Celebrate Ontario 2014
Three (3) Program categories:
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Celebrate Ontario 2014
Celebrate Ontario 2014 International Amateur Sport
Hosting (New for 2014)
Celebrate Ontario 2014 Blockbuster (Bid and Host)
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Celebrate Ontario 2014
International Amateur Sport Hosting
Project-based funding to help deliver major sport events in Ontario.
Who is eligible? Sports organizations and Municipalities.
What kind of events are eligible?
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Sanctioned Events
Occur no more than once a year (and on no more than three consecutive
occasions in the same community), and;
Events open to the public to attend as spectators.
Program Information: www.ontario.ca/celebrateontario
Program Contact:
Russell Zavitz, Senior Coordinator Sport and Recreation
Ph: (416) 314-7682
Email: Russell.zavitz@ontario.ca
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Celebrate Ontario 2014
Blockbuster (Bid or Host)
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Annual Budget of $1 M+
One-time National or International events
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Draw visitors
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Attract significant media exposure
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Profile Ontario
Supports bids OR event hosting
Continuous intake 2 or 4 months prior to bid/event
Program Information: www.ontario.ca/celebrateontario
Program Contact:
Robert Sweeting, Senior Business Advisor
Ph: (416) 325-7426
Email: Robert.sweeting@ontario.ca
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Section 1- Celebrate Ontario 2014
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Important Definitions:
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Who is a Tourist?
What is a ‘Tourism’ Festival or Event
Program Objectives
Event Enhancements
Eligibility & Mandatory Requirements
Eligible & Ineligible Expenses
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Who is a Tourist?
Tourists are defined as:
 Individuals (including an Ontario resident) who
travel 40 km or more (one-way) or crosses the
Ontario border to attend an event,
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Defining a Tourism Festival or Event?
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A public celebration,
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Organized as a series of events or activities over
a set period of time (generally days or weeks)
Open to the public without membership in a club
or group (may be ticketed or free)
Demonstrates a capacity and intention to
develop itself as a tourism driver over the
long term (vs. community-based)
Promoted to & attracts tourists
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Event Enhancements
Projects that enhance existing programs, activities or
services that will be sustained and lead to long-term
improvements and attract more tourists.
Priority given to:
 Plans with strong tourism rationale and sustainability
 Strong organizational & leadership capacity
 Commitment to growing tourism market
 Demonstrated partnership support for event
 Strong economic and tourism impact
 Sustainable tourism development and marketing
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Section 1- Celebrate Ontario 2014
Program Objectives
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New or existing tourism festivals & events
Enhance programs, activities & services that will lead to
long term improvements that attract more tourists
Will stimulate increased incremental tourism visitor
attendance and tourism visitor spending
Assessed for ability to deliver:
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Demonstrated increase in attendance and extended reach
Demonstrated increase in tourist visitation and receipts
Demonstrated improvements in quality of tourism
festivals /events and stronger organizations
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Eligibility
The tourism festival or event must:
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Take place in Ontario
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Occur between April 01, 2014 – March 31, 2015
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Applicant Organization must be in existence in Ontario for one (1)
year as of January 2014
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Open to the public without membership in a club or group
Ineligible events:
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Seek to attract special interest/ recruit new members (religious/
political gatherings and workshops)
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Events where primary goal is commercial in nature (e.g., trade
fairs, workshops, seminars)
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Anniversaries (Canada Day; civic or national holidays, including the
national days of other countries or nations; municipal
anniversaries.)
