2026 Culture 3-Year Operating Grant Submission Form

A1. Applicant Profile (1 page)
Provide a brief history and summary of your organization. What is your mandate / mission? How does your mandate align with section C.4 - An Empowered Nanaimo of the Nanaimo City Plan?  Does your organization have paid staff or is it volunteer-run? Who are your board members and what are their roles?

A2. Program of Work (up to 5 pages)

Describe your ‘program of work’ for your request years. Refer to the assessment criteria above for guidance. A ‘program of work’ is a description of your three-year cycle of planned activities. It is expected that the first year of your upcoming cycle will include confirmed plans and programs, and that each subsequent year will include plans that may be updated. The description should address four key areas:

• cultural programming
• administration
• outreach/audience development
• promotion
  

Respond to these questions: What is your programming for 2026-2028 (next 3 years)? Identify the participating artists or contributors. How does this programming reflect your mission and goals? Who is the community you will reach through your programming?

A3. Activity Plan / Timeline (up to 2 pages)
A summary timeline that highlights the events you will undertake over the course of the program of work.

A4. Required Financial Information  

š   Budget Using the 2026 Culture Grant-3 Year Operating Budget FORM provided (or by contacting us directly), please supply a budget that identifies the actual revenues and expenses of your previous year of activities, and a budget of revenues and expenses for the years of your request.

š   Financial Statements Please read threshold criteria carefully. 

If annual funding request equals or exceeds $20,000.00, please attach a PDF of the audited or independently prepared financial statements for the organization’s most recently completed fiscal year (as submitted to the Province in your annual report).

$0 to $20,000: Internally prepared financial statements
$20,000 to $50,000: Independently prepared – Notice to Reader/ Compilation Engagement Report
$50,000 to $100k: Independently prepared – Review Engagement
Exceeding $100k: Independently prepared – Audit

If funding request is less than $20,000.00, please attach a PDF of a year-end financial statement which:

- reflects most recently completed fiscal year
- is signed by two signing officers of the organization
- includes breakdown of all public funding and operating net assets

A5. BC Society Act Annual Report Form
Attach a copy of the organization’s current BC Society Act Annual Report.

• up to 10 images (Jpeg files preferred)
• up to 5 sound clips, no more than 2 minutes in length (online links preferred)
• up to 5 minutes of video (online links preferred)
• up to 10 pages in writing samples, related publicity or marketing materials or participant biographies
  

Have you submitted your final report?

Applicants who have received funding in previous years must submit a Final Report on your most recently completed year of activities, 90 days after completion.  If your organization’s most recently funded fiscal year is not yet complete at the time of application, please report on the last fully completed fiscal year, and follow up with a final report 90 days after your fiscal year end. Failure to provide up to date reports when required will render new applications ineligible.

A Culture Operating Grant Final Report Form template and Budget Form is available online (or by contacting us directly). 

Grant Preparation Zoom/ In-Person Attendance

Signature & Declaration

I hereby acknowledge that the information included with my application is complete, true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and that I have been authorized by the Board of Directors (if representing an organization or society) to make this declaration and to submit this application on behalf of the above-named organization.  

By signing this document I formally agree that my organization will accept the terms and conditions of this Grant as outlined in the guidelines. I acknowledge that the awarding of a grant is at the sole and absolute discretion of the City of Nanaimo. The City of Nanaimo retains the right to rescind or reduce any grant previously awarded if terms and conditions of funding are not met.

I hereby declare that if our organization is successful in obtaining a City of Nanaimo Culture Operating Grant, that we give the City of Nanaimo (or a third party appointed by the City) the right to review the operations / project / program for which the grant was obtained to ascertain whether grant monies received were used for the stated purpose(s) set out in this application.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PRIVACY AND YOUR PRESENTATION

• Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA. Personal information will only be used by authorized staff to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose.
• Regular Council and Committee meetings that are open to the public are webcast using live-streaming video technology and may be recorded for video-on-demand access for subsequent viewing. By speaking at these meetings, you are consenting to disclosure of any personal information made evident through your speech or presentation materials, and acknowledging that this information may be disclosed and/or accessed outside of Canada. Personal information may include your image, name, address, and personal opinions. You are also asserting that your presentation is in compliance with the Federal Copyright Act, and grant the City of Nanaimo license to publish these materials. Individuals presenting to Council or Committees are requested to not disclose third-party information or it may be redacted.