ name, location (e.g. city/town/First Nation) and grant amount, will be posted on OAC’s website and may be published in OAC’s Grants Listing or other communications of OAC, as well as part of the Government of Ontario Open Data initiative.
 

5. Information supplied in confidence

I understand that:
  • Application information is supplied to OAC in confidence. OAC will not release any information that reveals personal, technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information or a trade secret except as required under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other legal disclosure process.