SOCAN Grants: Programs Currently Available for Ontario Businesses
Businesses and sole proprietors involved in music can take advantage of grants from the SOCAN Foundation. These grants are available through applications with deadlines spread throughout the year.
The grants help Canadian music creators and publishers to promote Canadian music throughout the Ontario province, throughout Canada, and elsewhere in the world.
We can help you figure out when and how to apply for SOCAN grants. Having some additional funds to help your business and career move forward should be music to your ears. (We promise, that’s the last bad pun we’ll make … today.)
What is SOCAN?
SOCAN, short for the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada, is a non-profit entity that administers performing rights for its members.
SOCAN is based in Toronto. It was formed in 1990, resulting from a merger of CAPAC (Composers, Authors, and Publishers Association of Canada Limited) and PROCAN (Performing Rights Organization of Canada Limited). Those two organizations can track their history to before World War II, meaning you can count on the stability of SOCAN.
SOCAN’s membership of songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers surpasses 100,000 members. The SOCAN Foundation, which initially appeared in 1992, is an independent entity that seeks to promote Canadian music and to support music creators. The SOCAN Foundation oversees a number of different items that are separate from SOCAN itself.
SOCAN Grant Programs for Ontario Businesses
The foundation’s grant program provides money to Canadian music creators and publishers in a few different categories. There are grants available for individual creators and music publishers, as well as grants for organizations. The four categories of entities that are able to apply for these SOCAN grants include:
Not every music-related business is eligible to receive these grants. Some businesses may only qualify for one or two of the grants, while others may have the ability to apply for several grants. Because these are grants, recipients do not have to pay the money back.
Here are links to specific SOCAN programs that we cover:
How Much Can I Get From SOCAN?
The amount you can receive from the SOCAN Foundation will depend on the particular grant for which you are applying.
Grant levels typically range from $300 to $3,000 per grant winner. Depending on the grant, you may only be eligible to win one grant per year. Some grants require the winner to raise an equivalent amount of money privately.
Dozens of individuals or organizations likely will win the same grant during an award period. These grants typically are not limited to one or two winners, so a lot of entities can benefit from the funding.
SOCAN Grant Eligibility
Before applying, you will want to visit the SOCAN Foundation website and determine whether you are eligible by reading the details for each grant. You also can see the deadlines for applying for these grants. For some grants, you must be a SOCAN member, or you must represent SOCAN members.
Here are the basic eligibility requirements for a few of the grants from the SOCAN Foundation.
Before applying, be certain to read the terms and conditions of receiving grants from the SOCAN Foundation. Individual grants may have their own separate terms and conditions, and these should be clearly listed on the application form.
SOCAN Grant Application: How Do I Apply?
To apply for a SOCAN Foundation grant, you will complete an online application in a webform. The SOCAN Foundation makes use of an online portal, so you can do everything online through your account.
At the online portal, you’ll need to enter your email address and password to access your account. If you are new to the portal, you will need to register with the foundation first.
For the registration process, you must select the type of entity that you are representing. (We mentioned the four options earlier.) You then need to provide information about yourself or your organization, which may include:
You then must submit the information required for the particular grant for which you are applying. Each grant may require slightly different types of information. Continue moving through the various entry screens in the online portal until it’s time to submit the application.
Once the staff members at the SOCAN Foundation have all the applications submitted for a particular grant package, they begin reviewing them. The staff will forward eligible applications to a special committee.
The committee then makes recommendations to the board of directors of the foundation as to which applications should receive the grants. The board of directors makes the final approval. Such approvals usually come about 10 weeks after the deadline for application.
Tips for Maximizing Your SOCAN Funding
If the SOCAN Foundation Board of Directors approves your application, you will receive a notification. You then must complete a final report. After the foundation approves your report, you should receive your grant money within two to three weeks through direct deposit.
When you receive a SOCAN Foundation grant, it’s important to spend the money wisely to receive the biggest benefit. Some tips for maximizing your grant money include:
