2016 Guidelines

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM AT:

WWW.ARTS.ON.CA/PAGE127.ASPX

Compass
APPLICATION DEADLINES: March 1, 2016 (categories 1, 2 & 3);
July 5, 2016 (categories 1, 2 & 4); November 1, 2016 (categories 1, 2 & 3)
We will only accept applications postmarked by Canada Post or a courier company not later
than the deadline date.
NEW

We accept applications hand delivered to our office until 5:00 p.m. on the deadline.
Please note: if you are applying to any of the above deadlines for categories 1, 2 and 3, the
activity of your project cannot be started before the application deadline date or completed
before the results of this competition are announced. If you are applying for category 4, the
activity of your project cannot be started before the results of this competition are announced.
Applicants will be notified of the results 3 months after each application deadline (Categories 1,
2 and 4) or 2 months after each application deadline (Category 3).
WEVE MOVED!
NEW ADDRESS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016
Ontario Arts Council
121 Bloor Street East, 7th Floor
Toronto ON M4W 3M5
CONTACT INFORMATION
Lizzy Braoudakis, Program Administrator
416-961-1660 / Toll-free in Ontario 1-800-387-0058
Ext 7412
lbraoudakis@arts.on.ca
For information about OACs Accessibility Standards for Service to the Public Policy, please
refer to the OAC website www.arts.on.ca/Page3616.aspx.
CE DOCUMENT EXISTE GALEMENT EN FRANAIS.
The OAC is committed to providing services in French according to the requirements of the
French Language Services Act.

OACs Mandate and Vision

MANDATE
OACs mandate is to foster the creation and production of art for the benefit of all
Ontarians.
VISION
We envision an Ontario where:

people of all ages and communities experience, feel connected to and value the
arts

the arts sector is resilient and healthy

the arts reflect the diversity of stories of all of Ontarios people and communities

Ontario artists and arts organizations are recognized locally, nationally and
internationally for their work

Program Objective
The objective of the Compass program is to assist arts managers with professional
development projects, and to assist arts organizations with organizational development
projects, to help build administrative and management capacity in the arts.
In all categories of the Compass program, OAC will contribute 100% of the costs of some
projects.
TYPES OF GRANTS IN THIS PROGRAM
CATEGORY 1 - ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Organizations may apply for funds to pay specialists fees to experts who have relevant
management knowledge and experience. Specialists need not be Ontario-based. OAC will
contribute up to a maximum of $500 a day for specialists fees. For out-of-town consultants,
expenses can include transportation, accommodation and per diem costs to a maximum
of $40/day per diem and $0.40/kilometre driving reimbursement (Ontario government
rates).
Additional costs, such as administration of the project, are only eligible in the case of
collaborative projects by two or more organizations.
N.B. If the specialists fee is expressed on an hourly basis, rather than daily, please
ensure that your budget converts the fee to a daily fee, at no less than six hours per
day.
CATEGORY 2 - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ARTS MANAGERS
An individual arts manager, or an arts organization employing the manager, may apply for
funds to support the development of management skills through mentoring, coaching or
job shadowing. Professional development projects should be self-defined as appropriate for
the arts manager and the mentor/coach; the schedule may be either continuous or spaced
over a longer period. The activity can occur in Ontario or outside the province. The mentor
or coach need not be Ontario-based.
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OAC will contribute:

Up to $500 a day for fees paid to a coach, plus expenses for out of town coaches;
expenses can include transportation, accommodation and per diem costs to a
maximum of $40/day per diem and $0.40/kilometre driving reimbursement (Ontario
government rates)

Job shadowing project fees of up to $600 in living expenses for the person
shadowing (maximum 5 weeks) and up to $200 a week as an honorarium for the
person being shadowed (maximum 5 weeks).

