SCCIP Sustaining Funding

Core Funding Program

Applications for 2020 are now CLOSED. 

The Core Program is intended for St. Catharines-based, established professional non-profit arts organizations with a mission to develop, create, produce, present and disseminate artistic work in any artistic discipline.

The program is for organizations that have a clear and relevant mission guided by long-term goals and strategies. They have been incorporated for at least five (5) years, have well-established programs and services, developed and delivered with consistency. They are artistically strong with proven impact in the community. There is full-time paid professional leadership (artistic and/or administrative), well-developed administrative structures, stable financial resources and planning, and an active Board of Directors with a clear governance role.

Recipients are ineligible for any other SCCIP program stream, with the exception of the Culture Days Activity Program. Capital requirements or festival activities may be considered for additional investment through this program.

In addition to the General Eligibility requirements, Core Program applicants must:

• be in existence for at least five (5) years, must operate on a year-round basis and be a Federally or Provincially incorporated not-for-profit;
• have full-time paid professional artistic, curatorial and/or administrative staff;
• have operating revenues of no less than $250,000 per year;
• produce a full season of programming as per industry standards;
• have significant resources that serve the local arts sector (i.e. facility, equipment, and people);
• pay principal artistic contributors for their services in accordance with professional industry standards.

For more information, please download the Program Guidelines:

Download the 2019 Sustaining - Core Guidelines  (PDF)

Midsized Funding Program

Applications for 2020 are now CLOSED.

Intended for St. Catharines-based, professional non-profit arts organizations that have a mission to develop, create, produce, present and disseminate artistic work in any artistic discipline. They have been incorporated for at least two (2) years, have impactful annual programs or services that are delivered with consistency and are artistically strong. There is paid professional leadership, developing and/or stabilizing administrative structures and financial resources, emerging long-term planning, and an engaged Board of Directors.

In addition to the General Eligibility requirements, Midsized Program applicants must:

• be in existence for at least two (2) years and be a Federally or Provincially incorporated not-for-profit;
• have ongoing paid professional artistic, curatorial and/or administrative staff;
• produce a minimum of three (3) public activities per year;
• have operating revenues of no less than $30,000 per year;
• pay principal artistic contributors for their services in accordance with professional industry standards.

For more information, please download the Program Guidelines:

Download the 2019 Sustaining - Midsized Guidelines (PDF) 

Festival Funding Program

Applications for 2020 are now CLOSED.

Intended for professional festivals that generate cultural tourism and/or significant economic impact, and contribute to the cultural vitality and diversity of St. Catharines. The festival has been produced at least two (2) times and offers unique programming which includes a significant component that takes place in St. Catharines. The festival attracts audiences from within and beyond Niagara, and engages local artists and businesses in festival activities. Festival operations are professionally managed with paid staff resources and/or a dedicated volunteer management team. There is evidence of effective marketing and business planning, stabilizing administrative structures and financial resources, grant support from other government sources and an engaged Board of Directors.

In addition to the General Eligibility requirements, Festival Program applicants must:

• be in existence for a minimum of two (2) years and be a federally or provincially incorporated not-for-profit organization or; a non-incorporated organization that confirms it operates on a not-for-profit basis;
• meet the definition of a festival (see Glossary of Terms) and provide programming or services that are continuous, open and or otherwise accessible to the public;
• have paid staff and/or a contracted festival coordinator and/or a dedicated volunteer management team;
• have completed two (2) successful festivals prior to application;
• pay principal artistic contributors for their services in accordance with professional industry standards;
• have a revenue base of no less than $30,000 and be an applicant for festival funding from other government sources such as Niagara Investment in Culture, Celebrate Ontario or the Department of Canadian Heritage Festival Program.

Eligibility Exception to Festival Program

Should a club, community centre, social service, religious or sports organization have a significant festival that substantially engages broader audiences and meets all other program eligibility criteria, they may be eligible to apply. The festival cannot be a fundraiser.

Download the 2019 Festival Program Guidelines (PDF)