Apply for Canadian Heritage funding in Canada through the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal: the applicant profile, the organization record, choosing a program, and submitting, revising, or withdrawing an application.
Applies in: CA
Canadian Heritage funding runs through the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal, the online system Canadian Heritage also presents in its tutorial videos as the Canadian Heritage Online System (CHOS). The portal is the shared front door; the programs behind it are separate. Each program publishes its own application guidelines covering objectives, eligibility, eligible and ineligible expenses, limits of government assistance, deadlines, evaluation criteria, and funding conditions. This guide covers the portal mechanics that are common across programs, with one program, Celebrate Canada, used as a worked example where a guideline states a concrete rule. It makes no funding-outcome promise: eligibility is determined by Canadian Heritage, many programs are highly competitive, and applying does not guarantee funding.
Begin with the program, not the form. The portal lists programs alphabetically and shows whether intake is open, but it cannot tell you whether a project fits. Read the full application guidelines for the program first, and where the guidelines direct applicants to contact the nearest regional office to discuss the project, do that before submitting. For Celebrate Canada, the guidelines direct applicants to review the guidelines, contact the nearest regional office, and complete an application through the portal.
The funding programs list covers culture, history, and sport, including the Athlete Assistance Program, Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, the Canada Arts Training Fund, the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Cultural Investment Fund, the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, the Canada History Fund, the Court Challenges Program, the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program, the Museums Assistance Program, and Official Languages Support Programs, among others. The one-line description beside each program on that list is only a starting point. Open the program page, read its application guidelines in full, and note the intake period, who can apply, what projects and expenses qualify, and how applications are evaluated.
Celebrate Canada shows how specific those guidelines get. The program funds community-based activities celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and Canada Day on July 1. An eligible project must celebrate at least one of those days, be a one-day event during the Celebrate Canada period between June 21 and July 1, take place in Canada, be free of charge with no admission fee or donation required, and be open to the general public and promoted as such. Canada Day celebrations must be held on July 1, although priority is otherwise given to projects on the designated dates, and funded activities may in certain cases be scheduled up to five days before the period. Events of a primarily religious, political, or commercial nature, fundraising or contest activities, conferences and similar events not intended for the general public, extensions of regular programming, school-grounds events during school hours, private-property events, multi-day events, and events combining multiple celebrations on a single day are not eligible. Eligible expenses include promotional expenses, communications, entertainment, supplies, equipment rental, fireworks and light shows, and reasonable administrative costs not exceeding 15% of the total contribution; ineligible expenses include BBQ and general food and beverage costs, alcohol purchases, facility rental where the organization owns the property, major infrastructure, equipment purchase, lobbying, activities outside Canada, and prizes. Total government assistance cannot exceed 100% of total eligible project costs, and the program can fund up to 100% of eligible expenses or up to $100,000 per fiscal year in the case of grants, with larger projects funded up to 100% under a contribution agreement only. Those figures belong to Celebrate Canada alone. Never carry them into another program's application.
Other programs state different applicant lists. For Celebrate Canada, eligible applicants include Canadian not-for-profit organizations, Canadian business corporations where projects are non-commercial, Canadian educational institutions and municipal or other provincial and territorial institutions, Indigenous Peoples institutions and organizations, and local band councils, tribal councils, and other local Indigenous governments or organizations; federal, provincial, and territorial governments are ineligible, with the stated Canada Place Corporation exception for Canada Day celebrations. The Museums Assistance Program, by contrast, directs applicants to contact the nearest regional office so a program advisor can help assess whether the organization, project, and expenses are eligible, and states that federal departments, Crown corporations, and agencies are not eligible for its funding. Read the Who can apply section of the program you are pursuing, not a summary of another program's list.
To access the online system, first register using one of two sign-in options: a Sign-In Partner, using a username and password already created for other online services such as online banking, or a GCKey, a Government of Canada username and password that also serves as a unique identifier for the organization in communications and documents sent electronically to Canadian Heritage. The account-creation tutorial walks through creating a GCKey from the Access My Canadian Heritage Account page: choose GCKey Login, select the language, and on the GCKey page either sign in with an existing GCKey or select Sign Up, accept the Terms and Conditions of Use, create a username, and create and confirm a password. Write down the login information; after clicking Continue you are taken to the online system, where most grants and contributions programs sit alongside the tax credit programs.
If you are unable to log in, change your GCKey password through Service Canada. For other login or application issues, contact the Client Service and Public Support team at 1-866-811-0055, and do not set up a new applicant profile to work around a login problem. The support team is available Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time for technical issues and online-application questions, while program staff in the relevant region handle program questions.
First-time applicants complete a two-step online application process: an Applicant Profile and an online application form, uploading the required documents prior to the deadline. If the organization has previously created a PCH Online account for this program or another PCH program, do not set up a new Applicant Profile; review the profile, modify the information as necessary, and create a new online application.
