Culture and media programs for non-profits and charities

Ranked programs

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

1. Canadian Journalism Labour Tax Credit

   Canada Revenue Agency / Canadian Heritage

   Refundable credit on salaries and wages of eligible newsroom employees of qualifying Canadian journalism organizations producing original written news content.

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesLimit $85K
   39

   Strong

2. Celebrate Canada Funding Program

   Canadian Heritage

   Funds community activities held on National Indigenous Peoples Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day.

   OpenFederalGrants
   36

   Worth a look

3. Commemorative Partnership Program (Community Engagement and Community War Memorials)

   Veterans Affairs Canada

   Funds remembrance initiatives and the construction, restoration or expansion of community war memorials. Several streams with year-round and fixed-deadline intakes.

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $25K
   35

   Worth a look

4. 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

5. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program - Events component

   Canadian Heritage

   Funds community events that promote intercultural or interfaith understanding, discuss multiculturalism and racism, or celebrate a community's history and culture such...

   OpenFederalGrants
   29

   Worth a look

6. 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

7. Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage - Local Festivals

   Canadian Heritage

   Funds local festivals that celebrate local arts and heritage and encourage community engagement.

   Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $200K
   23

   Long shot

8. Canada Book Fund

   Canadian Heritage

   Supports the Canadian book industry: financial assistance to publishers for production, marketing, distribution, internships and business planning, and funding to...

   OngoingFederalGrants
   22

   Long shot

9. 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

10. Movable Cultural Property Grants

    Department of Canadian Heritage

    Movable Cultural Property Grants help designated organizations, Indigenous governing bodies, and Indigenous-led heritage organizations acquire cultural property or...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    22

    Long shot

11. 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

12. Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF)

    Canadian Heritage

    Supports improving physical conditions for arts, heritage and creative innovation, including renovation projects and the acquisition of specialized equipment for...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    20

    Long shot

13. Canada Periodical Fund

    Canadian Heritage

    Financial assistance to Canadian print magazines, non-daily community newspapers and digital periodicals, via Aid to Publishers formulas, Collective Initiatives and...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    20

    Long shot

14. 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

15. National Cost-Sharing Program for Heritage Places

    Parks Canada

    Cost-shares conservation and presentation work at national historic sites, heritage lighthouses and heritage railway stations through annual calls for project proposals.

    OpenFederalGrants
    20

    Long shot

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Kitchener Community Grants (Tier 2)

    City of Kitchener

    Operating and program grants to organizations in arts and culture, special events, community support and development, and minor sports or recreation serving Kitchener...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrants
    19

    Long shot

20. Peterborough Community Grants (Project and Investment Grants)

    City of Peterborough

    Annual grants to non-profit, community-based organizations providing programs that enhance quality of life in Peterborough in social services and health, arts, culture...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $15K
    19

    Long shot

21. Canada Cultural Investment Fund - Endowment Incentives

    Canadian Heritage

    Matching incentives for donations to professional arts organizations' endowment funds, held by public charitable foundations, to build long-term financial health.

    OngoingFederalGrants
    18

    Long shot

22. Indigenous Languages Program (Indigenous Languages Component, Canadian Heritage)

    Canadian Heritage

    Supports Indigenous communities and organizations to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages through distinctions-based funding models, plus...

    OpenFederalGrants
    18

    Long shot

23. Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF)

    Canadian Heritage

    Financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series, and to presenter support organizations; supports about 800...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    17

    Long shot

24. 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

25. Ontario Music Investment Fund: Live Music, Company Development, Futures, Industry Development and Global Market Development

    Ontario Creates (Ontario Music Office)

    Ontario Music Investment Fund streams run by the Ontario Music Office: Live Music (grants to promoters and presenters), Music Company Development, Music Futures...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $125K
    17

    Long shot

26. 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

27. Museums Assistance Program (MAP)

    Canadian Heritage

    Supports heritage institutions and workers to preserve and present heritage collections, with components for Indigenous Heritage, Access to Heritage, Exhibition...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    15

    Long shot

28. Ontario Creates Industry Development Program

    Ontario Creates

    Non-repayable contributions for incorporated not-for-profit trade and event organizations that strengthen Ontario's book, magazine, film, TV and interactive digital...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $35K
    15

    Long shot

29. Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF)

    Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation (program of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming)

    Provides up-front working capital for the marketing and promotional costs of one-off, first-time or significantly expanded cultural events, festivals and exhibitions...

    Intake-basedOntarioLoans
    13

    Long shot

30. Ontario Arts Operating Fund

    Ontario Arts Council

    Single operating program (replacing 16 earlier operating programs from Jan 2026) giving ongoing support to Ontario arts organizations and for-profit book and magazine...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrants
    11

    Long shot

31. Telefilm Canada funding programs (feature film, festivals, career development, promotion)

    Telefilm Canada

    Federal agency funding feature film development, production and marketing, festivals, career development, theatrical exhibition and international promotion for...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    10

    Long shot

Questions

How many culture and media programs for non-profits and charities are open right now?

Of the 41 culture and media programs for non-profits and charities in our database, 15 are open or ongoing and 16 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 Nov 5, 2026; programs can change without notice.

What is the largest published amount among these programs?

Canadian Journalism Labour Tax Credit publishes the largest figure on this page, shown as "Limit $85K". Published figures are program maximums, caps or limits, not what an applicant should expect to receive; many programs pay a share of eligible costs and amounts depend on your project and eligibility.

Which culture and media programs for non-profits and charities rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Canadian Journalism Labour Tax Credit (39, Strong), Celebrate Canada Funding Program (36, Worth a look), Commemorative Partnership Program (35, Worth a look). 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 15 open or ongoing programs here, 14 are in our Grants category, 0 are loans and 1 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

15 of the 15 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.