everything you need to access the arts
Invent & Adapt
Deadline: 11:59 AM (noon) on September 3, 2024
Program overview
Invent & Adapt offers tools, resources, consultation, and potentially one-time funding, to foster lasting improvement to processes or actions so that organizations emerge better positioned to fulfill their mandates. This is not a linear process from application to funding. This collection of resources is intended to support organizations as they strive to fulfill their mandates, which may include a financial investment.
The City of Edmonton’s Connections & Exchanges cultural plan strives for “a thriving and well-funded arts and heritage ecosystem.” Progress towards this ambition can be demonstrated in part through the strength, competency and effectiveness of Edmonton’s arts organizations. Arts organizations should display best practices in governance, assessment, logistics and the use of technology.
Resources for organizations
Not every organization will need Invent & Adapt funding to further its growth, manage its transition, or implement much needed changes.
The EAC has provided resources and tools to get your organization started on the process of identifying your needs, and where you might be headed.
Online resources
Many governmental, educational, nonprofit and for-profit organizations have developed planning tools and resources that can help you focus your efforts. The following links offer insights into specific forms of change management from reputable organizations.
Additional resources and tools may be available. Please email grants@edmontonarts.ca for access.
The EAC does not manage or formally endorse the resources listed.
Alberta Community Support Network
ACSN offers consultancy services for nonprofit organizations in the metro Edmonton area. Consultancy services include Business Continuity, Financial, Governance, Human Resources and Strategic Planning.
ABNN includes organizations from across Alberta and includes a network of stewards helping to guide the priorities and issues of sector-wide nonprofits. Offers gatherings and panel discussions province-wide, focusing on larger sector-wide issues.
Artist Producer Resource is a free searchable online encyclopedia of information, resources, tools and templates for producing independent performance work in Canada.
ATB Entrepreneur Centre
ATB offers personalized advice, on-demand webinars, and a start-up guide for new businesses. They offer free templates for business plans and cash flow.
Black Business Ventures Association
A non-profit focused on establishing and supporting Black-led and tech-enabled businesses by providing access to training, technology and resources
Business Development Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada’s free assessment tools measure digital maturity, operational efficiency, finance, and more.
Business link
Personalized support for individual artists and organizations seeking business, legal or accounting advice. Courses and workshops available in marketing, human resources. Additional resources are available for immigrant and Indigenous entrepreneurs.
CARFAC Alberta
CARFAC Alberta offers online guides to best practices for craft, media and visual arts professionals including minimum recommended professional fee schedule and copyright considerations.
Centre for Race and Culture
Support individual, collective and systemic change to address racism and discrimination and encourage intercultural understanding. Offer consultation services, educational guides, in-person and online training/workshops.
Community Development Unit Services
Provides free customized capacity building services for non-profit, charitable organizations, social profit organizations, unincorporated collaboratives and committees. Offers online courses, webinars, documents and guides.
Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations
Provides the non-profit sector with resources, supports and tools to ensure ongoing capacity-building within organizations. Delivers the Advancing Organizational Resilience Initiative for Edmonton, a free series of training to support organizations addressing operational issues.
Edmonton Unlimited
Edmonton Unlimited provides programming and resources that Edmonton’s innovators, big thinkers and problem solvers need to turn their ideas into solutions. Online workshops about business models, social impact, and accelerator series.
An accelerator for Indigenous and non-Indigenous entrepreneurs, offers free finance templates and a Business plan writing self-help tool.
Imagine Canada
A national advocacy and service organization that conducts ongoing research and policy development. Offers programs and resources to strengthen non-profit organizations and support the sector, including an accreditation program.
The Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation
Alberta-based arts council dedicated to facilitating the integration of newcomer and immigrant arts professionals. Offers mentorship programs, newcomer programming, artist of the month features, workshops, exhibitions, and meet and greets.
John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
Works to advance dignity, freedom, justice and security through collaborative relationships and transformative education on peace and human rights. Offers a variety of IDEA-focused training, workshops and online resources.
MicroBusiness Training Centre
Provides low-cost access to consulting services on business planning, financial management, strategic management and online management.
Rosza Foundation
Calgary-based private foundation supporting the arts community through training, funding and storytelling support. Focus on administration fundamentals, arts management and arts leadership. Administers the Future Focus Funding program, which is a similar model to the EAC’s Invent & Adapt program
SaskCulture
A non-profit, provincial cultural organization provides a range of programs and services designed to support cultural activity, including organizational supports for risk management, evaluation, governance, volunteer management, non-profit lifecycles, and more.
Primarily serving British Columbia-based non-profits, Vantage Point provides training and capacity-building support in areas of governance, leadership, human resources, strategic planning, and more.
EAC consultation
The Edmonton Arts Council has relationships with, and connections to, a variety of civic resources, not-for-profit agencies and for-profit consultants, and may utilize these to assist organizations receive expertise as needed based on the organization’s specific goals.
Before reaching out to the EAC for access to these resources, we encourage you to complete a self-assessment or other reflective process on your organizational resilience, capacity and/or maturity and be prepared to discuss your results. The process you undertake will be led by your organization according to your specific needs, with support from the EAC or external resources if required.
If the information and planning tools provided haven’t answered all your organization’s questions, you may reach out to EAC staff for guidance on the changes you are considering. EAC staff can assist in identifying necessary expertise, either institutional or individual, sometimes at a reduced rate.
To speak with an EAC representative about your needs, please email us at grants@edmontonarts.ca. It is always useful to us to understand the status of your planning process.
Funding
Through the Invent & Adapt program, the EAC invests in organizations that are preparing, planning, and implementing work that is centered on reimagining and retooling an organization’s future, and/or addressing the needs of Edmonton’s various arts networks and disciplinary capacities. Following a self-assessment process, applicant organizations may determine that an one-time grant (up to $30,000) is required to manage these organizational transitions.
Applications are completed in our SmartSimple grants portal.