Apply for a Grant

The 4Cs Foundation provides grants for projects within the Halifax Regional Municipality only.   

Applying for Funding for a Community Arts Project
To apply for a grant, you must first talk to a 4Cs Foundation staff person about your idea.  Applications forms are not available online.

Step One: Contact the 4Cs Foundation

  • Telephone the 4Cs office to set up a time to discuss your project idea. This discussion may take place over the telephone or in person.
  • Prepare for this discussion by reviewing the 4Cs Foundation website. Pay close attention to the mandate of the foundation and to the information on this page and on the "FAQ" page.
  • Create a list of how your project idea contains the "3 essential elements for funding" (see below)  and how it supports the mandate of the 4Cs Foundation. Be sure to identify your existing connections to the children and their community that you will engage with as participants.
  • During this conversation you will receive feedback on your idea based on its likelihood to achieve the goals of the foundation as expressed through its mandate.  If there is clear potential that the project will build creative connections between children and their communities, you will be asked to submit a Letter of Interest or to complete an application form  (if the project is either originating in a school or is offered in partnership with a school).  
  • If you are an artist with an idea for a project, try to find a compatible organization to partner with before contacting the 4Cs Foundation. 4Cs does not fund individual artists and the funding recipient must be a charitable organization or group. Or if you would like to be on our roster of interested community artists, submit a cv outlining your art experience and practice, community engagement experience and facilitation, teaching or community leadership experience.

 Your project idea must have building connections between children and their community as its primary or valued goal. Ideally, you will have met with members of your community to develop the project idea and will have already gained their interest and involvement.

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The 4Cs Foundation provides grants for community engaged arts projects that have these three essential elements:
1) The project brings children/youth and community members together to collaborate  and work "side-by-side" on community arts projects.

2)  The project involves enough "side by side" time to allow meaningful connections to develop between the children/youth and the community members.

3)  The arts activities are lead by a professional artist or artists, who has the skills to encourage creative collaboration across ages, abilities, and other barriers to participation.

4Cs does not fund:
1)  Projects that do not involve children/youth and community members as equal participants, collaborating and working side-by-side.

 2)  Artist-in-the-school projects if the projects do not contain the 3 essential elements listed above.

3)  Individual artists to create a work of art, even if this relies on community volunteers contributing to the creation of the artwork.

4Cs likes to see projects that:
1)  Originate within a social or geographically community.

2)  Have as their main goal (or as a valued part of their goal) building or strengthening the participants involvement with each other, and with their community as a whole.

3) Result in the creation of public art.

Visual Art, Dance, Performance, Music, Film, Video, Theatre, Integrated Arts, Time-based and new practises are all art practices of interest to 4Cs. We are especially interested in art activities that result in the creation of public art.

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DEADLINES for grant applications are October 15, January 15 and May 15 of each year. We encourage you to apply to the October deadline when possible, even if your project is does not start until the following spring or summer.

Please call our Director well in advance of a deadline to talk about your project idea.

Strong applications and projects involve solid planning. Do not expect to be considered for funding if you are still at the idea stage one month or less before a deadline date.

4Cs staff can meet with groups to help develop project ideas and for help with the application process. Call 422-4805.

 Step Two: Letter of Interest

  • This letter should briefly outline the purpose of the project, how the project will bring children/youth and community members together to collaborate on an art work, the project timeframe, the artist(s) who will be involved in the project, an approximate budget, and the amount being requested from the Foundation.
  • This letter should not exceed three pages. The 4Cs Foundation Application Cover Page must be attached to the front of this letter (supplied by the 4Cs.)
  • Within a month after an application deadline, 4Cs Foundation staff and Trustees will review letters of interest, identifying compelling and appropriate proposals for further consideration. You will be contacted after this meeting has taken place.

Step Three: Full Application

Based on the letters of interest, we will invite applicants to submit full applications. This is not a guarantee of funding. Those invited to submit full proposals should develop a typed application, not to exceed 8 pages, containing:

  • A short summary of the organization's history, mandate and goals in terms of arts for community engagement.
  • A description of the vision and goals of the project and how these align with the 4Cs mandate. (Vision and Goals and their alignment with 4Cs Mandate)
  • An outline of what steps will be taken to engage participants in the project - both children/youth and other participants from the broader community of the children/youth. (Engagement)
  • How your project will foster creative connections between children/youth and their communities. The results you hope to achieve and how you will know you are making progress. (Outcomes and evaluation)
  • A description of the all other groups or partners that need to be involved to realize the project results. This should include but is not limited to: an outline of your current working relationship with these groups or partners; evidence of support for the project from them; and how they will be engaged/involved in the project. (Partners, Roles)
  • A description of the potential challenges and opportunities to successfully implement your project, and how you plan to address any unforeseen factors that may arise.
  • A project work plan and timeline  that includes anticipated milestones.
  • Brief biographies of key project team members, including the artist or artists.

 In support of the 8-page application, all full proposal applicants must also submit:

  • a 4Cs Foundation Application Cover Page provided by the Foundation,
  • a completed budget template provided by the Foundation,
  • a list of current Board members,
  • proof that the organization is a registered non-profit organization in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia.

A separate letter of introduction may be included. Additional printed material, e.g. newsletters can also be attached as background information if relevant. Please note that we are unable to consider incomplete applications for funding.  Please submit an electronic version in Word to director@4csfoundation.com