Applicants must either be:

a society registered in BC from a self-identified community
or
an individual or group from a self-identified community who is not a society but who is leading a project and has found a society willing to act as a Sponsor Society. 

Self-identified communities include but are not limited to:

• Indigenous
• Racialized persons or people of colour
• Deaf
• LGBTQIA2S+
• Those living with challenges related to a physical disability
• Those living with challenges related to a mental illness
• Other (tell us using the self-identification form in the application package)

Sponsor Societies may include:

• Non-arts mandated societies
• Arts-mandated societies, including those meeting the eligibility for Project Grants; such organizations may apply concurrently as a Sponsor Society to the Equity Grant program and to the Project Grant program

Sponsor Societies may not include:

• CRD Operating Grant recipients
• Organizations in arrears with any local authority, are bankrupt, seeking creditor protection, are insolvent, or under court supervision of any kind

Eligible expenses include but are not limited to:

• Support for artistic growth
• Development of an art project
• Production of an arts event
• Dissemination of an artistic creation

Ineligible expenses include:

• Equipment purchases or other major capital expenditures
• Fundraising activities, contests or competitions
• Scholarships

Examples of eligible activities:

• A not-for-profit organization in Saanich requests $2000 for an art participation program for the deaf community.
• A not-for-profit organization in Esquimalt requests $2500 for a trans-inclusion film festival.
• An Indigenous arts collective partners with a not-for-profit society in Metchosin to request $5000 to develop a series of site-specific performance pieces.
• Browse recent grant recipient projects.

1. Review guidelines, reference the glossary and FAQs.
2. Contact us to confirm eligibility and request an application form.
3. Complete application and self-identification forms. Be sure to show how the project will benefit residents in the capital region in your proposal.
4. Sign and scan page one of Part A of the application and include this with your digital application and compile supporting documents.
5. Email a digital copy by 4:30pm on the deadline to the address found on the application form. 

If you have difficulty completing the application or submitting it digitally, please contact us at 250.360.3215.

• Guidelines: Equity Grant  (PDF)
• Sample Application Form: Equity (PDF) - for information only
• Sample Self Identification Form (PDF) - for information only

When you are ready to apply request an application form. 

Grant amounts are up to a maximum of $5000.

• Browse recent recipients.

Equity grant recipients are required to file a three-part final report within two months of the completion of the project.

To request final report forms, contact us at 250.360.3215 or by email. 

• Sample Final Report Form: Equity Grants (PDF) - for information only