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Awards ceremonies, seminars and clinics
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Mandatory Requirements
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Legal entity - established by or under legislation;
federally or provincially incorporated; First
Nations in the Province of Ontario
Not in default with Ontario Government
Related to costs specific to carrying out the
proposed tourism project or new festival; not for
recurring costs
Successful applicants will be required to submit
proof of $2 million commercial general liability
insurance
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Eligible Expenses
Direct costs incurred for delivery of the
proposed tourism enhancement including:
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Cost & fees paid for delivering new
programming
Cost of moveable assets (not permanently installed)
that support enhanced programs & services
Fees paid to performers (incl. travel related costs)
Audio & visual support & technical & stage
crews
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Eligible Expenses cont’d
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Improved visitor services
Costs to improve the visitor’s experience or
accessibility
Audience surveys, research or economic
impact studies
Translation costs
Site services related to the proposed program,
activity or service such as security, sanitation
products and shuttle buses
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Ineligible Expenses
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Marketing costs - advertising, promotion, communications
Website development
Core administrative & overhead
Permanent staff salaries
Legal, audit or interest fees
Management/Staff travel costs
Capital costs related to permanent structures
Competition prizes, prize money and appearance fees
for elite athletes and/or competition participants (e.g.,
music competition participants)
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Celebrate Ontario 2014
Funding Amounts & Maximums
New Funding Model
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Based on Cash Operating Budget
Events will be assessed within two budget ranges
1. Less than (<) $250K
2. (≥) $250K or more
Funding % of proposed enhancement project
Up to maximum of $350,000
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Celebrate Ontario 2014 Funding
Total Event Cash Operating Budget less than (<) $250K
 Eligible for up to 75% of enhancement cash operating
budget or up to 50% of total event cash operating
budget, whichever is less
Cash Operating
Example 
ACME Event
$200,000
(50%)
= $100,000
Enhancement
OR
$100,000
(75%)
= $75,000
Note: $150K – In-Kind – not applicable in this formula
Section 2 – Application Process
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FIRST STEPS
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Ensure you are fully registered with GRANTS
ONTARIO
REVIEW ALL Program Documentation
PRINT Program Reference Guide (follow all instructions
as you complete application)
Gather material(s) required to complete your
application.
Begin and frequently save an application in Grants
Ontario for your project (save as draft, online, or offline,
and continue to return to this file)
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Celebrate Ontario 2014
Application and Guidelines
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www.ontario.ca/celebrateontario
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Program Resources & Tools
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Application Guide
Application Form
Additional Information Package – Budgets, Grant
Calculator Tool, Marketing Plans
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Section 3 THE APPLICATION
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Evaluation Criteria
Organization Details / Capacity
Project Information
Sustainability
Performance Measures
Partnerships
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Evaluation Criteria
Total event cash
operating budget of
less than $250,000
Total event cash
operating budget of
$250,000 or more
Organizational Capacity
15%
15%
Project Information
25%
20%
Sustainability
10%
10%
Performance Meas., Impact
and Rationale
15%
25%
Community Support and
Partnerships
15%
10%
Current Financial Position
5%
5%
Budgets
5%
5%
Technical
Requirements
Marketing Plan
10%
10%
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Organization Details/Capacity
Sections A,B,C,D (15% of Evaluation)
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Core Business – Tourism a fit with your core business?
Strategic Plan – How does project fit with your plans?
Board/Organization - accountability & reporting
Organization’s capacity - previous experience / history
Organization’s Capacity – Plan to undertake project
Performance Reporting - experience in developing, tracking,
measuring performance
Section G: Project Information
(25% or 20% of evaluation)
Project Summary (2,000 characters)
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‘Brief’ description of current event + enhancement
EXAMPLE: (731 characters - with spaces)
Acme Event is a three (3) day outdoor festival taking place October 2 – 4, 2014.
The festival profiles new & emerging Canadian independent musicians and is
geared towards attracting adults ages 18 – 40.
The program includes gated (3 venues) and free music concert stages (3 nights),
professional dance (6 shows), musical workshops (3 per day =9 total), master class
sessions (1/day = 3 total) and over 60 diverse food and craft vendors.
The enhancement plans are targeted towards attracting young families with
children. The program includes introducing two (2) full days of children’s
entertainers within the world music genre, instrument building sessions, creative
dance and movement workshops and hands-on craft activities.
Section G – Project Information cont’d
Project Description (5,000 characters)  Detailed Enhancement Plan
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New Program details / specifics – what & when
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Tourism Related Service (if any new added)
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New delivery requirements as a result of the new programming
Include: Key target markets for growth (demographics and geographic) and projected growth over 3
years - with rationale
Project Objectives (2,000 characters)
• Long-term (3 year) objectives as they relate to Celebrate Ontario objectives
Rationale/Need (2,000 characters)
• Tourism based rationale including survey results, stats, comparatives, research.
