Music

The AFA only accepts applications through Alberta’s Digital Grants Service (DGS). To access DGS and apply for funding, applicants must first register an Alberta.ca Account for Organizations, which enables you to conduct business with the Alberta government on behalf of your organization.

Full details on how to create and manage your Alberta.ca account are available at Alberta.ca Account for Business Use. Once your account has been created, use your Alberta.ca log-in credentials to sign in directly to DGS and submit your application.

Applications must be received through DGS no later than 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on a statutory holiday or a weekend, it will be extended until the next working day. Late applications will not be accepted. 

Applications will be ineligible for consideration if incomplete, or the applicant has overdue or incomplete accounting/reporting related to any grant previously awarded by the AFA or Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women.

What to include in your application:

• Contacts: Includes a primary contact for your application that will be the point of contact for any communications regarding your application or application status.
• Board of Directors: Includes a list of all board members for the applying organization, as well as their position titles, cities, term start dates, phone numbers and emails.
• People: Includes a tallied summary of staff and volunteers engaged by your organization. Does not include artists or artist groups paid for performances, presentations, exhibitions, workshops, etc.
• Artistic Programming: Includes a tallied summary of public programming and events, participating artists and artists fees paid, attendees and program participants, and event revenue (when applicable). Also includes samples of promotional material demonstrating AFA logo recognition requirements.
• Revenue and Expenditures: 
    - Includes a summary of revenues according to earned revenue, net investment income (when applicable), public funding, private sector/fundraising/donations, and other revenues. Revenues must match total revenues as reported on your included financial statements.
    - Includes a summary of expenditures according to artistic programming, facilities, marketing and communications, fundraising, and administration expenses. Expenses must match total expenditures as reported on your included financial statements.
   - Includes a summary of ineligible expenses that will be deducted from your total expenses used to determine your eligible grant request, as outlined in the How will my application be assessed section of the program guidelines.
   - Your organization’s most recent, board-approved annual financial statements. See note below on Acceptable Financial Statements.
• Diligence Questionnaire: Includes brief questions on successes, changes to finances, programming objectives, and changes to banking information (when applicable).
• Planned Activities: Includes a summary of upcoming artistic programming and activities
• Applicant Agreement: All sections of the application must be completed before the agreement can be signed. A user with signing authority for the applying organization must log into DGS to complete this task.

Acceptable financial statements:

For returning applicants, the level of financial statements required are determined by an organization’s prior year AFA grant. Financial statements must include a Balance Sheet, Statement of Revenues and Expenditures, and Statement of Cash Flows. If the prior year grant was:

• $25,000 or less include, at minimum, a financial statement approved and signed by the treasurer and two additional board members
• $25,001 to $50,000 include, at minimum, a Notice to Reader or Compilation Engagement financial statement provided by an independent, professionally designated accountant
• $50,000 to $100,000 include, at minimum, a Review Engagement financial statement provided by an independent, professionally designated accountant
• $100,001 or higher include a full Audited financial statement provided by an independent, professional designated accountant

For first-time applicants, board-approved financial statements should comprise a Balance Sheet, Statement of Revenues and Expenditures, and Statement of Cash Flows. The level of financial statement is determined by your organization, but future applications must meet the conditions outlined above.