The profile documents depend on the organization's legal form. Even if the documents were submitted before, they must be provided again when setting up the applicant profile for the first time. Incorporated clients must submit the organization's 9-digit federal business number from the Canada Revenue Agency and proof of legal status, with one of the following: letters patent, incorporation documents, partnership agreements, or a constitution, bylaws, or other recognized documentation. Unincorporated associations, ad hoc committees, or trusts must submit the unincorporated Applicant Acceptance of Responsibility Form, available on the portal. All clients must submit a Direct Deposit Enrollment Form, available on the portal, either stamped by the financial institution or accompanied by a void cheque; the name on the account must be the same as the name of the applicant.
For the application form itself, gather the further documents the program guidelines list. For Celebrate Canada, those are a delegation of signing authorities, the most recent statutes and bylaws of the organization, the most recent financial statements, audited if applicable, for clients requesting $100,000 or more, and the unincorporated Applicant Acceptance of Responsibility form if applicable. A complete application using the online portal, in the Museums Assistance Program wording, includes the application form with its checklist and Declaration and Attestation, signed by an authorized person, plus financial statements for the last two years, audited if available, and the other documents the program guidelines name. Incomplete applications are rejected, so treat the program's document list as a checklist rather than a suggestion.
On the portal welcome page, the steps for submitting a funding application run in order: register the organization, select a funding program, complete and submit the application, and submit a revision if applicable. Complete My Profile before submitting a funding application: the page holds the user information provided when the CHOS account was created, the profile is not complete when the account is created, and Canadian Heritage uses the profile and organization information to communicate about funding applications. Enter the required information and click Update at the bottom of the page, and update both sets of information as necessary.
Under My Organizations, register the organization being represented and for which funding is sought. If the organization is already registered, or has already submitted an online application, search for it instead of registering it: click Search for an Organization, enter the full name or part of it, search again, and click the question mark icon under Actions to see details including the email address of the administrator who registered the organization, whom you can contact to be granted access. If the organization does not exist in the system, click Register an Organization and provide the requested information across the pages, where a red asterisk indicates mandatory fields. Save at any point to continue later, click Next after entering information on a page, and use the left-side menu to move between pages; hovering over a question mark icon explains what a field requires. The Contact Information page adds fields if the mailing address differs from the primary address. The Legal Status page offers drop-down options. On the Contacts page, add other contact persons, noting that adding contacts does not give them access to the organization's online portal. The Financial Details page asks for information about the organization, not a funding request, such as the type of recipient and the business number if applicable. The Client Attachments page holds supporting documents for the organization: click Add an Attachment, choose a file, select the document type, enter a name and a brief description if desired, and click Upload. Review the Summary page and click Create Account. The person who creates a new organization becomes its administrator and main account holder.
Add a second person with access as soon as the organization exists. The tutorial strongly recommends granting access to a second person within the organization to mitigate the risks of the main account holder departing and the account information being lost. To add users, go to My Organizations, click the people icon beside the organization name to view associated users, and click Add a User. Enter the person's email address, which must be the same address they used to register to the online system, and assign a role; if the person is not yet registered, click Contact User and they receive an email asking them to register. The roles work as follows: an administrator has full access, can modify the organization's information, and can submit applications on its behalf; a contributor is only allowed to submit an application on behalf of the organization; a read-only user can only view the information in the organization's account and submitted applications, and sees the organization on the My Organizations page. Modify a user's role or delete a user at any time.
Click Apply on the left-side menu to reach the Online Programs page, which shows an alphabetical list of all the online programs for Canadian Heritage. Under Status, a green icon with a checkmark means the program intake is open, a red icon with an X means it is closed, and a brown icon with an exclamation mark means an application has already been created for the program but not yet submitted. To apply, double-click the program name, then click Create an Application on the Current Program Applications page, and click the green plus sign beside the program's application form.
Two options appear: Create starts an application from a blank form, and Copy copies previous application information into the new form if the organization has previously submitted an online funding request. If Copy is chosen, select an application from the list and click OK; the data is copied into the new application, but every page must still be reviewed, the information verified, and all required documents attached before submitting. In the form, a red asterisk identifies required fields. Move between pages with the left-side menu or the Next and Previous buttons at the bottom of each page. After 90 minutes of inactivity the system ends the session and any unsaved information is lost, so click Save regularly. When all necessary information is entered, return to the Summary page; a green message at the top states the application is ready to be submitted. Click Start to Submit. The submitted application then appears on the My Applications page, showing the program name, the project title entered, the form name including the intake cycle, and the status.
Submit before the program deadline, in the portal, with all supporting documents attached. Applications in any format must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date to be eligible, and when a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or statutory holiday, Celebrate Canada's guidelines extend it to the following working day. Do not assume that extension applies to every program; check the deadline wording in the guidelines for the program in hand. If the online system cannot be accessed, or an application cannot be completed online for any reason, contact the support team rather than submitting a partial application and hoping it counts.
