Accessibility Fund: Project Support

Accessibility Fund: Project Support is sponsored by Ontario Arts Council. This program provides supplementary funds to Deaf- and disability-identifying project grant recipients to help them remove barriers to accessibility they may face while completing their OAC-funded project.

Ontario Arts Council - Accessibility Fund: Project Support en-ca expand to view child pages of 4 expand to view child pages of 3301 Building Audiences and Markets Engaging Communities and Schools Developing Careers and Arts Services expand to view child pages of 3302 expand to view child pages of 3027 Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto General Granting Information expand to view child pages of 3303 Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates Guide to Operating Grants Guide to Project Programs Information in sign language expand to view child pages of 5 Ontario Arts Council Awards Government of Ontario Awards expand to view child pages of 4065 Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts Ontario Arts Foundation Awards and Funds expand to view child pages of 3033 expand to view child pages of 2945 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2023-2028 Alternative Services and Application Processes expand to view child pages of 3756 Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto Public Feedback Form / Complaints Guide to Providing Application Support Would you like to be an OAC peer assessor?

expand to view child pages of 6 expand to view child pages of 18 2026 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards presented to Jennifer Maruno, Miki Sato and Kat Ashley Naomi Skye honoured with 2026 Pauline McGibbon Award expand to view child pages of 6791 Read our February newsletter expand to view child pages of 2956 Share your photos with OAC expand to view child pages of 7 How does the Ontario Arts Council track its work and impact?

Program Evaluation at OAC Impact of the Arts in Ontario expand to view child pages of 3 expand to view child pages of 2761 Public Feedback Form / Complaints Accountability and Governance Building Audiences and Markets Engaging Communities and Schools Developing Careers and Arts Services Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto General Granting Information Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates Guide to Operating Grants Guide to Project Programs Information in sign language Earl Lee receives the 2018 Heinz Unger Award.

(Photo: Jag Gundu/Toronto Symphony Orchestra) Ontario Arts Council Awards Government of Ontario Awards Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts Ontario Arts Foundation Awards and Funds Circus artist Erin Ball delivers an aerial performance during a workshop hosted by the Kingston Arts Council at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning in Kingston.

(Photo: Liz Cooper) Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2023-2028 Alternative Services and Application Processes Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto Public Feedback Form / Complaints Guide to Providing Application Support Would you like to be an OAC peer assessor? A drum circle recording session that was part of the Ancestral Call to Balance project led by Sandra Desjardins.

(Photo: Sandra Desjardins) 2026 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards presented to Jennifer Maruno, Miki Sato and Kat Ashley Naomi Skye honoured with 2026 Pauline McGibbon Award Read our February newsletter Share your photos with OAC A large audience watches a film screening during the Christie Pits Film Festival, part of Toronto Outdoor Picture Show’s Cinematic Cities program.

(Photo: Diana Maclean) How does the Ontario Arts Council track its work and impact? Program Evaluation at OAC Impact of the Arts in Ontario Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue perform during the Ottawa Jazz Festival at Confederation Park.

(Photo: Chris Parker) Public Feedback Form / Complaints Accountability and Governance Winter Holidays 2023-2024 | Vacances d'hiver 2023-2024  Grants Advanced Search Box Home  Grants  Accessibility Fund: Project Support Toll-free in Ontario: ​​​​​1-800-387-0058  Guide to OAC Project Programs  Guide to OAC Assessment  Guide to OAC Support Material  Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates  Recognition Requirements for Project Grant Recipients  Showcase your photos on our website and publications  OAC Geographic Regions Maps (PDF) Accessibility Fund: Project Support View American Sign Language (ASL) version of this page If you have questions about this video or need any information about this page, contact the OAC staff member(s) listed in the "Contact" box.

The program provides supplementary funds to Deaf- and disability-identifying project grant recipients to help them remove barriers to accessibility they may face while completing their OAC-funded project. The 2026-27 program opens in April 2026 and accepts applications on a continuous basis until the program budget is spent.

You may apply to Accessibility Fund: Project Support at any of the following times: while working on a project grant application (before the project grant application deadline) while waiting for the results of a grant application (after the project grant application deadline) after being notified that you have received a project grant, up until the end date of the project You will be notified of the result of your application no later than: eight weeks after you are notified that your associated project grant application was successful (if you applied to Accessibility Fund: Project Support before receiving the project grant) eight weeks after you submit your Accessibility Fund: Project Support application (if you apply to Accessibility Fund: Project Support after receiving the project grant) If your associated project grant application is withdrawn or unsuccessful, your Accessibility Fund: Project Support application will be withdrawn.