Appropriate fees for other forms of mentoring, not to exceed $500 a day.
Travel, accommodation and per diem costs for these projects, to a maximum of
$40/day per diem and $0.40/kilometre driving reimbursement (Ontario government
rates)

N.B. If the coachs or mentors fee is expressed on an hourly basis, rather than daily,
please ensure that your budget converts the fee to a daily fee, at no less than six
hours per day.
CATEGORY 3 MICRO GRANTS: PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT FOR ARTS MANAGERS
An individual arts manager may apply for micro grants to support formal training in any area
of management skills.
OAC will contribute:

Registration costs for courses, seminars, workshops and conferences for relevant
arts management disciplines

Travel, accommodation and per diem costs for these projects, to a maximum of
$40/day per diem and $0.40/kilometre driving reimbursement (Ontario government
rates)

The maximum grant is $1,000.

Northern applicants (residents of one of the three Northern regions of Ontario) are
eligible for a travel supplement of up to $500, based on projected costs.

CATEGORY 4 ARTS MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIPS

Arts organizations that receive operating funding from OAC may apply for grants to host an
arts management intern. Interns will be Aboriginal arts managers, arts managers of colour
and arts managers who are Deaf and/or have a disability.
The organization applies for and receives the grant, but the interns desired learning and
reasons for choosing the organization are the most important element of the application.
OAC will contribute:

Up to $30,000 for the salary costs of a full-time, year-long internship; shorter or parttime internships will be eligible pro-rated.

The arts organization contributes:

All employer statutory benefits

Additional costs for conferences, workshops, etc. if the organization proposes them
as part of the internship.
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Eligibility
INDIVIDUALS
To be eligible for OAC project funding, you must:

be an arts professional who practices as an arts manager

The OAC defines an arts professional as someone who has developed skills
through training or practice, is recognized by others working in the same artistic
tradition, has a history of supporting public presentation or publication, seeks
payment for her or his work and, actively practices. Short breaks in work history
are allowed.

be a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada, or have an application

pending for Permanent Resident status and, if requested, be able to provide
documentation to verify this.

AND

be a resident of Ontario who has lived in Ontario for a minimum of one year prior to
making a grant application,

have a permanent physical address in Ontario, and

live in Ontario no less than eight months a year.
If requested, you must be able to provide one or more of the following documents to
verify your residency status:

an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card

an Ontario drivers licence

other documentation to validate your residency

If you do not produce this documentation upon request, you are ineligible.
ABSENCES FROM ONTARIO
In some circumstances, you may be eligible to apply to OAC while you are temporarily
absent from Ontario (e.g. for an educational or artistic opportunity). Your absence must be
no more than one year and not recurring. You must maintain your permanent physical
address in Ontario, and you cannot apply for support from the jurisdiction of your temporary
residence.
Eligible arts managers include those working for an organization eligible for OAC funding;
as an arts manager operating a shared management entity; or as an independent arts
manager serving a number of arts organizations.
AD HOC GROUPS OR COL LECTIVES
Ad hoc groups or collectives are made up of two or more individuals or groups/
organizations that come together for a one-time project (ad hoc group) or have ongoing
activity (collective).
To be eligible for OAC project funding, your ad hoc group or collective must:

have professional artistic direction,

be mostly composed of professional artists or arts professionals,
have at least 50% of its members residing in Ontario,
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not be an incorporated company,

have a permanent physical address in Ontario,
operate on a not-for-profit basis,
be able to provide documentation to verify this, if requested.

If successful, a cheque will be issued in the name of the ad hoc group or collective.
NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
To be eligible for OAC project funding, the organization must:

be incorporated in Ontario or federally,

have a head office in Ontario,
be governed by a volunteer board of directors or an advisory board,
be able to provide documentation to verify this, if requested.

FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
To be eligible for OAC project funding, the organization must:

be an Ontario-based, Canadian-owned book or periodical publisher eligible for

funding in OACs publishing programs,

have a head office in Ontario,

be able to provide documentation to verify this, if requested.

COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES OR MUNIC IPALIT IES

To be eligible for OAC project funding, the organization must:

be Ontario-based,

be able to provide documentation to verify this, if requested.

present/produce professional artists, arts professionals and/or arts groups/

collectives and/or organizations,

RESTRICTIONS
You are not eligible to apply to any OAC program if you have an overdue or submitted
but unapproved final report in any OAC grant program.
You may only apply for one grant per deadline.
You may receive more than one OAC project grant provided each grant is for a different
activity.
NEW

Individuals, ad hoc groups, collectives and incorporated organizations that do not receive
OAC operating funding are eligible to receive up to three project grants per calendar year.
If you submit three project program applications during the year, you cannot submit a fourth
until you have received notification that one of your applications has not been successful.
If you have already received one project grant in a given year, you may apply for only two
other project grants at a time; if you have already received two project grants in a given
year, you may apply for only one other project grant at a time.

Multiple grants in a third party recommender program received in a year count as one
grant. Third party recommender programs are: Aboriginal Artists Materials and Supplies
Assistance (AAMSA); Exhibition Assistance; Theatre Creators Reserve; Writers Reserve.
Multiple grants received from the Aboriginal Artists in Schools and Artists in Education
programs (Mentorship Initiative, Travel) in one year count as one grant.
The Creative Engagement Fund to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment in Ontario is an
exception grants given under this fund do not count as OAC grants.
Operating grant recipients may receive a maximum of two project grants in a calendar year.
Check operating program guidelines for more information.
PROGRAM-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
In order to apply to the Compass program you must:

For organizations, be eligible to apply to another OAC granting program for

programming activity.

Successful applicants to Category 3 Micro grants: Professional advancement for

arts managers, may not apply again for one year.

Interns funded through Category 4 Arts Management Internships may only be

an intern through this program once.

Activity in this Program

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY
The program helps organizations increase their effectiveness, and helps arts managers
develop skills in arts leadership/arts management.
Arts managers in both administrative and artistic leadership positions may apply for
professional development projects. Artistic leaders may only apply to develop management
skills, not skills as an artist.
Planning activity in any of the following areas is eligible. The list is illustrative, not inclusive:

Artistic planning
Artistic direction

Human resources management

Marketing

Arts education
Audience development

Organizational transformation
Outreach

Board development/governance
Change management

Public relations/communications
Revenue development strategies

Crisis management/intervention
Developing partnerships

Strategic and business planning

Sustainability

Financial management
Fundraising

Technology development strategies

Collaborative projects among two or more organizations (for either organizational

development or professional development) or among one or more arts managers (for
professional development) is also eligible
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITY
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The following are not eligible:

Implementation of organizational development activities

Events or activities that are started before the results of this competition are
announced for Category 4

Graduate or post-graduate studies in arts management

Fundraising activities

Events or activities that take place before the application deadline

Events or activities that are started before the deadline date or completed before
the results of this competition are announced for Categories 1, 2 and 3

Architectural and engineering feasibility studies

Arts-focused projects those that focus on artistic development, rather than
management or administrative development.

Capital expenses

Grant Amounts
There are no maximum or minimum grant levels for Categories 1 and 2. For examples of
recipients and sizes of grants funded recently, please see the Results Announcement
section of the OAC website.
If the specialists, mentors or coachs fees are higher than the stated maximum, it is your
responsibility to cover the difference.
The maximum grant in Category 3 is $1,000, plus a potential travel supplement for
Northern applicants.
The standard grant in Category 4 is $30,000; pro-rated amounts for internships of less than
12 months or for part-time internships can be applied for.
Due to the number of applications we receive and the limited funds that are available,
grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested.

Support for Deaf Persons or Persons with Disabilities

Funding is available for Deaf persons or persons with disabilities who need support to
complete an application. Contact the program office as soon as possible to request
support.
Individual applicants who are Deaf or who have a disability, or ad hoc groups or collectives
with members who are Deaf or who have a disability, may request additional accessibility
expenses to realize the project (for example, sign language interpretation, personal
attendant). Please include this amount on the Application Summary. The requested
supplementary funds are over and above your grant request amount.
Note: Deaf persons or persons with disabilities includes people who have physical, mental
or learning conditions with long-term, temporary or varying effects that may be apparent or
not.