Include sustainability plan for continuation of enhancement initiative.
Project Beneficiaries (2,000 characters)
• Describe the community your event supports
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Section G – Project Information cont’d
Risk Assessment and Management (2,000 characters)
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Challenges, obstacles or threats to the successful delivery of your project and the
risk management plan to ensure delivery of the project.
Project Outcomes (2,000 characters)
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Provide a tourism-based rationale for the growth targets you identify
Evaluation Plan/Criteria (2,000 characters)
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Describe your plan to evaluate the success of your proposed tourism project.
Describe your plan to generate information required
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Section I - Performance Measurement
(15% or 25% of evaluation)
10,000
10,000
10,500
10,500
3500
3500
7500
7500
7500
7500
5000
5000
Increase family tourism visits
to 25% of festival attendance
2012/13 Family Tourist Attendance
2013/14 Family Tourist Attendance
2500
8750
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Section J - Partnerships
(15% and 10% of evaluation)
2. Type
Site
3. Role/Address
P4N1A9
4. Description
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1. Name
Timmins
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Holiday Inn
Select “Partner” from the
drop down menu
Please note the type of tourism
partner(s) with whom you are
working.
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Describe how the partnership will
positively improve your proposed
tourism development project.
Include one tourism partner per
row.
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Attachments
Additional Information Package
1.
Current Financial Position (5% of evaluation)
2.
Budgets (2) (5% of evaluation)
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3.
Annual Operating Budget (w/out enhancement)
Enhancement Project Budget
Marketing Plans (2) (5% of evaluation)
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Current Marketing Plan
Enhancement Project Marketing Plan
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Submitting your application
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Complete your Grants Ontario / ONe-key Registration as
soon as possible
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If you are having trouble or cannot submit online you MUST
inform the Celebrate Ontario office ASAP at
CelebrateOntario@ontario.ca or call 416-326-6894
A complete Celebrate Ontario application includes:
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Application Form
Most recent Audited/Endorsed Festival/Event financial statement
Two (2) Budgets – Operating & Enhancement
Two (2) Marketing Plans – Tables for Current & Enhancement
Completed and submitted ONLINE by
November 12, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. EST
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Grants Ontario System (GOS)
Technical Support Issues
For Technical Support questions, please
contact Grants Ontario Customer Service
Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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In Toronto: (416) 325-6691
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Toll Free: 1-855-216-3090
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E-mail - GrantsOntarioCS@Ontario.ca
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Section 4 BUILDING A COMPELLING CASE
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Clear Project Summary
Tourism Focused
Partnership Driven
Research Based
Sustainable
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Clear Project Description
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This is your elevator speech
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Clearly, concisely describe your current event
and enhancement
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This helps us understand CLEARLY what you
are asking for
Tourism Focused
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The intent of the program is to drive tourism
revenues
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Has your Board identified tourism as a key
component for the event?
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You must be spending money marketing
outside your local/regional area
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You must demonstrate your festival is
increasing visitor spending to your area
Partnership Driven
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Community Reference Forms are no longer
required
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Partnerships are described as “tourism
partnerships”
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Partnerships need to extend throughout the
application, NOT just in the partnership section
Research Based
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Integrate research throughout your application
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Justify your enhancement
Describe your markets
Validate estimated attendance
Seek partners that can benchmark your
success:
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Increase in occupancy at local hotel
Percentage of sales increased over years previous in a local
downtown
Sustainable
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Describe HOW you are going to sustain and grow
the enhancement in future years
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Work with your Board to identify how you are
going to grow your event over a 3-5 year period
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Successful events already know what they are
applying to Celebrate Ontario for NEXT year
If you have applied before…
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You MUST identify how you are building upon
the success of your previous application
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How you are growing/sustaining the enhancement
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What you learned from the enhancement
You CAN NOT ask for the same item in future
applications
Closing thoughts…
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Assume the reader has NO knowledge of your
festival, community or tourism partners
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Strong applications are built by cooperating and
discussing plans with other local partners
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Reach out to your local Tourism Organization,
they can help you in many ways
Contact Info
Christine Anderson
Tourism Industry Advisor
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
(705) 739-6695
christine.anderson@ontario.ca