Equity and inclusion in the arts fund – Seed award category

Equity and inclusion in the arts fund – Seed award category is sponsored by City of Ottawa. Micro-grants designed to reduce barriers and advance artistic expression within Indigenous and equity-seeking communities in Ottawa.

### **Seed funding to grow capacity** Micro-grants for individuals that have faced barriers to equal access, opportunities and resources due to disadvantage, marginalization and discrimination. The application and report are simplified to assist new or emerging artists to apply. Maximum request to this category is $2,000.

Results will be awarded within 2 months of the deadline. Before submitting an application, be sure to read the sections: **Who can apply? ** and **What types of projects or activities will be supported?

** ##### **Upcoming deadlines** The Seed Award has **two** application deadlines per year: * **2026 Seed Award**: May 6, 2026 by 4 PM * **2026 Seed Award**: October 7, 2026 by 4 PM **Changes to programs - Implementation of the Cultural funding policy** On March 26, 2025, Ottawa City Council approved a new Cultural funding policy.

Over the next three years the Cultural funding support unit will implement changes to its programs to align with this policy. **2026 changes include:** * Applicants may submit only**one application per fiscal year**to the Cultural funding support unit’s programs, with the exception of the Capacity building program and the Cultural facilities fund. ### **Who will be evaluating my application?

** Funding will be awarded by a recommendation committee selected from the Equity and inclusion committee and may occasionally include peers from the community. For more information on the Cultural funding support unit’s peer assessment process, visit the Application process and policies section on our webpage. ### **How will projects be selected to receive funding?

** Applications are evaluated for their: * Project contributes to personal artistic growth * Activities that celebrate and/or connect communities * Highlights equity and inclusion * Clear goals and planning To receive funding from this category, you must tell us about your project by answering 6 questions and include information on the budget.

It is recommended that you read the next section on this webpage titled, **Seed award: Application questions and required materials** before you begin the application process. Your answers can be submitted either in writing, audio or video recording through the **online portal**(link is external). **The application will go live two months before the deadline.

** Instructions on how to apply using the Cultural funding support unit portal can be found on our website under Information for applicants. ### **What happens if I don’t get funded? ** The Equity and inclusion in the arts fund is a competitive program which means not all applicants can be funded.

We encourage you to reapply if you are not successful. The assessment committee will be able to provide important feedback that you can use to re-apply to the program. ### **How to share your success story!

**