Do I have to pay this money back?

It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 4 open or ongoing programs here, 4 are in our Grants category, 0 are loans and 0 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

4 of the 4 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 0 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.

Is this an official government website?

No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.

Culture and media programs for individuals and families

We track 4 culture and media programs for individuals and families that are open or ongoing right now, plus 6 that take applications in intake windows. 0 of the open or ongoing programs publish a figure of $100K or more. They are ranked below by our 0 to 100 score, which weighs how much a program pays against how hard it is to win; last checked Oct 29, 2026.

See which ones fit you, free Try the 1-minute matcher

Ranked programs

10 open, ongoing or intake-based programs, best score first.

Changing Narratives Fund
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Changing Narratives Fund supports diverse communities (Indigenous, Black, racialized, ethno-religious minority, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+) in sharing...
OngoingFederalGrants
30
Worth a look
Ontario Arts Council Project Grants (35+ programs)
Ontario Arts Council
One-time grants for specific projects by Ontario artists, arts professionals, collectives and organizations, delivered through about 40 discipline and priority-group...
Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $60K
24
Long shot
Canada Council for the Arts - Creating, Knowing and Sharing (First Nations, Inuit and Metis arts)
Canada Council for the Arts
Funds Indigenous individuals, groups and Indigenous-led arts organizations that foster a vital and resilient Indigenous arts ecosystem, via five funding opportunities...
OngoingFederalGrants
22
Long shot
Canada Council for the Arts - Arts Across Canada and Abroad grants
Canada Council for the Arts
Ten funding opportunities supporting artists, arts workers, groups and organizations: micro-grants, touring and circulation, public outreach, translation, residencies...
Intake-basedFederalGrants
21
Long shot
Kitchener Designated Heritage Grant Program
City of Kitchener
Grants toward conserving individually designated heritage properties and properties in Kitchener heritage districts.
Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $15K
20
Long shot
Toronto Heritage Grant Program
City of Toronto (Heritage Planning)
Matching grants since 1986 for eligible heritage conservation work on Toronto properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Helps owners repair masonry, windows...
Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $20K
20
Long shot
Canada Council for the Arts - Explore and Create (Artistic Creation, Artist-driven Organizations)
Canada Council for the Arts
Supports research, development, creation, production and sharing of artistic work and professional development by artists, groups and organizations.
OngoingFederalGrants
19
Long shot
Canada Council for the Arts - Supporting Artistic Practice
Canada Council for the Arts
Funds Canadian arts professionals, groups and organizations that champion the arts sector and advance conditions of creation, through six funding opportunities including...
OngoingFederalGrants
19
Long shot
Canada Music Fund
Canadian Heritage (delivered by FACTOR and Musicaction)
Supports Canadian music artists and industry through Individual Initiatives (artist development, promotion, audience growth) and Collective Initiatives (profile, skills...
Intake-basedFederalGrants
17
Long shot
Toronto Arts Council Grants
Toronto Arts Council
City-wide public funding for Toronto-based arts organizations, collectives and individual artists across dance, music, theatre, visual and media arts, literary arts...
Intake-basedOntarioGrants
17
Long shot

How we rank

Each program gets a score from 0 to 100 that asks how much money you can realistically get for how little work. It blends the largest published amount (loans count for less because they are repaid), how much effort an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify. Closed programs score zero and programs without a published dollar figure get a neutral value, never a guess. Scores are editorial estimates, not predictions of approval.

Questions

How many culture and media programs for individuals and families are open right now?: Of the 10 culture and media programs for individuals and families in our database, 4 are open or ongoing and 6 take applications only in intake windows. The rest are closed, paused or of unknown status, so they are not ranked on this page. Counts reflect our last check on Oct 29, 2026; programs can change without notice.
Which culture and media programs for individuals and families rank highest?: Right now the top three by our score are Changing Narratives Fund (30, Worth a look), Canada Council for the Arts - Creating, Knowing and Sharing (22, Long shot), Canada Council for the Arts - Explore and Create (19, Long shot). The score combines the size of the published amount, how much work an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify.
Do I have to pay this money back?: It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 4 open or ongoing programs here, 4 are in our Grants category, 0 are loans and 0 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.
Are these federal or Ontario programs?: 4 of the 4 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 0 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.
Is this an official government website?: No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.

Get the short list for your business

Create a free account to save programs, see which ones match your profile and track what you have applied for.

Create a free account Use the matcher

Estimates; confirm on the official page. Independent research tool, not a government website. Data last checked Oct 29, 2026. Grants & Loans Finder.