Métis Cultural Development Fund

The objectives of the Métis Cultural Development Fund (MCDF) are to:

• support and strengthen Métis culture and communities through arts and heritage activity in Saskatchewan;
• mentor and build cultural leadership skills in Métis Communities;
• increase employment opportunities for Saskatchewan-based Métis arts and heritage resource peoples;
• support engagement in Métis cultural activity at the individual, group, and community level;
• support the development of Métis identity through research, documentation and/or sharing;
• benefit children through skills development, mentorship, and having fun; and
• encourage gathering, sharing, learning, celebrating and developing Métis culture in Métis communities aimed at building long-term cultural awareness, retention and pride.

Applicants can apply for up to 100% of eligible project expenses, to a maximum of $10,000.

Priority will be given to:

• provide significant opportunities to meet the purpose of the MCDF grant;
• deliver relevant cultural activities based on cultural impact, accessibility and service to communities;
• have significant youth involvement and/or contribute significantly to participation in intergenerational cultural activity;
• demonstrate strong partnerships and community support;
• take place in the province’s northern and/or rural or otherwise underserved communities; and
• are supported by clear project plans and budget detail.

Eligible Applicants are:

• Registered Non-Profit organizations in Saskatchewan, with priority to Métis-led organizations. Organizations that are not Métis-led may still apply, but evidence must be provided to clearly outline the extent of Métis access and leadership in the delivery of the proposed activities.

All non-profit organizations must:

• have a primarily cultural mandate in Arts, Heritage, Multiculturalism or Cultural Industries as defined by SaskCulture’s Cultural Policy, or otherwise demonstrate significant engagement in cultural activity;
• be in existence as a registered non-profit for at least one full fiscal year. If your organization has been incorporated for less than a year, please contact the SaskCulture consultant to discuss options;
• be in good standing with Information Services Corporation (ISC) and have no outstanding grant follow-ups due to SaskCulture; and,
• provide a signed copy of the organization’s annual financial statement that was most recently submitted to the ISC to show evidence of good standing as a non-profit organization in Saskatchewan.

Note: Organizations receiving Annual Global Funding are not eligible to apply.

OR

• A Métis Local or Municipality

These applicants must:

• be in good standing with the Sask Lotteries Community Grant Program; and,
• have no outstanding grant follow-ups due to SaskCulture.

Ineligible Applicants include:

• Unincorporated community groups. (These groups may consider partnerships with eligible organizations);
• Organizations that have received significant Sask Lotteries funding in the last year;
• Districts for Sport, Culture and Recreation;
• Organizations receiving Annual Global Funding
• Individuals; and
• Schools and post-secondary institutions. Interested schools should inquire about:
  • Artists in Schools program at SK Arts as an alternative to this grant program;
  • Multicultural Education Initiatives through the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan.
  • Eligible Cultural Organizations (ECOs) are ineligible to apply. ECOs should include project ideas in their next Annual Global Funding application.
  • Contact the SaskCulture Outreach Consultant to discuss your project and your eligibility to be advised on what alternate project funds might be available to you or
  • Use SaskCulture’s “Find a Grant” tool to explore other options.

Initiatives must directly address the objectives and priorities of this funding program, including:

• Direct costs related to projects must directly address one of the MCDF purposes and priorities.
• Activities that benefit cultural development of Métis peoples in Saskatchewan.
• Activities that address a community-identified need and demonstrate community support and involvement.
• Applicants may only submit one proposal per MCDF deadline;
  • If the applicant already has an outstanding/overdue SaskCulture grant, a second proposal will not be considered until the current one is reconciled.
  • If the applicant’s current MCDF grant is wrapping up during the time of application for another deadline, contact a Consultant for options.
  • Preference will be given to applicants that have not received a grant in the previous twelve (12) months.
• Applicants may not apply to multiple SaskCulture funding programs to support the same activity for the same timeframe.
• Eligible projects must start no sooner than eight (8) weeks after the application deadline and must end within twelve (12) months of the project start date. Projects that commence sooner than 8 weeks after the deadline will not be considered. Retroactive funding is not eligible.

When submitting a proposal, please ensure that only eligible expenses are included. All expenses must fall within the indicated start and end date of the grant.

If you are unsure whether your project fits the purpose of this grant, please contact the consultant, and check the list of successful applicants and project descriptions.

Eligible expenses:

Eligible expenses for the MCDF grant include:

• Wages, honorariums, and contract agreements for cultural resource people who are offering their skills and expertise for the term of the project. These do not replace wages for the core job responsibilities of existing staff.
• Honorariums for program participants who are directly contributing their knowledge and/or lived experience to community engagement projects, such as Elders and Knowledge Keepers;
• Travel expenses for program participants. This includes gas, rental of vehicles, bus transit and airfare. While the primary cultural activities must take place in Saskatchewan, travel outside of the province is eligible if it is to bring resource peoples in locally to conduct work that cannot otherwise be conducted by someone in Saskatchewan;
• Material expenses related to the cultural activity, including gifts related to cultural protocols;
• Facility costs would only be considered eligible in situations where additional space is required for the project to move ahead. The existing space/facility of an applicant organization is not eligible and would be considered as an in-kind contribution- i.e. rent, utilities and office overhead.
• No more than 20% of the total grant award can support food expenses that are a part of the cultural experience that is being offered for participants. A strong rationale would need to be provided to exceed this amount; and
• No more than 10% of the total grant request can be utilized for advertising and promotion costs for the initiative. A strong rationale would need to be provided to exceed this amount.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the Consultant regarding eligible expenses. All expenses must fall within the indicated start and end date of the grant. Expenses incurred before or after the grant period will not be eligible.

