Application Tips

Geographical Area

Applicants must reside within and proposed projects must take place within approximately 60 km from the Parliament Buildings. This includes the following municipalities:

Ontario: Ottawa, Mississippi Mills (including Almonte), Carleton Place, Beckwith, Russell, Clarence-Rockland, Casselman, The Nation.
Québec: Gatineau, Chelsea, Cantley, La Pêche (including Wakefield), Luskville, Val-des-Monts, L'Ange-Gardien

We welcome applications from members of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, regardless of whether they reside within the geographic area defined above.

FAQ

How do I apply?

Complete the application by the indicated deadline.

Applications can be submitted in writing or as a video.
We accept applications in English or French.
Applicants can apply as individuals, or collectives, as long as the majority of the collective identify as women or gender diverse.
Only fully completed applications will be considered.

For written applications, additional support materials in other formats can be provided by emailing them to Tontine.Awards[at]gmail.com. Include your name and project title in the file name and the email subject line.

For video submissions, upload your video to YouTube and send the link to Tontine.Awards[at]gmail.com. Include your name and project title in the email subject line.

Please note: Videos must be no longer than 5min and must address all the questions in our application below.

When can I apply?

Applications open twice per year on April 1 and Oct. 1 and close at 11:59pm on May 1 and Nov. 1, respectively.

We occasionally share additional calls for specialized microgrants.

What do we fund?

We fund community-engaged artistic projects in Ottawa/Gatineau led by women and gender-diverse creatives. Forms of creative expression funded by this grant include:

literature
film
dance
theatre
visual art
music
cooking
fashion
and any other form of creative expression

Eligible projects must:

Be proposed and led by an individual or team of majority women and/or gender diverse creatives
- Please note: this grant is for all creatives, not just those who identify as working/professional artists.
Engage the community in some way (e.g. event, exhibit, performance, community co-creation, screenings, etc.)
Take place within the Ottawa-Gatineau region (see specific radius here)
Be delivered within 1 year of receiving the grant.
Where the activity involves ticket sales, clearly demonstrate how the event will also be accessible to those with limited means.

We do NOT fund:

Conferences
Requests for registration fees or individual professional development costs (e.g. funds to attend training or skills development workshops)
Already completed projectsProjects where there is no community engagement
Religious groups or institutions (but do welcome creative initiatives that are inspired by religion or spirituality)
Student groups or collectives that are not made up of creatives
Facilitators of art or art workshops unless they are artists/creatives themselves who want to share their practice

Learn more about the projects we’ve funded in the past here.

How are grants selected?

Projects are assessed and selected based on:

How well they meet the eligibility criteria
Their unique contribution to the diversity of Ottawa/Gatineau’s creative landscape
Whether or not the project can feasibly be completed with the disclosed resources and within the proposed timeframe
The role our grant will play in making the project possible

While we encourage projects to engage both French and English speaking audiences, this is not a requirement.

We also encourage applicants to consider making projects accessible (physically, financially, socially, and intellectually) where possible.

All applicants are notified of their grant status within 6-8 weeks of the submission deadline.

Grant winners are asked to provide a short bio, a photo, and a description of their project for promotional purposes. They are also asked to notify the Tontines when their activity takes place, and to submit a very short report within one year of receiving the grant.

If your project is not selected, you are free to apply again with the same project next round.

Do you provide feedback?

As much as we’d love to provide feedback, because we receive a significant number of applications each round, we do not have the capacity to provide individual feedback.

Tips for a Strong Application

Keep your answers concise, but provide enough detail for the selection committee to understand what you plan to do and how you will do it.
Describe the project itself, not just the idea or inspiration behind it. Tell us what activities will take place, where they will occur, who will be involved, and when they will happen.
Explain how the project will engage with the broader community. Who is the intended audience or participants? Approximately how many people do you hope to reach? How will people experience or participate in the project?
Tell us how and when the project will be shared. Tontine-funded projects should be presented, exhibited, performed, published, or otherwise shared with the Ottawa-Gatineau community in a venue that is open to the public, within approximately one year of receiving the award.
Consider accessibility. Tell us about any steps you will take to make the project accessible and welcoming to the community/ties you hope to reach. This could include details around language, cost, venue or any other aspects of accessibility that you deem relevant.
Provide a realistic budget. A simple breakdown is sufficient, but please indicate the main expenses to explain how the $1000 Tontine Award will be used to support the project. Also, indicate any other sources of funding secured or applied for. Applicants may use some or all of the Tontine funds to compensate themselves for their work.
Demonstrate feasibility. Briefly explain the skills, experience, community partnerships, venues, resources, or networks that will help you successfully complete the project.

Avoid

Focusing exclusively on your artistic vision without explaining how the project will actually be carried out.
Proposing a project with little or no clear community engagement component.
Proposing a project that has already happened, or will happen within a month of submitting your application; or a project that will happen more than a year from the application date.
Providing a budget that lists only a total amount without indicating how funds will be spent, or how costs beyond the $1000 Tontine grant will be covered.
Assuming the committee is familiar with your work, collaborators, or intended audience.

A reminder that we don’t fund:

Conferences
Requests for registration fees or individual professional development costs (e.g. funds to attend training or skills development workshops)
Already completed projects
Projects where there is no community engagement
Religious groups or institutions (but do welcome creative initiatives that are inspired by religion or spirituality)
Student groups or collectives that are not made up of creatives
Facilitators of art or art workshops unless they are artists/creatives themselves who want to share their practice

Remember

The Tontine Award supports creative projects undertaken by women and gender diverse folks that benefit and engage the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Strong applications clearly explain both the artistic vision and the practical plan for bringing that vision into the targeted communities.