Application Guidelines – Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations
Note: The application period is now closed.
On this page
- Objectives and expected results for the Museums Assistance Program
- Objectives and expected results for the Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations
- Application deadline
- Who can apply
- Eligibility
- Eligible projects
- Eligible expenses
- Ineligible expenses
- Limits of government assistance
- Applying for more than 12 months
- How to apply
- Application process
- How applications are evaluated
- Evaluation criteria
- Application processing time
- Funding decisions
- How funding is provided
- Funding conditions
- Anti-racism and anti-hate
- Workplace well-being
- Public Health Guidance
- Official languages requirements
- Acknowledgement of financial assistance
- Access to information requests
- Disclosure of information
- Audits of recipients and evaluation of the Program
- Contact us
- Glossary
Objectives and expected results for the Museums Assistance Program
The Museums Assistance Program (MAP) supports heritage institutions and workers in the preservation and presentation of heritage collections in Canada. The Program provides financial assistance to Canadian museums and related institutions for activities that:
- facilitate Canadians’ access to our heritage;
- foster the preservation of Canada’s diverse and rich cultural heritage (other than built heritage), including representative collections of Indigenous cultural heritage; and
- foster professional knowledge, skills and practices related to key museum functions.
Expected long-term results:
- Canada’s heritage is accessible to Canadians over time.
Objectives and expected results for the Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations
The Government of Canada is implementing the Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations to help enable the reopening of the heritage sector by supporting organizations that deliver in-person experiences or events, such as museums. Funding will also ensure that heritage institutions are able to contribute to the resilience of their communities as Canada recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The aim of the Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations, available under the Museums Assistance Program (MAP), is to provide financial assistance to organizations. The fund permits organizations to continue to care for their heritage collections under these exceptional circumstances so that they may remain accessible to Canadians and to support ongoing operating costs in institutions as they seek to recover from the pandemic.
Application deadline
Closing Date: November 29, 2021
The application period is now closed.
All applications were due November 29, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. (ET).
Who can apply
In recognition of the exceptional circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) has temporarily modified eligibility criteria for this funding.
Both incorporated and unincorporated organizations and groups can apply.
To be eligible for funding, your organization must be:
- a not-for-profit organization such as a museum, archives, or historic site (including those that operate seasonally and those without full-time staff);
- an Indigenous organization or official language minority community organization; or,
- a municipal and university museum with a distinct budget.
To be eligible, applicants must also:
- have a heritage collection
- provide public access through regular hours of operation (including on a part-time or seasonal basis); and,
- have had annual expenses in 2019 (or your last completed pre-pandemic fiscal year) between $2,000 and $3,000,000.
The following groups are not eligible to apply:
- organizations that do not have a heritage collection, including zoos, public libraries, aquaria, botanical gardens, artist-run centres, and virtual museums;
- federal, provincial and territorial crown corporations, agencies, and departments; and,
- non-profit organizations which support or manage a heritage collection that is owned by a federal entity (e.g. Parks Canada or Department of National Defence)
Eligibility
We are responsible for determining the eligibility of each applicant, its project and project-related expenses.
Funds are limited and requests may exceed available resources. If your organization is eligible, submitting an application does not guarantee funding.
Eligible projects
The financial assistance provided under the Reopening Fund may be used to support business operations and activities that allow for the continuous care of heritage collections during the recovery and reopening period.
Eligible expenses
Expenses to support business operations and activities that allow for the continuous care of a heritage collection are eligible.
Eligible cash expenses may include, but are not limited to, costs associated with:
- ongoing operations;
- day-to-day collections management activities;
- salaries and wages;
- utilities;
- insurance;
- materials and supplies;
- costs for accessibility (not capital projects);
- Indigenous languages translation;
- minor capital costs (up to 10% of total amount awarded); and,
- other costs related to the care of the collection.
Ineligible expenses
The funds are not to be used to cover expenditures already funded under any other government COVID 19 emergency and recovery/reopening measures, including but not limited to the Canada Council for the Arts, the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative, the Tourism Relief Fund, the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, the Canada Recovery Benefit, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Business Account and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy.
Other ineligible expenses include:
- professional development activities
- professional development activities costs related to participants’ attendance (including travel) to professional development activities;
- feasibility and market study costs;
- travel;
- hospitality;
- the development of project proposals or applications under the MAP or for other federal programs;
- taxes; and,
- other expenses covered by federal departments, Crown corporations and agencies.
Limits of government assistance
The total financial assistance received from the Reopening Fund component of the Museums Assistance Program and other levels of government (federal, provincial/territorial and municipal) cannot exceed 100% of your total project-related costs.