The following items are not eligible for MCDF funding:

• Capital expenses, such as construction, renovations or repairs, etc.;
• Cash prizes, gifts, medals, trophies, charitable donations, or the purchase of alcohol;
• Sponsorships, fundraisers or award ceremonies;
• Activity that exclusively promotes definable religious or political viewpoints;
• Contributions of volunteer hours;
• Food or food-related costs are generally ineligible. However, up to 20% of the grant may be used for nutrition if these costs can be directly attributed to the cultural activity;
• Allowances, wages or personal expenses for program registrants and participants;
• Out-of-province travel expenses for initiative participants to attend competitions, festivals, award ceremonies, etc.;
• Contracts with out-of-province cultural workers (unless there is no one in Saskatchewan providing that service);
• Salaries and expenses of existing staff of the applicant organization – except when they are hired to perform the duties of a cultural worker;
• Office and administration fees including utilities, rent and/or rental of an applicant organization’s facilities; and,
• In-kind contributions (donations for food, good, services, equipment, waiving rental fees, etc.) do not replace eligible expenses.

Applications must be submitted via the Online Grant Platform (OGP) by the deadline.

• SaskCulture will review applications to confirm basic eligibility requirements have been met. If a submission is ineligible, the applicant will be notified. There are opportunities for early submissions to get feedback to help improve aspects of a submission that are unclear or ineligible in advance of a deadline, but this is not a guarantee of either feedback or funding.
• Only complete, signed and submitted applications will be considered. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that their application is successfully submitted. Two different people must sign the application.
• Eligible applications are evaluated by volunteer community members with knowledge and experience that relates to the purpose and priority of this grant program. The assessors will evaluate applications based on the following criteria:
  • The extent the project addresses the objectives and priorities of the MCDF grant program;
  • The quality and clarity of the application;
  • The extent of accessibility for Métis populations;
  • The resourcefulness of the applicant, including strong partnerships (when applicable) and leveraging other resources; and
  • The quality of the budget and a realistic and responsible use of resources.
  • Returning or otherwise annual projects funded by SaskCulture will have their most recent project follow-up report provided to assessors as part of the assessment process.
• Applicants can expect to be informed of funding results within eight (8) weeks of the application deadline. Funding decisions are final and will not be revisited or appealed.
• Successful applicants receive 100% of their grant award upon grant approval and the recipient is required to submit a completed follow-up report at the end of their project.

Once your organization has been approved for a grant, applicants will:

• Use the funds for the eligible activities outlined in their application. Any changes to the use of funds must be approved by SaskCulture. Funds may not be transferred to other activities or organizations and unused funds must be returned to SaskCulture;
• Be required to retain all supporting receipts. All first-time grant recipients will be required to submit receipts. Other grant recipients will only submit receipts if requested to do so by the Outreach Consultant. Failure to submit receipts may affect the approved grant amount. For example, partial or no final payment, or a grant return of the first payment may be required;
• Have access to the Follow-up Report form on the Online Grant Platform, following the automatic system notification of approved funding;
• Be required to submit a Follow-up Report within 45 days of the completion of the project. This report must detail the activities of the project and indicate how it met the goals of the funding program;
• Refer to the Follow-up Report Form at the beginning of the project, as statistical information will need to be gathered during the project. The grant recipient may want to use the budget tool regularly as a project management tool;
• Use the funds for the funded project within 12 months of the project’s start date: and,
• Recognize Sask Lotteries as the funder in all relevant promotions and event opportunities, as well as highlighting SaskCulture’s funding program to help build awareness of the programs.

Example:

(YOUR ORGANIZATION NAME) received financial assistance from Sask Lotteries, thanks to a SaskCulture program delivered in partnership with Gabriel Dumont Institute.

Logos and promotional materials are available to successful applicants. Failure to meet the above funding obligations to the satisfaction of SaskCulture may affect future funding opportunities through SaskCulture.

You will receive correspondence stating that your application has been denied funding for this particular funding program. While all decisions, made by volunteer Peer Assessors, are final, this news should not deter you from applying for future funding opportunities.

• Review the funding program criteria and determine how your application might better address the priorities. If your project’s objectives do not line up with the criteria of the funding program, take the opportunity to explore other options.
• Check your project budget and ensure that your costs are realistic based on your intended outcomes.
• Contact the Outreach Consultant to discuss ideas and/or changes needed for success. If the Consultant feels your project still has potential, adjust your application and try again at a different deadline or for a different fund.