Assessment and Decision Making Process

HOW APPLICATIONS ARE ASSESSED
All applications in Categories 1, 2 and 4 are assessed by a jury made up of arts
professionals. A new jury is formed at each deadline.
Applications in Category 3 are assessed by a group of OAC officers.
In programs outside the Francophone Arts Office, advisory panels and juries are held in
English. If there are French-language applications in those competitions, at least one
advisor/juror is francophone. If a competition receives enough French-language
applications, a separate meeting with francophone advisors/jurors is convened.
Jurors decide on grant recipients and amounts.
The membership of a jury reflects the diversity of the applicants applying for grants, as well
as OACs priority groups.
The OAC encourages individuals from the community to serve on advisory panels and
juries.
If you or someone you know is interested, please submit names to the OAC on the
Recommended Juror/Advisor Form at any time. The form is available on the OAC website
at www.arts.on.ca/Page19.aspx. Please email this completed form and the rsum to
jurors@arts.on.ca.
OACS PRIORITY GROUP S IN ASSESSMENT
OAC is committed through its strategic plan Vital Arts and Public Value, to ensuring
equitable access for all Ontarians, with particular emphasis on the following priority
groups:

Aboriginal artists1
artists and arts organizations located in regions across Ontario2
artists of colour3
Deaf artists and artists with disabilities4
francophone artists5
new generation artists (18-30 years old)

Jurors and advisors are asked to consider these groups when reading applications and
making funding decisions, taking into account the context of applicants who are members
of priority groups.
Some of these priority groups have a unique history, identity and status in Canada, some
have faced historical and/or systemic barriers, others reflect OACs province-wide mandate
and all are essential to the future of the arts sector.
1

Aboriginal means Status and Non-Status, Mtis and Inuit people.

Region means outside Toronto. Toronto postal codes begin with M.
3 OACs definition of the term artists of colour is based on the Government of Canadas definition of visible minorities,
which is persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.
4 OACs definition of Deaf artists or artists with disabilities includes people who have physical, mental or learning
conditions with long-term, temporary or varying effects that may be apparent or not.
5 Francophone is based on the Government of Ontarios Inclusive Definition of Francophone (IDF), which includes those
persons whose mother tongue is French, plus those whose mother tongue is neither French nor English but have a
particular knowledge of French as an Official Language and use French at home.
2

OAC acknowledges that there are other population groups in Ontario that face barriers.
However, we believe that the priority groups identified above are the appropriate ones for
OAC to focus on at this time.
For more information on the strategic plan, refer to www.arts.on.ca/Page525.aspx.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The OAC requires jurors and advisors to keep all information about an application
confidential. This includes the contents of applications and discussions during
meetings.
Names of jurors or advisors are released with grant results following each program
competition.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
OAC officers do not choose jurors/advisors in direct conflict of interest with applications
being assessed. If a direct conflict of interest becomes apparent, the officer will ask the
juror/advisor to withdraw from the jury/advisory panel. Indirect conflicts of interest are
managed by a standard OAC procedure. For more information see Guide for Advisors and
Jurors on the OAC website at www.arts.on.ca/Page19.aspx.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ADVISOR OR JUROR
Before they meet to discuss the applications, the advisors/jurors become familiar with the
program, its assessment criteria (below), and the OACs strategic priorities and priority
groups. They read all of the applications and the written support material. At the meeting,
the advisors/jurors review any audio-visual support material, discuss the applications and
rank them, using their knowledge and expertise in a group decision-making environment.
The final decisions depend on the OACs strategic priorities and priority groups, the range
and number of applications in the program and the program budget.

