Celebration Grants Program
Celebration Grants are for community-based festivals, cultural celebrations and large-scale parades, in recognition of the entertainment they offer and their contribution to a sense of community among Vancouver residents of diverse cultures, ages, and interests.
This program differs from the regular cultural grants programs. Its mandate includes the participation of non-arts organizations such as neighbourhood houses, residents associations, and community service organizations. Arts organizations are eligible only if they are not already receiving cultural grants.
Guidelines and Application Details
The Celebration Program Information Guide published below provides current information on the Celebration Grants Program and the application process. It is intended to assist applicants in making an application to Cultural Services.
It provides helpful information on the program's objectives; information on who can apply; event eligibility; what grants can be used for; how to apply; details on application evaluation; the review process; and conditions of assistance.
Download the Celebration Grant program and application details 
(56kb) (also published below)
If you are a first-time applicant, we encourage you to read the guide carefully first and then contact staff to discuss your proposal to determine if you are eligible to make an application.
Program Objectives
This program is for community-based festivals, cultural celebrations and large parades, in recognition of the entertainment they offer and their contribution to a sense of community among residents of diverse cultures, ages and interests.
Assistance with specific costs is available to help community-based not-for-profit societies to present these events, which may include programs of music and performance, crafts, exhibits, culinary and other cultural expressions of the community.
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Who can apply?
Applicants must be:
- registered as not-for-profit societies in British Columbia for at least six months
- located in the City of Vancouver (not in other Lower Mainland municipalities or the University Endowment Lands)
- have a cultural mandate which includes organizing festivals, celebrations or large scale parades in Vancouver
Examples of organizations that can apply include neighbourhood houses, resident associations, community service groups, ethnocultural societies, or arts and cultural organizations. Although Business Improvement Associations are not eligible on their own, community events they co-sponsor with not-for-profit community organizations are eligible.
The following are ineligible to apply:
- civic departments or branches (i.e. community centres, libraries)
- organizations receiving City of Vancouver cultural grants or those who would be eligible
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What types of events are eligible?
Three types of events, organized for the purpose of building and celebrating a sense of community and held primarily for the benefit of Vancouver residents, qualify for assistance:
- Festivals: annual or biannual events of at least two days, actively programmed around a theme related to cultural expression in the broadest sense, for example, through music or other performances, crafts, displays, cooking, or demonstration of cultural traditions.
- Celebrations: one-day events, generally held outdoors, and actively programmed around
a theme, anniversary, or other occasion, with a significant cultural component in the broadest sense. - Major parades: one-day events with a large audience and a significant cultural component, broadly defined to include music and other performances, costumes, floats, banners, arches and installations, or other pageantry elements.
Please note: To qualify as “major” a parade must have an event budget of over $15,000; attract, or have the potential to attract, an audience of over 10,000; and have 20-25 organizations registered as entrants.
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Ineligible activities and expenses:
- events whose primary theme or focus is not cultural
- sports and athletic events, runs, walks
- competitions
- demonstrations, marches, rallies
- block parties, picnics, garden shows, street markets, carnivals
- religious rites and ceremonies, small parades and processions
- events for marketing, promotional, or commercial purposes
- events that have a predominant commercial component
- events whose purpose is primarily fund-raising
- retroactive expenses or accumulated deficits
- capital projects
- events or activities that would qualify for the City of Vancouver’s cultural grants
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What can grant funds be used for?
The Celebration Grants program has two components. The first provides for cash grants to festivals, celebrations and parades. Funds may be applied toward one or more of the following:
- Programming costs: for example, performers’ fees; display and exhibit costs; equipment rental; production technician’s fees; costume creation, rental or cleaning; site decoration; parade floats.
- Staff and administrative costs: for example, planning and co-ordination, fundraising, and event management.
- Publicity and marketing: for example, development of marketing strategies; press kits; design and production of advertising for print, radio, television, and web sites; and purchase of advertising in mainstream and/or ethnic media.
Please note: Individual grant amounts will range from $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000, depending on the scale of the event. Requests may not exceed $10,000.
The second component of the program provides for service grants to major parades. Up to 50% of the cost of services provided to major parades by the City is eligible for a grant. Service grants apply to police or engineering services such as traffic signs, barricades, and sanitation. The cost of Park Board, Coast Mountain Bus Company, or BC Ambulance services are not eligible.
Please note: The total annual budget for service grants to parades is $30,000. Major parades may request up to 50% of their anticipated City service costs; requests may not exceed $10,000.
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How to apply
To obtain an application form, please contact Cultural Services staff, who manage the Celebration Grants program. Organizations must establish their eligibility for funding with Cultural Services staff well in advance of submitting an application.
- To be considered for a grant, an organization must complete, sign and submit an original application form, together with three complete copies of the application. Photocopies of all attachments are required for original application and ALL copies.
- Organizations planning events on city streets or in parks must have all required approvals and permits from the Special Events Office or from the Park Board to hold their event in these locations or demonstrate that these approvals are in process.
- Under normal circumstances, the application, review and decision process takes eight weeks. Cash grants will generally be paid out within three weeks of Council approval. Service grants approved by Council for major parades will be applied to eligible City services following the event up to a maximum of 50% of costs.
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How will applications be evaluated?
Since funds are limited, not all organizations meeting the eligibility criteria can be supported. This is a competition, based on the following evaluation criteria:
- Does the applicant provide evidence of confirmed revenues from sources other than the City of Vancouver? Revenues may include earned income from tickets and concessions, sponsorships, donations from individuals, businesses or community groups, memberships, in-kind donations, and support from foundations and government agencies.
- Does the event provide unique opportunities for the public?
- What is the quality of the programming? Does it demonstrate creativity, the involvement of persons with appropriate expertise, authenticity in presentation of cultural traditions, or uniqueness in expressing the character of a community or neighbourhood?
- How complete is the plan for delivering the event, including site or venue requirements, and engagement of key organizers? How complete is the budget; are there commitments from other sources of support? Is there a demonstrated need for a grant?
- If the application is for marketing assistance, what are the plans, resources and capabilities of the applicant for reaching a city-wide public, including diverse communities? Does the event have the capacity to attract and engage an audience and/or develop a new audience?
- How successful were previous events?
- Is there adequate administration, a functional Board of Directors and financial accountability?
- What is the level of community support and involvement, for example, public attendance, number of volunteers, and donation levels?
- Have impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood been considered and addressed?
- How effectively have major parade organizers managed their event in the past? What plans are in place to improve management, and control or lower the need for City services?
- How will grant funds support the growth and sustainability of the event
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Review process
Cultural Services staff ensure that applications are eligible. City staff on the FEST committee and Park Board are consulted as needed on operational impacts, site issues and permits. When possible, interviews with applicants are arranged.
A grant program assessment committee of community members and individuals with event management experience reviews the proposals and provides comments. Staff then submit a report with recommendations for Council’s approval, and notify applicants of the recommendations and the Council meeting date on which grants will be considered.
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Conditions of Assistance
- Societies must provide their most recent financial statement within six months of their fiscal year end.
- Voting members of the applicant’s Board of Directors must not concurrently hold paid staff positions, nor be paid for their services to the society. They may be reimbursed for expenses.
- The organizers must develop and promote the event and extend its services to the general public in the City of Vancouver in a non-discriminatory way.
- Support from the City of Vancouver must be appropriately acknowledged on all promotional materials related to the funded event, including brochures, print ads, programs, posters, signs, and media releases.
- The term of the grant is one year, and only one Celebration grant application per City fiscal year can be submitted. Previously funded projects must be completed before a new application can be accepted.
- Receipt of a grant does not imply funding in the following fiscal year.
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