On the My Applications page, a status of In Progress means the application has not yet been submitted; click the pencil icon to edit and submit it, or the red X icon to delete it and start again. Submitted applications can return for revision. If a program officer sends a revision request, the application appears in two versions: version 1 shows Submitted, version 2 shows In Progress, a note at the top of the file states the application is awaiting client feedback, and an email states what to modify and the deadline. Click the pencil icon, modify the requested information, and resubmit within the deadline; the system then emails confirmation of receipt, and the My Applications page shows the application as under evaluation. A program officer may request multiple revisions for the same application.
Withdrawal is a separate function with a narrow purpose. The Application Withdrawal page allows withdrawal of a submitted application: select the file number, explain the reason in the Details box, and click Submit; the file number can be found on the My Applications page by clicking the arrow icon beside it. An application should only be withdrawn if the organization has decided not to proceed with the funding application. Do not use withdrawal to make corrections to a submitted application; instead, request a revision from the assigned program officer. Once a withdrawal request is accepted, the application status changes.
Acknowledgement and decision timing are program-specific. Clients who submit an application receive an automated acknowledgement message confirming receipt; if no confirmation email arrives, check the spam or junk mail folder or contact the program, and Canadian Heritage states it will acknowledge receipt within two weeks of receiving the application in its office. For processing time, refer to the service standards for Canadian Heritage funding programs, which publish decision standards in weeks per program component; Celebrate Canada's standard is 20 weeks. Evaluation compares applications against each other and prioritizes them against available funds, weighing factors the program guidelines list, such as adherence to objectives and designated days, capacity to deliver, partnerships, accessibility, expected participation, completeness, a balanced and realistic budget, geographical location, and other revenue sources. Failure to comply with conditions of a previously funded project is considered in evaluation and could result in rejection of a new application. Decisions regarding eligibility and funding amounts are final.
Some figures and rules are deliberately not stated in this guide, because they could not be verified on a current official Canadian Heritage page. Do not rely on any figure below unless you confirm it on the current program page first. No funding amount, percentage, or expense limit is stated for any program other than Celebrate Canada, because each program publishes its own limits and the funding list gives only one-line program descriptions without amounts. No deadline is stated for any program other than the Celebrate Canada intake example, because deadlines vary by program and intake cycle, and the portal status icons, not this guide, govern whether an intake is currently open. No decision standard in weeks is stated for any program other than Celebrate Canada, because the service-standards table publishes a different standard per component and must be read for the component in hand. No processing time from submission to payment is stated, because the guidelines address acknowledgement and decision standards only. If any of these figures is needed, verify it on the current program guidelines or service-standards page before relying on it.
Yes, for programs offered online. Applications are submitted electronically through the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal, and the portal lists the online programs alphabetically with a status icon for each one. Each program still has its own application guidelines, eligibility rules, eligible expenses, and deadline, so read the guidelines for the program you are applying to before starting the form.
First-time applicants complete an Applicant Profile and then an online application form, uploading the required documents before the deadline. If your organization has previously created a PCH Online account for this or another program, do not set up a new Applicant Profile: review the existing profile, modify the information as necessary, and create a new online application. If you cannot log in, change your GCKey password through Service Canada, or contact the Client Service and Public Support team at 1-866-811-0055.
Incorporated clients submit the organization's 9-digit federal business number from the Canada Revenue Agency and one proof of legal status, such as letters patent, incorporation documents, a partnership agreement, or a constitution or bylaws. Unincorporated associations, ad hoc committees, and trusts submit the unincorporated Applicant Acceptance of Responsibility Form from the portal. All clients submit a Direct Deposit Enrollment Form from the portal, stamped by the financial institution or accompanied by a void cheque, with the account name matching the applicant name.
The person who creates a new organization becomes its administrator and main account holder, with full access, the ability to modify organization information, and the ability to submit applications. Administrators can add other users by email address, assigning Administrator, Contributor, or Read-Only roles: a contributor may submit an application, while read-only access only allows viewing. Add a second person with access to reduce the risk of losing the account if the main holder leaves. Adding a contact to the organization does not by itself give that person portal access.
On the portal's Online Programs page, a green checkmark means intake is open, a red X means it is closed, and a brown exclamation mark means an unsubmitted application already exists for that program. Applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date to be eligible, and incomplete applications are rejected. For the Celebrate Canada example in this guide, the published intake ran from October 1, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. to November 23, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time; always check the current status and deadline for your own program.
No. Canadian Heritage states that it determines eligibility for each applicant, project, and project-related expenses, that many programs are highly competitive, and that submitting an application is not a guarantee of funding. Decisions on eligibility and funding amounts are final. Acknowledgement of receipt follows within two weeks of the application reaching the office, and processing time is set out in the service standards for Canadian Heritage funding programs, which publish a decision standard in weeks for each program component.