2026-2027 Operating Grants

City of Kingston Heritage Fund

CKHF Operating Grants

Kingston Museums
Grant Program Overview

CKHF Operating Grants

Operating grants are annual grants to support operations for non-profit, cultural heritage organizations. There are two options: Small (max $5,000) and Large (max $25,000). Please see below for Operating Grant Guidelines and the Operating Grant Application. Please submit your application and supporting documents to managing.director@kingstonmuseums.ca by September 22, 2026.

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Heritage Operating Grant Eligibility
CKHF Operating Expenses

Eligible VS. Ineligible Grant Costs

Please see below for a breakdown of eligible CKHF Operating expenses.

Eligible Expenses
  • rent, lease, or mortgage and utility costs
  • financial management
  • staff salaries and wages
  • liability insurance
  • office supplies
  • exhibit and program development costs
  • professional development costs
  • property maintenance, security, and cleaning
Ineligible Expenses
  • seed money for projects or events
  • major capital expenses including, but not restricted to: land purchase, facility renovations, fixed equipment
  • to benefit a for-profit venture
  • bursaries or scholarships
  • built heritage conservation or restoration projects
Application Process

Key Stages of the Application Cycle

1
Application Submission

Prepare and submit your application.

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  • Applications open July 8 and are due by 11:59 PM on September 22, 2026.
  • During this stage, applicant support is provided by KAM and includes Info Sessions, Grant Writing Workshops, and 1-on-1 support.
  • Submitted applications are reviewed for eligibility and completeness until the deadline. No application materials are accepted after the deadline, so submit early if possible!
  • Complete and eligible applications are forwarded to the CKHF Grant Committee for adjudication.
    • 2
    Jury Review

    Peer-review and scoring.

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  • Applications are reviewed by the CKHF Grant Committee, a voting Jury consisting of community members with cultural heritage experience and expertise.
  • Jury members review each application and assign a score using the approved evaluation matrix. Each jury member sends application scores to the Grants Review Officer, who combines them into a single percentage score for each application.
    • 3
    Allocation

    Application scores reviewed and allocations calculated.

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  • Operating Grant funding is allocated based on application score. For example, if an application receives a score of 90%, the applicant would initially be allocated 90% of the requested grant amount.
  • However, if the amount allocated exceeds the total funds available, the allocation will be adjusted proportionately using the following formula:
  • Total Amount of Funds Available × (percentile-ranked allocation / total amount of percentile-ranked allocations).
    • 4
    Funding Recommendation & Approval

    Final grant allocations are presented and approved

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  • The Grants Review Officer presents the allocation results to the Grants Committee for review. The Jury reviews the allocations and makes the final funding recommendation.
  • The funding recommendations are compiled into an Adjudication Report, which is presented to the KAM Board of Directors for ratification.
  • The ratified Adjudication Report is then submitted to Kingston City Council for final approval.
    • 5
    Funding Period

    Recipients are notified and funds are released.

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  • Following final City Council approval, usually in December, successful applicants are notified.
  • Recipients must review and sign the CKHF Funding Agreement, submit financial reports, and submit insurance documents.
  • Once all materials are received by KAM, the initial 80% payment is released to the recipient.
  • The final 20% holdback payment is released after the Final Report (due January 30, 2028) is received and approved.
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