Funding range
Funding amounts will range from $1,000 to a maximum of $100,000. The amount will be determined by a formula based on your 2019 expenses (or last completed pre-pandemic fiscal year), as supported by financial statements.
Applying for more than 12 months
Funding from the Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations is for expenses incurred in the twelve months between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.
How to apply
Read these Application Guidelines in their entirety before completing your application.
You must meet all eligibility requirements and submit a complete application package to be considered for funding.
A complete application package includes the application form, the attestation, and the following supporting documents:
- financial statements (audited if available) from 2019 or the last completed pre-pandemic fiscal year;
- proof of legal status (letters patent or other incorporation documents), or in the case of an unincorporated group, a completed Unincorporated Applicant Acceptance of Responsibility Form;
- proof of signing authority as the authorized representative (bylaws, constitution, board resolution, attestation, letter, or other document); and,
- direct deposit enrollment information (void cheque and completed Direct Deposit Enrollment form stamped by your financial institution), unless an account is already set-up with the Department of Canadian Heritage for which no changes are required.
Application process
Your application, including all supporting documents, can be submitted electronically through the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal.
The application deadline was 5 p.m. Eastern Time on November 29, 2021. The application period is now closed..
How applications are evaluated
Your application will be reviewed for eligibility before being evaluated using the national standard criteria described below.
Failure to comply with any conditions of a previously funded project will be considered in the evaluation of your new application and could result in a rejection of your new application.
Evaluation criteria
For the purposes of this reopening fund, funding applications will be assessed using the following criteria:
Organization’s capacity
- the organization has been in operation for a minimum of three years; and
- has a basic governance structure in place.
Applicant Attestation
- the applicant attests that the organization has been negatively impacted by COVID-19, which has resulted in financial hardship to the organization and its operations, and therefore, the organization is in need of government funding.
Funding will be allocated based on the following formula
- for annual expenses between $2,000 and $5,000: fixed funding amount of $1,000;
- for annual expenses between $5,001 and $10,000: fixed funding amount of $2,000;
- for annual expenses between $10,001 and $50,000: fixed funding amount of $5,000;
- for annual expenses between $50,001 and $100,000: fixed funding amount of $10,000; and
- for annual expenses between $100,001 and $3,000,000: variable amount equivalent to 10% of annual expenses up to a maximum of $100,000.
Application processing time
Applicants should expect a funding decision within eight to ten weeks of submitting a complete application.
Applications submitted through the online portal will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt by email at the time of submission. We will acknowledge receipt of all other applications within two weeks of receiving them in our office.
Funding decisions
Please note that decisions regarding eligibility and funding amounts are final.
How funding is provided
We will determine if funding will be disbursed as a grant or as a contribution.
A grant is a payment issued to a recipient for a project. The conditions you agreed to at the time of application will apply. At the end of your project, you may be required to submit a report and/or participate in the evaluation of results.
A contribution is a conditional payment issued for a specific purpose, as outlined in a funding agreement. The agreement is signed by your organization and by us and specifies the terms and conditions to receive payment. At the end of your project, you must submit a final report.
Funding conditions
You may be required to submit a report and/or participate in the evaluation of results.
Additional conditions may apply, if applicable, and will be included in your funding agreement.
Anti-racism and anti-hate
Canadian Heritage is committed to address systemic racism, promote diversity, and create environments where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered. We strive to challenge discriminatory beliefs and practices, cultivate understanding and empathy, and champion policies and programs that advance equality for all.
Organizations receiving funding, including any representatives whether employees, consultants, or other persons directly affiliated with the organization, must take steps to ensure they respect the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy.
Workplace well-being
The Government of Canada is strongly committed to promoting healthy workplaces where harassment, abuse and discrimination are not tolerated. Organizations that receive funding from Canadian Heritage must take measures to create a workplace free from harassment, abuse and discrimination.
Public Health Guidance
We expect that you will act in compliance with applicable statutes, laws, bylaws, regulations, orders, codes, standards, directives and guidelines governing the activities for which funding is being sought, including those related to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Official languages requirements
We are committed to taking positive measures to enhance the vitality of official-language minority communities and to promote the use of English and French in Canadian society. If you receive funding, you agree to comply with the official languages requirements set out in your application and in your funding agreement.
Acknowledgement of financial assistance
If you receive funding, you must publicly acknowledge – in English and in French – the financial support received from the Government of Canada in all communications materials and promotional activities. Additional requirements may be included in your funding agreement.
For additional information, please refer to our Guide on the public acknowledgement of financial support.