How Funding Decisions Are Made

CATEGORY 1 & 2:
Merit based on

Answers to the questions in the Merit section of the Project Description

CVs and bios of applicants and specialists / mentors etc.

Impact based on

Answers to the questions in the Impact section of the Project Description

Viability based on

Answers to the questions in the Viability section of the Project Description

Budget
CVs and bios of applicants and specialists / mentors etc.

CATEGORY 3:
Merit based on

Answers to the questions in the Merit section of the Project Description

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CVs and bios of applicants and details of course / seminar / workshop etc.

Impact based on

Answers to the questions in the Impact section of the Project Description

Viability based on

Answers to the questions in the Viability section of the Project Description

Budget
CVs and bios of applicants and details of course / seminar / workshop etc.

CATEGORY 4:
Merit based on

Answers to the questions in the Merit section of the Project Description

CVs and bios of applicants and mentors / trainers, and details of the proposed
internship

Impact based on

Answers to the questions in the Impact section of the Project Description

Statement from the intern

Viability based on

Answers to the questions in the Viability section of the Project Description

Budget
CVs and bios of applicants and mentors / trainers, and details of the proposed
internship

The budget is an important part in the assessment of the viability of the project. Please be
realistic when you prepare your budget. The total revenues and total expenses must
balance.

Finding Out About a Grant Decision

In Categories 1, 2 and 4, you will be notified in writing approximately three months after the
application deadline of whether you receive a grant or not, and in Category 3 you will be
notified approximately two months after the deadline. We do not give grant results by
telephone or email, so please do not call us or email us for this information. The program
officer can provide limited feedback.

If You Get a Grant

If you receive a grant you must acknowledge OACs support by placing the OAC logo on all
printed promotional material and house programs.
At the completion of your project, you must submit a Final Report summarizing the activities
for your project and any changes that took place.
This report is due 3 months after the project end date.
If you do not submit a final report, the OAC may require you to repay the grant. You, your
organization or your group will be ineligible to submit future applications to any OAC
program or receive further grant payments from the OAC until the grant is repaid or an
acceptable report is submitted.

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SAFE PROGRAMMI NG REQUIREMENTS

If you, your co-applicant, ad hoc group/collective or organization is engaged in direct
delivery of programming to vulnerable members of society, you must obtain a vulnerable
sector screening for each person involved in this programming before beginning your
activity. Vulnerable members of society are defined in the Criminal Records Act as persons
who, because of age, disability or other circumstances, whether temporary or permanent
are:

in a position of dependence on others, or

otherwise at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person
in a position of authority or trust relative to them.

You may be asked to produce a certified criminal record check or vulnerable sector check
by schools, community organizations and the Ontario Arts Council. You should have this
document in your possession at all times when working in schools and in communities.
Depending on where you live, a certified criminal record check or vulnerable sector check
may take several weeks to process. Contact your local police department or the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police to start this process.
For more information about Protecting Vulnerable People, please click on the following link:
www.arts.on.ca/Page4053.aspx

First-time Applicants to OAC

If this is your first grant application to OAC, or you want to check your eligibility, or you want
to review the application process, please contact the OAC. Because we receive so many
telephone calls in the weeks before the deadline, please call with your queries as far in
advance as possible.
If you are Deaf or a person with a disability and require accommodation please be aware
that OAC may need advance notice to provide certain alternative formats and additional
support in order for applicants to submit their application at the program deadline date.
Please contact the program office as soon as possible to discuss options.
A current application form may be downloaded from the OAC website. For a paper copy to
be mailed to you, contact us at 416-961-1660, toll-free in Ontario at 1-800-387-0058 or
info@arts.on.ca.
We do not send application forms by fax or email.
If you are a first time applicant to OAC or are unsure whether your project fits with
this or other OAC programs, contact:
Janice Lambrakos, Information Services Coordinator
1-800-387-0058 ext. 7429 / 416-969-7429, jlambrakos@arts.on.ca

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