There are three main sources of government grants for Canadian magazine publishers: Heritage Canada, through the Canada Magazine Fund and the Publications Assistance Program, and the Canada Council for the Arts, which is an arms-length national funding body for arts and literary publishers.
A division of Heritage Canada, the Canada Magazine Fund was established in 2000 to provide Canadian magazine publishers with both operating and project-based funding. To be eligible to apply, magazine publishers must be majority Canadian owned and have been in operation for 12 months. There are specific criteria around size of print run and paid circulation that vary per funding component.
Canada Magazine Fund grants are divided into four categories:
- Support for Editorial Content: A formula-based fund that must be applied toward editorial costs
- Support for Arts and Literary Magazines: A formula-based grant directed specifically toward arts and literary magazines
- Support for Business Development for Magazine Publishers: Project-based grants that can cover projects ranging from circulation enhancement to website development
- Support for Industry Development: Reserved for publishing associations and groups working to further the profession.
Deadline: Varies per component
Publications Assistance Program
Working in conjunction with Canada Post, this program provides funds to offset the cost of mailing magazines in Canada. It includes components designed specifically for paid circulation magazines and request circulation magazines. Eligible publications must meet specific content, advertising and frequency minimums and maximums, as well as subscription price limits, and must be able to verify their circulation numbers. Magazines must also have been publishing for one full year before applying.
Deadline: Ongoing, with a four-month processing timeframe
The Canada Council for the arts is an arms-length funding body that has provided support to the wide-ranging Canadian arts community, including literary publishers, for more than 50 years. To be eligible to apply for operational support through the Canada Council, literary magazine publishers must have published at least three issues of their magazine, have a 50 percent paid circulation and be committed to a specific policy around contributor rights (and paying contributors is viewed favourably here). The Canada Council also offers seed grants for new publishers with deemed potential.
Deadline: March 1 annually
If you intend to apply for any of these grants for the first time, it’s highly recommended that you contact the funding body and speak to a project officer who will help you determine your eligibility and which component you should apply for.
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