FAQ

It is important to review the program’s eligibility criteria in the Guidelines. Each funding program has their own set of assessment criteria. First-time applicants are encouraged to contact the Cultural Funding Officer responsible for their discipline to ensure their proposal meets eligibility requirements.

We encourage applicants to set the amount to what they need to fund the project. The City of Ottawa will not fund 100 % of the total cost of the project and the budget must include sources of revenue other than the City’s contribution. We would recommend that you look at our Summary Report Page and see what past recipients have received. 

Beginning of every year, the CFSS publishes a summary of funding results of the previous year on the City of Ottawa’s website that lists the names of all successful funding recipients and their assessors. You can look at our Summary Report Page to see what recipients have received in the past.

All funding recipients are required to submit a final report detailing how they used the funding awarded to them.  Organizations and individuals can only apply for one project at a time and must complete a report before reapplying. The report must be submitted to and approved by the CFSS either:

•  following completion of the funded activities; or

•  twelve months after receipt of the funds; or

•  at the time of subsequent application to the program.

Without a Report approved by the CFSS, you will be deemed ineligible for subsequent funding.

To obtain a reporting form, please contact infoculture@ottawa.ca or call 613-580-2424 ext. 29404.

Program Guidelines, Application and Report forms can be found at ottawa.ca/culturalfunding. You can also contact infoculture@ottawa.ca or call 613-580-2424 ext. 29404.

An applicant’s success in obtaining funding depends upon the peer assessment committee’s final evaluation and the funding available within the program. All funding is subject to the approval of the annual budget by Ottawa City Council. The amount requested is not necessarily the amount awarded and meeting all program eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding.

Assessment committees are convened to evaluate funding submissions according to the assessment criteria. Committee members first review the funding applications independently, then meet as a committee to review the applications and support material together. For each application, the committee establishes the funding priority, and makes funding recommendations. If required, external assessments in specialized areas beyond the range of a particular committee’s expertise are solicited and taken into consideration. All results are final.

The CFSS uses a peer assessment model in the evaluation process that involves professionals who are active within their cultural community. These outside assessors are selected for their recognized expertise within specific fields of related work. Committee members represent the community they are assessing but not any particular group or institution and have an awareness of a broad range of artistic, heritage and/or cultural activity as well as an appreciation of the diversity of the local cultural community.

When forming assessment committees, CFSS strives to create a balanced representation of diversity of content, program and discipline expertise, as well as fair representation of official languages, gender, geographic areas and culture-specific communities.

Peer assessment is a nationally accepted best practice, credible to the arts, heritage, and cultural communities, and has been approved by City Council.

Interested in becoming a juror? Fill out the form on our Call for juror page.