To be eligible to receive Operating funding, an applicant must: 

• Be a registered, non-profit organization that has a primary mandate and operational objective focused on the arts. Mandates can relate to artistic creation, production, presentation, the support of sectors or artistic disciplines in the Edmonton arts community, promote active participation in art making, and/​or other objectives and actions that enable innovation and build resilience in the arts sector. 
• Have a legal address, and have the addresses of 50% or more of the members of the board of directors, in one of these five communities: 
  • City of Edmonton 
  • Alexander First Nation 
  • Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation 
  • Enoch Cree Nation 
  • Paul First Nation 

The board listing uploaded in the Organization profile in SmartSimple must include contact information for all board members. 

• Have a significant portion of its activities occurring within one or more of the five communities listed above, for the benefit of their residents. 
• Have received funding through either of the EAC’s Operating or Programming investments in the previous two years. 
• Have a record of activity that shows ongoing pursuit of arts mandates. 
• Conduct their activities on a regular, recurring basis. 
• Be in good standing with the City of Edmonton. 
• Maintain up-to-date information and documentation in their organizational profile in the EAC online portal. 

WHAT IS NOT ELIGIBLE? 

Operating Investments will not be considered for: 

• Organizations that receive Edmonton Arts Council Programming funding (an organization may apply to only one of the Programming or Operating programs each year). 
• Organizations receiving operating funds from the City of Edmonton, or civic agency. 
• Organizations focused on education, religious outcomes, competitions, demonstrations, street markets, capital construction development, or fundraising. 
• Organizations in arrears with the City of Edmonton. 
• Organizations with overdue Edmonton Arts Council reports.

Organizations not eligible for Operating funding may be eligible for other EAC programs, such as Programming funding or project grant programs. Moving between Operating and Programming funding is not likely to result in a significant change to an organization’s investment amount. 

In alignment with the Investment Framework and Funding Strategy approved by the EAC Board of Directors, our guidelines have been refined to provide clarity to applicants. 

APPLICATION FOCUS AREAS 

You may notice some adjustments to the specific questions in the revised application, our overall focus remains on understanding the impact your organization has on artforms, artists, audiences, and the community: 

• Your Organization’s Mandate: How do your activities support your mission to advance an artform, particularly in relation to the arts? 
• Support for Artists and Arts Workers: In what ways does your organization support the artists and arts professionals involved in your activities? 
• Merit of Arts Services and Activities: What is the quality and impact of your arts programming within Edmonton? 
• Benefit to Edmonton: How do your activities contribute to the cultural vibrancy and well-being of the Edmonton community? 

The deadline for submissions is December 1 by 11:59 am.

Please note, the deadline is now 11:59 AM, not PM. Late applications or those that do not include all required information will be considered incomplete and will not be assessed. 

You must apply through the EAC’s online portal SmartSimple: 

Organizations seeking Operating funding must register in the Edmonton Arts Council online portal (eac​.smart​sim​ple​.ca). Registration is a required step that gathers organization information, including basic categorization of mandates and activities. Registration does not guarantee support from the EAC. 

Organizations that have completed their profile at eac.smart sim​ple​.ca prior to October 1^st and which were deemed eligible will have access under the ​“Open Opportunities” icon to an Operating 2025 application in mid-October.

For technical support needs, email support@​edmontonarts.​ca or call 780−424−2787. If this is your first application to this program, we encourage you to contact us at grants@​edmontonarts.​ca.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Once an Operating application is submitted, EAC staff internally review the submission for eligibility and completion.

A peer assessment panel will provide evaluation, context, and recommendations to the EAC.

The submitted application and the program guidelines are the primary source of information peer assessors use to evaluate the organization’s work and impact. Following assessment, EAC staff summarize all relevant information when presenting investment recommendations for approval. Decisions made through this process are final.

FUNDING PRIORITIES

In accordance with the EAC’s 2025 – 2027 funding priorities, an organization seeking an increase from previous funding levels must demonstrate alignment and activities with one or more of the following priorities:

• Demonstrated commitment to the fair and professional payment of Edmonton artists and arts workers.
• Effective pursuit of their primary mandate(s) to support, engage, produce, or present work by and for Indigenous communities and/​or equity-seeking groups.
• Provision of accessible or low-cost public programming to a wide range of Edmontonians, for example by presenting a free festival event or activities.
• Effective operational management of Edmonton arts facilities, that are accessible and available for the use of multiple artists, audiences, and communities.

For technical support with the SmartSimple application, email support@​edmontonarts.​ca or call 780−424−2787. If this is your first application to this program, we encourage you to contact us at grants@​edmontonarts.​ca.

INVESTMENT AMOUNTS

Operating funding will normally represent a modest fraction of a recipient’s arts-related expenditures from the prior year. Applicants should expect funding levels to align with their recent history of investment from the Edmonton Arts Council. 

EXPECTATIONS

Organizations seeking Operating funding will provide information about: 

• Their goals and activities. 
• The people who lead the organization’s work. 
• How the organization defines success and assesses its own work. 
• Their organizational structure, including governance and management. 
• Their approach to equity, inclusion, diversity, and Indigenous participation. 
• A list of key dates for the coming fiscal year, as defined by the organization. 
• Financial and statistical data from their most recently completed year, and financial data about both the current fiscal year and the year for which funding is sought. 

Organizations that are supported by the Edmonton Arts Council must maintain a healthy environment that supports everyone’s dignity, their ability to do their work, and their safe participation in programming and activity. At minimum, this means following all applicable employment standards, occupational health and safety regulations, and human rights legislation. 

USE OF INFORMATION 

Information is gathered in the online portal to guide the EAC towards methods of engagement and information sharing based on the relevant assessment criteria. It contributes to: 

• An understanding of the organization, and its role within the arts ecosystem. 
• An understanding of the community at large. 
• Measurement of statistical and financial impact. 
• Assessments and evaluations. 

The EAC and peer assessors will use information in the application and the organization profile to better understand the applicant seeking funding. The EAC may use all available information about any one organization and the ecosystem to guide internal decision-making such as investment amounts. 

This may include sharing information to coordinate programs with other funding bodies, to assist with research, reporting, program evaluation, or to provide networking and economic opportunities for the intended benefit of the organization and community. 

When research is published, individually identifiable or protected data not otherwise publicly available will be anonymized. 

The EAC uses qualitative and quantitative information from the application, alongside documents provided in the Organization Profile in SmartSimple to gauge an organization’s impact on its artform, artists, audiences and on Edmonton. 

IMPACT ON ARTFORM THROUGH ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE 

To what extent do the organization’s activities and structure support its artistic goals? 

• Does the activity described align with the organization’s stated mandate and goals? 
• What evidence is provided to demonstrate the organization is consistent in its pursuit of stated policies or goals to advance an artform through integration of other artistic disciplines, themes, technology, social issues, IDEA and/​or Indigenous perspectives? 
• Does the leadership have the experience and skills required to meet the organization’s goals? 
• Are financial, physical and human resources allocated in such a way as to support the organization’s priorities? 

IMPACT ON ARTISTS 

To assess impact on artists, applicants are asked to describe the extent to which their activities support developing the artists and arts workers involved. Assessors will determine: 

• Are the rates of compensation appropriate to community norms or standard fee schedules, the organization’s mandate, and the expectations of the individuals involved? 
• What evidence is there of a positive work environment associated with the organization? 
• What evidence is there of policies, procedures and financial resources in place to foreground individuals and support their professional development? 
• What evidence is provided that outward activities of the organization are directed toward providing services for or support of artists and arts workers? 

IMPACT ON AUDIENCES 

To assess the impact on audiences, applicants are asked to describe the extent to which their activities provide access to a high standard of arts programming for Edmontonians. Assessors will determine: 

• How do participants, audiences or attendees demonstrate their enjoyment of the experience? 
• In what numbers are Edmontonians engaging with the organization’s activities? 
• What is the organization doing to mitigate barriers to participation that Edmontonians face when accessing its programming? 
• What is the organization doing to maintain engagement and conversation with individuals who participate in its activities? 