Access to information requests
We are subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The information you submit in your application may be disclosed in accordance with these acts.
Disclosure of information
By submitting your funding application, you authorize us to disclose any information submitted with this application within the Government of Canada or to outside entities for the following purposes:
- to reach a decision;
- to evaluate the results of the project; and
- to support transparency, accountability and citizen engagement.
Audits of recipients and evaluation of the Program
We reserve the right to audit your accounts and records to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of your funding agreement. We also conduct periodic Program evaluations, during which you may be required to present documentation.
You must keep any records, documents, or other information that may be required to perform the audit or the evaluation for five years. Demonstrated failure to maintain such records may result in the repayment of amounts previously received.
Contact us
For further information, please contact us:
Department of Canadian Heritage
Museums Assistance Program
25 Eddy St
Gatineau QC J8X 4B5
- PCH.info-info.PCH@canada.ca
- Telephone
- 819-997-0055
1-866-811-0055 (toll-free) - TTY
- 1-888-997-3123 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired)
Agents are available to answer your questions Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET).
Glossary
- 2SLGBTQI+ communities
- Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Plus. This is the acronym used by the Government of Canada to refer to the Canadian community.
- Audit
- Review of something (e.g., a process, an organization) in terms of compliance, accuracy and effectiveness, to determine whether it is working well and achieving its intended purpose.
- Audited financial report
- An audited financial report includes a statement of operations for the given period regarding the project and is prepared by a certified accountant who is not part of your organization.
- Audited financial statements
- A complete set of financial statements, including a statement of financial position; a statement of operations; and a statement of changes in financial position. Audited financial statements are completed by a certified accountant who is not part of your organization. The certified accountant performs auditing activities in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.
- Borrowing of artefact(s)
- Loan of one or more artefacts from any National museums of Canada collections.
- Built heritage
- Built heritage includes the sites, structures and monuments that are recognized for their historic significance. Federal built heritage consists mainly of heritage buildings and national historic sites. These include buildings, battlegrounds, forts, archaeological sites, canals and historic districts.
- Business plan
- A written document that describes your organization's status and plans for two to five years. It identifies future opportunities and includes the financial, operational and marketing strategies to achieve your goals.
- Canadian participant
- Paid professional employee from applicant organization or from Canadian organizations that are officially involved in the project (applies under Canada-France Agreement only).
- Cash flow
- A presentation of all expected revenues and planned expenses that will occur over the length of your project. At the beginning of your project, your cash flow will have only forecasted revenues and expenses. Over time, your cash flow will be updated to reflect the actual revenues and expenses.
- Collections management system
- Collection management systems (CMS) are software programs designed to aid in the documentation and management of objects in a museum collection.
- Conceptual stage
- First phase of exhibition development where ideas are collected and compared with audience needs and organization's mission; the scope of the exhibition is determined (subject matter, primary thesis and main communication objectives); the projected audience is determined; the schedule is set; and potential or available resources are identified.
- Contemporary visual art exhibition
- Exhibition for which the principal focus is the contemporary art production of living artists and primarily presents current works.
- Consultants
- Individuals or groups of individuals with specialized knowledge and/or skills. They are not part of an organization's staff, management or board, but rather are contracted for a fee to provide specific services to an organization.
- Digital Content Development
- A process that creates, organizes, and edits digitized assets and other information together to produce and distribute digital content that will entertain, inspire, educate, and persuade audiences and that will help an institution meet its specific goals. Digital content is often delivered online and can be published using a variety digital programs, platforms, and channels, either as a single occurrence or simultaneously. Digital content opportunities are limited only by available technology and can include social media posts, virtual exhibitions, interactive media, collection portals, apps, games, immersive environments, and other digitally enabled experiences.
- Digitization
- The act of making a copy of or converting analogue information into a digital format. For example, digitization can occur by scanning 2D images or documents, or converting audio tape oral history recordings into digital formats. It can also refer to digitally photographing or 3D scanning objects, buildings, and natural features, or capturing a performance on video. Digitized outputs are often referred to as “digital assets”.
- Digitization Strategy
- A considered plan to guide the digitization of an institution’s analogue collections and assets, as well as the potential use and preservation of the digital assets once created. Its scope can be broad, encompassing an institution’s entire asset base, or it can be concentrated, focusing on a department, collection or aspect of a collection. The strategy outlines the goals for digitization and provides direction on what collections and assets should be prioritized for conversion, as well as what digital format(s) they should take. Digitization priorities are typically influenced by public interest, uniqueness/opportunity, object condition, and institutional need (e.g. for exhibitions, programs, online content, etc.), as well as other considerations for rights and permissions, and financial and technical feasibility. Some strategies may also include a detailed action plan for how the organization will execute this work, including any resources (i.e. people, equipment, budget, timelines, policies, etc.), operational changes or investments necessary.
- Documentation
- Documents related to the exhibition and made available to the public, such as exhibition catalogues, synopsis, brochures and pamphlets.
- Emergency assistance
- Financial assistance provided to help an institution undertake urgent remedial action to maintain the integrity of its collection and mitigate damage sustained following a natural disaster (e.g. forest fire, flood, earthquake).
- Ethnocultural communities
-
A group of people whose members identify with each other through a common heritage. An ethnocultural community or group is defined by the shared characteristics unique to, and recognized by, that group. This includes characteristics such as cultural traditions, ancestry, language, national identity, and/or country of origin.
To the extent that religion is inextricably linked to the group's racial or cultural identity, it can also be recognized as a defining characteristic. In some cases, a group may view its common origin as pan-national, or it may be based on geographic region of origin.
Ethnocultural communities may or may not overlap with racialized communities (See definition of racialized communities).
- Evaluation strategy
- Selection, development, and ongoing use of performance measures to make judgments about relevance, progress, cost-effectiveness and success of a project in meeting its defined objectives. A strategy should include outputs, outcomes, definitions of what will be measured, data sources, methodologies for gathering data and other relevant information. Please refer to Reporting requirements and Evaluation criteria section.
- Final report
- A final report is submitted at the end of your project based on the requirements in the funding agreement. Your final report needs to provide the results of the activities you have undertaken for the duration of your project.
- Final financial report
- A final financial report includes, as separate items, the budget as well as all the revenues realized, and expenditures incurred for the given period with regard to the Project being funded.
- Financial statements
- A complete set of financial statements, including a statement of financial position; a statement of operations; and a statement of changes in financial position. Financial statements may be audited or unaudited.
- In-kind contribution
-
A real contribution to the cost of the proposed project but is not reimbursable as no monies change hands. Donated goods and services may be considered in-kind contribution if:
- They are essential to project’s success;
- They would otherwise have to be purchased or paid for by the funding recipient;
- They can be measured at fair market value (i.e., in relation to similar goods and services); and
- They are balanced by an equal expense in the project budget (i.e. total in-kind expenses equal total in-kind revenues)
- Incremental administration costs
- Costs which organizations would not incur other than to comply with project administrative requirements. These costs may include expenses for material or other items associated with the provision of goods or services. Maximum 15% of eligible project expenses (e.g. book keeping, project accounting, long distance calls, ink cartridges, temporary subscriptions to publications or specialized services).
- Indigenous communities
- Indigenous communities include First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.
- Indigenous governing bodies
- First Nation governments, Band Councils or Tribal Councils, Inuit and Métis equivalent governing organizations.
- Indigenous heritage organizations
- Non-profit organizations owned and controlled by members of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, which includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, with a mandate to support and preserve Indigenous heritage.
- Interim reports
- Interim reports are submitted during your project based on the requirements in the funding agreement. Your interim report will provide the results of the activities you have undertaken for a specific period, a report on the status of work to be accomplished and include updated revenue and expense reports.
- Key museum functions
- Standard established practices in main areas of collections-related activities within a museum or heritage organization, such as acquisition, conservation, research, collections information management, exhibitions and education.
- Letter of intent
- Written statement presented from a venue to the applicant institution acknowledging serious intent, willingness and ability to enter into a formal agreement. The letter should include a brief description of the project and the nature of the collaboration between the two institutions, including financial considerations and the timeline for implementing the project. The document does not constitute a definitive contract; it is subject to due diligence and fulfillment of certain conditions.
- Minor capital assets
- Material goods with a depreciable value amortized over a period of time but not built into the fabric or shell of a building. Minor capital assets must relate directly to the proposed project (including specialized equipment, such as cameras, scanners, livestreaming equipment).
- Museum
- A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing. Please refer to International Council of Museums – Definition of a Museum.
- National museums of Canada
- The National museums of Canada are Crown corporations established by the Museums Act.
- Official language minority communities
- The official language minority communities are the Anglophone communities residing in Quebec and the Francophone communities residing outside of Quebec.
- Operational expenses
- Cash expenses paid by an organization, in return for goods or services that are not incremental to the project. These expenses are ineligible for funding.