You will not receive a separate notification letter for this. Maximum $5,000 per project Due to the number of applications received and the limited funds available, grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested. The OAC will only fund up to 50% per cent of the amount you are awarded in the associated project grant, up to a maximum of $5,000.

individuals who identify as Deaf or as having a disability ad hoc groups and collectives with one or more members who identify as Deaf or as having a disability incorporated not-for-profit organizations that have a mandate to serve Deaf artists and artists with disabilities and are led by board and/or staff members who identify as Deaf or as having a disability The information you provide in your request will not be used to assess your project grant application and will not be shared with the project program assessors.

Only OAC staff responsible for the administration of the Accessibility Fund and any co-applicants to your application will access this information. The information you provide is confidential and OAC will never identify it publicly with you.

If you are not eligible for Accessibility Fund: Project Support, but would like to make your project accessible to other individuals, such as audience members, workshop participants or learners, you may include accessibility costs in your project application budget.

transportation, including ride sharing, taxi, car rental, public transportation, air and train travel ( with explanation ) equipment rental, including ergonomic equipment, accessible devices technological expenses, including computer hardware rental, accessible software licensed for the duration of the project accessibility equipment, hardware and software purchases of less than $100 counselling services that are directly related to the project sign language interpretation (up to $70 per hour) personal support worker or attendant care (up to $30 per hour) communication supports, including captioning, audio description, communication assistants other expenses related to making a project accessible to the project grant recipient or to other lead artists, collaborators or Elders involved in the project who identify as Deaf or as having a disability Eligible expenses must be related to activities described in your associated project grant application.

Eligible expenses are not limited to the examples listed above. The OAC acknowledges that Deaf and disability-identifying applicants have diverse needs and are best suited to determine what support they require. Please contact OAC’s Accessibility Fund staff to confirm the eligibility of your expenses before submitting your application.

What this program does not fund accessibility supports for your audience members, workshop participants or learners (if possible, include these expenses in the budget of your associated project grant application) major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment support for writing an OAC application or final report (contact OAC staff to find out how to request this) Ongoing expenses that are not directly related to the project, such as: customized meals, specific food, dietary supplements, specific diet-related meals counselling services that are ongoing or that are not directly related to the project Accessibility Fund: Project Support covers expenses that are needed at any point during the funded project.

For example: if your project covers the creation of new works, you may request Project Support funds to assist you during the creation process if your project covers the rehearsal and production of a play, you may request Project Support funds to assist you throughout the rehearsal process, the production process, or both For eligible project start and end dates, refer to the web page of the project program.

Final report requirements If you receive a grant, you must complete the project and submit a final report in Nova . See Terms and Conditions – receipt of OAC project grant funds for more information on reporting obligations.

In your final report you will need to provide: a description of how the accessibility funds were used feedback on the Accessibility Fund: Project Support or the accessibility of OAC’s services a final expense breakdown Complete and submit an application in Nova , OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to do this approximately two months before the deadline.

Before applying, you must: create or update your profile in Nova have a project grant application in one of the following statuses: Draft, Submitted, Under Review, Awarded To start an application in Nova: open the project grant application that your accessibility expenses relate to go to the Accessibility Fund section click the Request Project Accessibility Support button Your application will include: Important - a description of the barriers to accessibility that you and/or members of your organization, ad hoc group or collective will experience in completing the project, and how the funds you are requesting will remove them (maximum 250 words) a breakdown of accessibility expenses support documents: quotes for services (optional) Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova .

For details on creating a profile or submitting an application in Nova , see the Nova User Guide . Program-specific definitions Deaf artists : The OAC identifies Deaf artists as distinct from artists with disabilities based on the Canadian Hearing Society’s definition of “Culturally Deaf,” a term that refers to individuals who identify with and participate in the language, culture, and community of Deaf people.

Artists with disabilities : The OAC identifies artists with disabilities as people who have physical, mental or learning conditions with long-term, temporary or varying effects that may or may not be apparent. Associated project grant : This grant is based the amount you receive in another OAC project program, that is associated with your application for project support.

Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming 121 Bloor Street East, 7th Floor For more than 60 years, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians. The OAC reached 27. 4 million people through events and arts education activities across the province in 2021-22.

In 2024-25 , OAC invested its grant program budget of $52. 2 million in 204 communities across 123 Ontario ridings, providing 1,969 grants to individual artists and 1,030 grants to organizations.