IMPACT ON COMMUNITY 

To assess the organization’s community impact, applicants are asked to describe the extent to which their activities benefit Edmontonians and the Edmonton as a whole. Assessors will determine: 

To what extent is the organization’s arts activity and work engaging Edmontonians? 

• What do attendance/​participation statistics, earned revenue from public sources, and social media participation suggest about public engagement? 
• What do patrons, reviewers and others in the community say about the organization’s activity? Do people like what the organization does? 
• Is the organization taking concrete action to prioritize accessibility and ensure that physical, cultural and financial barriers to participation are minimized? 

How do the organization’s activities benefit Edmonton as a whole? 

• How does the artistic activity and work it has described address topics relevant to Edmontonians? 
• What goals does the organization have to work sustainably with individuals, organizations and its physical environment? 
• How is the organization connecting and collaborating with other members of diverse, marginalized, or racialized communities? 

FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL INFORMATION 

All organizations seeking and receiving Operating investments will provide specific financial and statistical data. If annual financial documentation or statistical information is not complete at the time of application, it may delay or interrupt any funding relationship with the EAC. 

Organizations that conduct more than 15% of their activity outside of the City of Edmonton will be asked to separate out their Edmonton-based expenses and statistical information when reporting. 

Larger or more complex organizations may be required to use the Canadian Arts Database / Donées sur les arts au Canada (CADAC) system, which shares information amongst multiple funders including the EAC. Those that do not use CADAC will use the parallel financial and statistical template found in the online SmartSimple portal. 

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

There may be aspects of your organization’s activities that are not easily captured in text alone. Organizations can provide web links*, PDFs, images, videos or audio files. We encourage you to include materials that will aid assessors in forming a well-rounded perspective of your organization and its work. 

Please be respectful of the assessor’s time and select materials that can be reviewed and understood in about 10 minutes of reading, listening or viewing. If you are providing longer materials, it is useful to guide assessors to specific sections to focus on. 

Do not upload documents already submitted in your organization profile. Do not include web links to sites or social media already provided in your organization profile. 

*Web links may not connect to sites that require a membership (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music) or which log information about visitors (e.g., Google Docs, Dropbox) as not all assessors will have access to these materials. 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF ACCEPTING FUNDING 

Operating funding will be subject to agreements, with expectations outlined in writing and agreed to before the investment is confirmed and provided. This includes reporting, engagement and review. 

Organizations supported by EAC Operating funding are expected to:

• Pursue its arts mandates and objectives. 
• Ensure that its policy documents that define direction such as mission, vision, and values, reflect the current reality of the organization’s aspirations and goals. 
• Take all necessary steps to ensure the legal status and compliance of the organization. This may include but is not limited to: 
  • Abide by any applicable laws and standards, such as labour regulations, health and safety, human rights and privacy legislation, etc. 
  • Maintain an understanding of and adherence to intellectual property standards, including payment to holders of any intellectual property used by the organization in its activities. 
  • Maintain current and accurate reporting to any relevant government agencies and departments including Service Canada, Alberta Registries, and the Canadian Revenue Agency as needed. 
• Take the necessary steps appropriate to the size and scale of the organization to ensure its continuity and survival. This may include but is not limited to: 
  • Maintain appropriate fiscal and human resource management practices. 
  • Maintain appropriate information technology practices to provide a secure work environment protecting its artists, patrons and stakeholders. 
  • Assess insurance needs periodically and ensure adequate protection of/​for the organization’s activities, people, and physical resources. 
  • Plans that address emergencies resulting from natural disaster, mandatory evacuation or other events beyond the control of the organization. 
  • Create, monitor and execute financial plans for the organization that ensure the long-term fiscal viability of the organization and its assets, or conversely that plan for an orderly wrap-up of activities. 
  • Inform the Edmonton Arts Council if any legal, financial, or other circumstances arise that might threaten the status or reputation of the organization. 

The EAC may re-evaluate the relationship with any organization at any time, including funding commitments, based on these expectations.