- Outcomes
- Result of an effort to attain a goal. They are the external effects or consequences of the project that are considered significant in relation to its initial commitments. Outcomes must be measurable and may occur within organizations, communities and individuals. They may relate to skills, knowledge, attitudes, values, conditions or other attributes. While there is less degree of control over outcomes, there should be a direct relationship between outputs and outcomes.
- Outputs
- Most immediate results of a project. Outputs are the direct products or services produced and delivered to a target group or population, such as an exhibition, a collections or exhibitions policy, a workshop or seminar.
- Partner
- An organization that agrees to pool efforts and resources in order to achieve a common objective, while keeping its independence. Partner organizations contribute directly to the accomplishment of the project and benefit from its results.
- Performance indicator
-
Data that can be used to determine whether a project has achieved its intended qualitative and quantitative results and, if so, to what degree.
Performance indicators should capture the most significant information. They must be reliable and cost-effective. To select the appropriate performance indicators, these questions should be asked:
- Is it accurate? Will it measure the expected result?
- Is it a cost-effective means of collecting data?
- Can the information be obtained without infringing on privacy issues?
- Does the information assist the project manager in understanding what will be the impact of the project on targeted heritage organizations?
- Does it capture useful information that will assist the organization in making management decisions?
- Will the information be communicated easily to interested parties, including funding organizations?
- Will the information allow for a meaningful comparison between data prior to and after project completion?
-
Quantitative performance indicators
Data that can be used for evaluating progress made during a project. Quantitative performance indicators are expressed as statistical measurements such as numbers, percentages or ratios. For example:
- the number of visitors at an exhibition or visitors accessing digital content;
- the number of venues where a travelling exhibition was presented;
- the number of collections and objects preserved and/or digitized and made available online; and
- the number of participants at an activity, or users of tools.
If the project targets a specific audience, such as Indigenous, youth, rural/remote, official language minority or culturally diverse communities, identify the number of participants from the targeted community and/or the percentage of participants from the targeted community compared to the total number of participants. For example:
- the number and type of professional development activities (workshops, seminars, courses, etc.)
- the number of downloads;
- the number of online training activities developed (webinars, kits, etc.);
- the number of best practices tools or documents about key museum functions implemented; and
- the number of organizations benefiting from a sharing of best practices project.
-
Qualitative performance indicators
Information that can be used to evaluate progress made during a project. Qualitative indicators are expressed as opinions, behaviours or attitudes. Whenever possible, these performance indicators are generalized using a rating scale; for example, research quality is rated as excellent, average or below average. Other qualitative performance indicators include:
- the level of satisfaction;
- opinions of participants indicating that they have learned a great deal on a given subject;
- comments by participants indicating that tools or documents developed could or will be implemented in their workplace;
- observations from the participants on how the activity has led to positive change in their workplace or professional development; and
- opinions of participants regarding the usefulness and/or relevance of the activity/tool.
- Performance measures
- Performance indicators that provide qualitative and/or quantitative information needed to measure the extent to which a project is achieving its intended outcomes. Qualitative data can be expressed in terms of change or comparison between two states, while quantitative indicators can be in the form of a ratio, percentage, comparison or figure.
- Project
- Set of activities or functions that a recipient proposes to undertake with the financial assistance provided by a department. A project has a clear start and end date, occurs within a reasonable period of time and demonstrates measurable outputs and outcomes.
- Racialized communities
- Communities of shared heritage who have been historically disadvantaged as a group and may experience discrimination based on colour, culture and/or race.
- Remote communities
- A community with a population less than 50,000, which is located more than 200 km from either an urban centre with a population over 100,000, or provincial/territorial capital.
- Retrospective exhibition
- A generally comprehensive body of work by an artist (or a group of artists) that spans a period of time and is presented and interpreted in the context of a historical perspective of the development and/or influences of that body of work.
- Rural communities
- A community with a population of less than 50,000, which is located between 50km to 200km from an urban centre with a population over 100,000.
- Services to the public year-round
- Facilities and services are available to the public 12 months a year or upon request. Schedules and contact number for reservation are all up front and clearly displayed (website, building, brochure and advertising).
- Strategic plan
- Clearly written document that describes an organization's mandate, its short, mid and long-term goals or objectives, and priority actions to take. A strategic plan includes a timeframe for its execution, and identifies who, within the organization, or what outside agent will take responsibility for the completeness of the actions necessary to realize goals and objectives.
- Travelling exhibition
- Type of exhibition that is available for circulation to one or more venues in addition to the premises of the organizing museum.
- Youth
- For the Museums Assistance Program, youth are individuals generally between 7 and 30 years of age.
- Volunteer
- An individual working on behalf of others without receiving financial or material gain.
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