NWT Arts Business Support Fund

Insider Tip

Contact your regional ITI office before completing your application — officers can confirm your project scope is eligible and help you maximize your funding request within the $10,000 cap. The 20% equity requirement can be met with cash or the value of your own labour on the project (confirm with your regional office). First-run production inventory is capped at 250 units per product — for makers and craftspeople planning larger initial runs, budget accordingly and consider splitting across fiscal years if needed. Apply at the start of the fiscal year (April) before the budget is exhausted.

Success Profile

An established NWT-based professional artist or artisan with 6+ months of NWT residency who is ready to formalize, scale, or market their arts practice as a business. Strong applicants have a clear project (e.g., purchase carving tools and produce a first inventory run of 200 pieces, or build a website and attend two craft markets) with realistic cost estimates from NWT suppliers.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are assessed for: professional arts practice (supported by artistic resume and work samples), NWT residency verification, clarity of the project budget and cost documentation, alignment with eligible expense categories, and feasibility of achieving the stated business outcome. First-come, first-served within budget; merit is assessed against program eligibility rather than competitive ranking.

Application Steps

Required Documents 7

Eligible Expenses 5

• Business start-up costs including business licenses and registration fees
• Equipment and tools required for arts production (sewing machines, carving tools, computers, cameras, instruments)
• First-run production for inventory, maximum 250 units per product
• Marketing and promotion including website development, printed materials, videos, and digital campaigns
• Scaling services for established artists expanding their business reach

Ineligible Expenses 7

• Raw materials (fabric, clay, wood, pigments, etc.) — only finished first-run inventory is eligible
• Subsequent commercial print runs or repeat inventory production
• Artwork or goods purchased for resale (not self-produced)
• Living expenses (housing, food, utilities)
• Business operating expenses (rent, mortgage, wages, office overhead)
• GST/HST/PST on eligible activities
• Assets previously acquired before the application

Intake Periods

Year-round rolling intake from April 1 to March 31. Applications accepted until annual budget is exhausted — apply early in the fiscal year (April–June) for best availability.

Deadline Notes

Applications are accepted year-round from April 1 to March 31 on a first-come, first-served basis. The budget is limited and may be exhausted before March 31. Apply early in the fiscal year (April–June) for the best chance of funding. Contact your regional ITI office before applying. Only one active project per applicant at a time; a completed project must be reported before a new application is accepted.

Ineligible Organizations

• Artists and businesses not residing in the Northwest Territories
• Organizations that have not resided in the NWT for 6 months prior to application
• Applicants with an active (unreported) ITI arts project
• Organizations in disciplines outside the eligible arts categories

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

Low risk. Payment is processed after project completion and invoice review. If reported outcomes do not match the funded project scope, recovery is possible but not common. Incomplete project reports delay reimbursement and block future applications.