This program is administered by Work in Culture and funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Toronto, the Metcalf Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Azrieli Foundation, with support from Toronto Arts Council.
The Catalyst and Transformation (CAT) Fund provides financial support to Ontario arts organizations to investigate, plan, and implement substantive change in their operations.
Administered by: Work in Culture
Program Overview
The Work in Culture Catalyst and Transformation (CAT) Fund provides funding to Ontario-based non-profit arts organizations to explore, identify, and, if applicable, implement significant adaptations in their operations.
Substantive change may include initiatives such as:
- Making shifts to new business models and organizational structures
- Forming strategic partnerships with other organizations to transform long-term working relationships
- Developing or implementing strategies and engaging expertise to transform capacity or explore new directions
- Addressing organizational life-cycle questions like succession planning, mergers, new leadership structures, or wind-downs
(The CAT Fund does not support initiatives for routine strategic planning, the development or delivery of artistic programming or ongoing activities, or capital building projects.)
The program funds projects in two distinct phases of organizational change:
- Exploration Projects: Grants of up to $15,000 for organizations to explore new directions and possibilities for the organization
- Implementation Projects: Grants of up to $25,000 for organizations to implement change within the organization – either building on an Exploration project or on other previously piloted project activities
Applicants can apply and receive support for either or both phases, based on fund criteria.
The program is open to Ontario-based incorporated non-profit arts and arts service organizations, including incorporated artist collectives operating on a non-profit basis. Applicant organizations must be based in Ontario, have been in operation for more than 3 years, and have total revenues of $5 million or under.
For more details about the program, please read the Program Guidelines [PDF]. You can also watch a recording of the information session from the 2024 application period.
For additional program inquiries, please contact Stephanie Draker, Work in Culture Program Manager and CAT Fund Administrator, at [email protected].
Applications for this program are currently closed as funds have been fully allocated.
To receive future updates about the CAT Fund, please sign up here to be added to the Work in Culture newsletter.
The CAT Fund is administered by Work in Culture and funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Toronto, the Metcalf Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Azrieli Foundation, with support from Toronto Arts Council. The program is based on a 2021 pilot initiative that focused on Toronto creative sector organizations.
Resources for Navigating Transformation and Change
Arts organizations may be asking themselves questions about their continued viability, or how they need to adapt their structure or approach to operate into the future. They may be exploring or developing directions that diverge from previous or current operational practices.
The CAT Fund Resource Search Tool was created to allow arts leaders to find resources to help support their journey in making organizational change. Curated by Brian Loevner and Jane Marsland, with help from Sedina Fiati and Owais Lightwala, this ever-evolving tool and resource is focused on leadership, change theory, forward thinking, and transparency.
Learn more and access the tool: The Catalytic Effect: Resources from the Catalyst and Transformation Fund
Stories of the Catalyst and Transformation Fund is a series of video case studies from the CAT Fund pilot program. Six participants share their experience and insights into navigating change with the support of the CAT Fund, including experiences with structured partnerships, substantive restructuring, and planning a wind-down.
Watch: The Catalytic Effect: Stories of Catalyst and Transformation
For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Draker
Program Manager and CAT Fund Administrator
Work in Culture
[email protected]