Ontario Arts Operating Fund

Purpose

This program supports Ontario-based not-for-profit arts organizations and for-profit publishers led by, working with and providing services to professional artists across arts disciplines and sectors.

Operating grants are a form of sustained investment in the province’s arts infrastructure. Through the Ontario Arts Operating Fund, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) aims to: 

• foster a dynamic and inclusive arts ecosystem
• drive economic growth
• strengthen community well-being and social cohesion
• enhance sector sustainability

See Introduction to the Ontario Arts Operating Fund for an overview of the program.

Program categories, deadlines and contact information

Notes: 

• Recipients of OAC operating grants in 2025-2026 will be automatically invited to apply to the Ontario Arts Operating Fund.
• New applicants may only apply in year 1 of the funding cycle for the program category most applicable to their mandate and activities.
• Applications are available in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system, about two months before the program’s first deadline.
• Financial and statistical reports must be submitted through Canadian Arts Data / Données sur les arts au Canada (CADAC) before the deadline.
  • Exception: Publishing organizations upload statistical information directly in their application in Nova.
• Grant notification will be available about five months after the category deadline.

Eligible applicants

To apply, an arts organization must:

• be an Ontario not-for-profit corporation, a federal not-for-profit corporation or a for-profit publisher
• have its primary business address in Ontario
• pay professional fees or provide services to professional artists
• be led by professional personnel
• have completed at least two years of sustained, regular, ongoing programming in Ontario as of the application date
• have a range of revenue sources, such as private and government
• be governed by a board of directors or an advisory body solely responsible for the organization
• have community support and involvement demonstrated through one or more of the following:
  • membership
  • fundraising
  • volunteer involvement
• have proof of sound administrative and financial management, including evidence of planning, risk management and succession strategies
• be registered through CADAC (Canadian Arts Database / Données sur les arts au Canada)
• submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year, according to the grant request amount (new applicants) or most recent grant (returning applicants):
  • over $50,000: audited financial statements (required)
  • $25,001 to $50 000: review engagement (or, if available, audited financial statements)
  • $25,000 and under: unaudited financial statements (or, if available, audited financial statements or review engagement)
• meet any additional eligibility requirements specific to its category

Note: Arts organizations that operate within a multi-purpose institution (such as a library, university or municipality) must demonstrate their independence by providing a separate board or advisory list and financial statements.

Important: Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria at the time they submit the application.

• Exception: Financial statements can usually be submitted after the deadline (see Financial Statements in the Guide to OAC Operating Grants).

New applicants

• are organizations that wish to apply to the program without having received an OAC operating grant the previous year
• may only apply in year 1 of the funding cycle for the program category most applicable to their mandate and activities
• must contact the program officer to discuss eligibility and suitability at least two months before the deadline
• must have at least $100,000 in total revenues for the last completed year, and in projected revenues for the current and request years

Ineligible applicants

The following organizations may not apply:

• non-arts organizations
• municipalities, colleges and universities
• school boards, schools administered by a First Nation and Indigenous administered schools
• First Nations
• other ineligible organization types (see Category-specific eligibility criteria)

Organizations may receive only one grant from this program per fiscal year.

Eligible expenses

• ongoing operating expenses, including costs of artistic and community programming, administration, artist fees and staffing

Ineligible expenses

• major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment
• debt repayment and deficit reduction
• programs and activities for primarily religious or political purposes
• activities outside of Ontario, aside from touring and circulation of programming that would be eligible in OAC’s other programs

Category-specific eligibility criteria

Francophone Organizations

• Applicants must be Francophone, operate primarily in French, actively support the vitality of Ontario’s Francophone artistic community, and submit their application in French.

Literature Organizations

• Book and magazine publishers must pay contributor fees, regular royalties, or both, and fulfill contractual obligations related to copyright payments. Publishers that charge for editorial services such as editing, design and printing are not eligible.
• Magazine publishers must be significantly devoted to the publication of original fiction, poetry, or critical commentary on the arts, culture and society. Titles devoted to reportage, political advocacy, religion, spirituality, self-help, or the promotion of commercial enterprises are ineligible. Scholarly magazines and journals, publications directed primarily at an organization’s membership (such as newsletters), and publications that lack financial and editorial independence are also ineligible.
• In each of their two most recent fiscal years:
  • magazine publishers must have published at least two issues (print or online) or posted original content online at least 40 times
  • book publishers must have published at least two eligible books, and at least 50% of published titles must have been Canadian-authored and written by authors who are neither shareholders nor owners of the publishing firm

Media Arts Organizations

• Applicants must pay artists according to fee standards set by the Canadian Artists Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC) or the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA).
• Organizations primarily working in the commercial media industry are ineligible.

Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations

• Applicants must have a multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary mandate. It may specifically refer to two or more artistic disciplines, or to a broader range of disciplines within a multi or interdisciplinary context.

Music Organizations

• For-profit music publishers are ineligible.

Visual Arts Organizations

• Applicants must pay artists according to fee standards set by the Canadian Artists Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC) or the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA).
• They must primarily engage and support contemporary visual artists or arts workers.

To apply

Complete and submit an application in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to do this about two months before the deadline.

Before applying, you must:

• read the Guide to OAC Operating Grants
• read the Guide to OAC Assessment and the Evaluation Rubric – Ontario Arts Operating Fund
• contact the program officer to discuss eligibility and suitability at least two months before the deadline (new applicants only)
• create or update your profile in Nova
• register for an account with CADAC (Canadian Arts Database / Données sur les arts au Canada) (new applicants only)

Your application includes:

• your answers to the application questions
• support material: website (required), online publications and artistic examples (optional)
• financial and statistical information submitted through CADAC
• financial statements for your organization’s last completed year, uploaded to CADAC

Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova.