The City of Toronto has opened applications to provide financial support to recurring cultural festivals whose programming supports community-building, engagement, serves Toronto residents, and promotes artistic opportunities via the Cultural Festivals Funding Program(CFFP).

The program describes a cultural festival as a concentrated collection of arts and cultural activities with a common theme, presented over at least one day and no more than one month.

Other requirements for the applications include that the festival must be primarily free to the public or offered at a nominal fee, must take place in Toronto, and must be held between April 1st, 2026, and March 31st, 2027

There are three streams: Project Funding, Annual Operating, and Multi-Year Operating, with differing requirements.

Available Funding and Prizes

• Project Funding – Up to 50% of eligible festival expenses to a maximum of $25,000 annually
• Annual Operating – Up to 35% of eligible festival expenses, to a maximum of $150,000 annually
• Multi-Year Operating – Up to 35% of eligible festival expenses, to a maximum of $650,000 annually

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The eligibility criteria for the grant include

• Be one of the following:
  • An incorporated not-for-profit organization
  • A local band council, a local tribal council, or other local Indigenous government (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis) or equivalent authority
  • A Business Improvement Area (BIA)
  • An incorporated not-for-profit community organization partnering with unincorporated individuals or collectives to produce a cultural festival
• Apply for a festival that takes place between April 1st, 2026, and March 31st, 2027
• Have successfully organized a prior edition of the festival that meets the eligibility requirements of CFFP
• Present significant cultural programming that is mostly free to the public and that occurs in the public realm

Visit the City of Toronto’s site for more information on the eligibility criteria.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit the site to apply.

DEADLINE

Applications for this program are due by February 13th, 2026

As always, we will keep you posted on any relevant grant programs and contests for small businesses and organizations within the province.

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