Community Focused Arts Organizations

This grant provides annual funding to arts-based organizations that foster artistic engagement and community participation through regular and recurring programming while maintaining some level of staffing to carry out their mission and mandates.

Deadline information

May 1, 2026

Who can apply

To be eligible for Community Focused Arts Organizations operating funding, organizations must:

have public programming and participation in the film and video, literary, visual arts, and/or performing arts as their primary purpose and principal mandate, as stated in their incorporation documents
employ at least one full-time equivalent staff member(s) in an administrative and/or programming capacity (i.e., Executive Director, Artistic Director)
be legally registered and operating in Alberta for a minimum of two full fiscal years, and in good standing, under one of the following Acts:
Provincial Legislation:
- Societies Act of Alberta
- Companies Act of Alberta, Part 9 (Nonprofit companies)
- Special Act of the Alberta Legislature
Federal Legislation:
- Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act and registered in Alberta under Part 21 of the Business Corporations Act
- Special Act of the Parliament of Canada
- Income Tax Act of Canada, operating in the Province of Alberta as a charity

Eligible organizations must also:

have an Alberta-based address
have 50% or more of their board members living in Alberta
demonstrate good governance principles, effective administration practices, and a commitment to fiscal responsibility
operate as a stand-alone arts organization, at arms-length from municipalities, commercial enterprises, or organizations and institutions receiving annual operating funding from Government of Alberta sources or their affiliates

First-time applicants

If this is your organization’s first application for AFA operating funding, you must contact the AFA at least three months before the deadline for a preliminary eligibility assessment and program fit.

As a first-time applicant, your organization must provide approved financial statements that demonstrate the organization has positive net assets immediately prior to application.

Ineligible organizations

The following applicants are not eligible for AFA operating funding under this program:

municipalities
for-profit organizations
funding agencies or other funders
organizations not registered under one of the above-mentioned Acts
organizations that primarily benefit those outside of Alberta
organizations engaged primarily in competition-based activities or events
organizations focused on the applied arts including, but not limited to, gaming, architecture, interior design, commercial photography, graphic arts, and fashion design
organizations that are eligible for operating funding under another AFA funding opportunity
organizations with overdue or incomplete accounting/reporting related to any grant previously awarded by the AFA or Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women
individuals and collectives

What does this funding support?

This program supports arts organizations that foster artistic engagement and community participation through regular and recurring programming. Funding supports a broad range of artistic activities, including the production, presentation, and dissemination of artistic works and/or providing artists supports specific to an organization’s mission and mandate.

This funding supports organizations that maintain regular paid staffing in administrative and/or programming capacities to support delivery of programs and services. Staffing must be equivalent to, at minimum, one-full time position on a regular or on-going basis.

Acceptable use of funds:

AFA operating funding supports expenses including, but not limited to:

fees for artists, curators, and technicians
cultural protocol, including honoraria, tobacco offering and fees for Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Cultural Advisors
production and programming
marketing, communications, and promotion
salaries and professional fees
rent, utilities, and insurance
maintenance of equipment, fixed assets, and costs for facility operations
other expenses as required to fulfill your organization’s mandate

Unacceptable Use of Funds:

AFA operating funding cannot be used for expenses including, but not limited to:

scholarships, prizes, gratuities, and awards and payments for individual benefit
endowment funds
third-party funding to another organization, including donations, grants, scholarships, or prizes
consignment fees
capital costs for renovations or facility improvements, land or facility purchase, and major equipment and/or vehicle purchase
bad debt or debt reduction
other expenses deemed unreasonable by the AFA

How to apply

The AFA only accepts applications through the Grant Administration Tracking and Evaluation (GATE) Front Office online application system.

Applications must be received through GATE Front Office 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.

GATE Front Office username registration

Applicants will require a GATE Front Office username and password. If you are a first-time applicant – or your organization requires updates to its registered users – requests for usernames and passwords must be received at least five business days prior to the application deadline.

Please complete the GATE Front Office Registration form. Return as an email attachment to registrationAFA@gov.ab.ca, quoting the funding opportunity or grant program to which you are applying.

What to include in your application:

Contacts: Includes a primary and secondary contact for your application that will be the point of contact for any communications regarding your application or application status. Also includes the signing authority of the organization.
Address: Includes street and mailing address.
Organization Information: Includes your organization’s legal name, Alberta Registration number, incorporation date, and fiscal year-end.
Applicant Agreement: All sections of the application must be completed before your application can be submitted. A user with signing authority for the organization must log into GATE Front Office to sign the Applicant Agreement.
Current Board List: 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.
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.
- Your organization’s most recent, board-approved annual financial statements must also be uploaded into the Attachments section of your application. 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).
- If your organization has changed its banking information, you must complete a new Application for Electronic Payment form and upload it to the Attachments section of your application.
Planned Activities: Includes a summary of upcoming artistic programming and activities
Attachments: Includes Financial Statements and a signed Board Approval Signature form as mandatory requirements, as well as Electronic Payment forms (when applicable).

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.

How will my application be assessed?

Funding awarded through this program is determined based on an organization’s most recent, board-approved financial statements and Community Derived Revenue (CDR). CDR is defined as an organization’s total annual revenue minus all federal, provincial and municipal grants.

Eligible grant requests are calculated according to:

total Community Derived Revenue to a maximum of 12 per cent
equitable distribution of available funds to all eligible applicants to determine your funding allocation

Funding for Community Focused Arts Organizations is established by the AFA Board of Directors based upon the annual AFA budget allocated by the Government of Alberta. Department staff evaluate applications according to eligibility criteria and prepare recommendations to the board, which reviews and approves all funding.

All decisions are final and no appeals will be considered.

When will I hear?

Applicants will receive email notification upon AFA board approval, generally between four to six months from the application deadline.

Conditions

Organizations are only eligible to receive support from one AFA operating grant stream at any given time. Multiple applications to the Community Focused Arts Organizations program or to other AFA operating grant programs will not be accepted.

Funding is intended for the activities planned for your organization’s current or next fiscal year, based on information provided in your application, and in accordance with the acceptable use of funds.

The AFA or its authorized representatives may examine your financial and other records to ensure funding is used for its intended purpose:

recipients must return unused portions of the grant to the AFA

The AFA Fair Notice Policy applies to this grant program. The AFA may cancel, suspend, reduce, or demand repayment of the grant in circumstances where the AFA is concerned with the viability of the organization.

Funding Acknowledgement:

Organizations that receive operating funding must credit the AFA for financial support in any publicity prepared in relation to their activities, including in electronic, print, or visual materials.

if your organization fails to satisfy AFA recognition requirements, it may be subject to a 10 per cent funding reduction in subsequent grant applications
continued failure to meet recognition requirements may result in ineligibility to apply for future AFA funding

Download versions of the AFA logo and guidelines for usage.

Reporting

You are required to complete and submit a satisfactory final report through GATE Front Office that demonstrates funding was spent on the activities described in your application.

Your final report is due on the date outlined in the written notice from the AFA at the time funding was awarded.

Final Reports must be received through GATE Front Office 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.

Your final report must include:

GATE online forms

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.

Attachments: Includes samples of promotional and publicity materials from the previous year, showing compliance with AFA recognition requirements.

Helpful resources

Visit the Help and Resources section of our website to: