Astro Business Lab - Demystifying Grants: Funding Your Creative Work

Introduction to Grants is part of the Astro Business Lab series, a collection of practical workshops for artists, creative business owners, and people building businesses around their creative work.

This introductory workshop will help demystify the grant process, from finding relevant opportunities to preparing a stronger application and understanding what happens after funding is awarded.

In this session, we’ll cover:

• What grants are, how they can support creative work, and the responsibilities that come with receiving funding.
• Where to find grant opportunities through organizations such as the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Vancouver, and Creative BC.
• How to decide which grants are worth applying for, including how to assess eligibility, funding priorities, project fit, and the time required to apply.
• What grant applications commonly require, including a clear project scope, budget, documentation, references, insurance, and acknowledgements.
• How grants are reviewed and awarded, including eligibility screening, panel review, and shortlisting.
• Ways to make an application stronger and common mistakes to avoid.
• Practical questions, including whether individuals can apply without a non-profit, whether the same project can receive funding from multiple sources, and when grant-writing support may be helpful.

The workshop will begin with a presentation introducing the grant process, followed by a facilitated interview and Q&A with a panel of grant experts. The panel will share insights into how applications are reviewed, what makes an application stand out, and what applicants should know before getting started.

The final portion of the workshop will include small-group discussion and informal networking, giving participants a chance to ask more specific questions and connect with others in the creative community.

Format: One-hour presentation and facilitated interview with a panel of grant experts, followed by 30 minutes of small-group discussion and networking.

Who this is for: Artists, creative business owners, freelancers, makers, performers, writers, and anyone interested in using grants to support a creative project or practice.