Investing in Our Communities - Grant Programs

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Arts, Culture and Sport in Community (ACSC) Fund is a commitment of up to $100 Million over two years to provide grants for capital projects, special initiatives and community celebrations throughout Manitoba. This fund will support the arts, culture (which includes heritage, public libraries, and ethnocultural organizations) and sport sectors, ensuring Manitobans have access to high quality and innovative arts, culture and sport programming and facilities in their communities.

The ACSC Fund includes three programs:

  • Large Capital Projects (requests over $300,000 and up to $5 million)
  • Small Capital Projects and Special Initiatives (requests up to $300,000)
  • Community Celebrations (requests up to $5,000).

Funding Guidelines vary among each of the three programs to address different needs and provide support to a broad range of applicants.

$100 million will be available over two-years. Up to $50 million will be allocated in 2023/24.

Grants available per program:

  • Large Capital Projects - minimum grant of $300,001 and up to $5 million
  • Small Capital Projects and Special Initiatives - up to $300,000
  • Community Celebrations - up to $5,000

The Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund is intended to specifically target the arts, culture (which includes heritage, public libraries and ethnocultural organizations) and amateur sport sectors, complementing the Building Sustainable Communities Fund. Check the guidelines to see which program best fits your organization.

Manitoba's arts, culture and sport sectors matter. From individual and community health and well-being, to jobs and the economy, it's important that we invest in these areas to continue to enhance the lives of all Manitobans.

Crown agencies or corporations with a legislated mandate overseen by Sport, Culture and Heritage may be considered eligible for the ACSC - Small Capital and Special Initiatives program.

Currently, the initial deadlines to submit applications for each program are as follows:

  • Large Capital Projects: April 24, 2023 - Deadline extended to May 1, 2023
  • Small Capital Projects and Special Initiatives: April 17, 2023 - Deadline extended to April 24, 2023
  • Community Celebrations: Quarterly: March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 2023

All applications will receive a confirmation email within one week from submission. Please ensure that you keep this confirmation email for your records. If you do not receive a confirmation email within one week, please contact the ACSC program team at ACSC@gov.mb.ca.

If further assistance is required, please email acsc@gov.mb.ca or phone Manitoba Government Inquiry, 1-866 MANITOBA (626-4862)

Organizations may submit an application to each program for which they are eligible. Please note that eligibility varies between the programs.

In the Small Capital and Special Initiatives Program, organizations may submit one application for a Small Capital project and one application for a Special Initiative. Separate applications are required.

Completed applications will be reviewed and adjudicated by department officials in consultation with other subject matter experts as needed.

Funding decisions are based on how the application meets the assessment criteria identified in the relevant program guidelines, and on the amount of funding available. Incomplete applications will not be assessed.

Timelines for notification of funding are subject to change. Currently, ACSC's targeted assessment and processing time by program is:

Large Capital Program: 16 weeks following closure of grant intake
Small Capital and Special Initiatives Program: 12 weeks following closure of grant intake
Community Celebrations: 6 weeks following closure of grant intake.

For projects funded through either the Large Capital Program or the Small Capital and Special Initiatives Program:

  • Eighty per cent of approved funds will be issued after the signed project contribution agreement is received.
  • Twenty per cent of approved funds will be issued after final reports have been submitted and approved.

For projects funded through the Community Celebrations Program, the full grant amount will be issued following approval. Future applications will not be considered until a final report has been received and approved.

If your request is over $300,000, please consult ACSC's Large Capital Program Guidelines to determine your eligibility.

If your request is under $300,000, please consult both ACSC's Small Capital and Special Initiatives Program Guidelines and Building Sustainable Communities Guidelines to determine your eligibility.

The Funding Agreement will set terms and conditions, including timelines for the completion of the project.

  • Large Capital projects must be complete within two years from the time of approval;
  • Small Capital and Special Initiatives projects must be complete within two years from the time of approval;
  • Community Celebrations projects must be complete within one year from the time of approval.

You can start your project prior to receiving funding; however, you do so at your own risk.

Project expenses incurred prior to April 1, 2023 in the Large Capital and the Small Capital and Special Initiatives Programs are not eligible for funding.

Project expenses for Community Celebrations incurred prior to the submission of the application are not eligible for funding.

Applications and supporting documents can be sent via email to acsc@gov.mb.ca or by clicking the 'submit' button in the applications. Save a copy of the completed application form(s) to your computer and email it, along with all required supplementary documents to: acsc@gov.mb.ca

Please note: When submitting supporting documents, please send as PDFs if possible. The preferred file naming convention is: organization acronym - type of document (e.g. GovMB-Financial Report.pdf).