Business Improvement Grant Guidelines

The Business Improvement Grant supports projects that focus on professional development, increasing workforce capacity, and improving business efficiencies through technology infrastructure updates which result in growth, market expansion and improved profitability.

The Guidelines were approved on April 1, 2024 for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year. Any amendments made after the fact will be posted here:

• No changes to date.

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Eligible Applicants

• Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria defined in the Creative Saskatchewan General Program Guidelines.

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Eligible Projects and Expenses

• Activities must be in support of project(s) that would meet the criteria for Creative Saskatchewan production grants. See Appendix A for a list of production grants and criteria.
• Examples of relevant projects:

Professional Development

• Workshops, conferences, seminars or training that improve business skills of yourself, and/or your staff.
• Business mentorships, work teams or internships that support industry capacity and job growth in Saskatchewan.

Workforce Capacity

• Hiring staff or interns to pilot new initiatives, new projects, or new business expansion opportunities.

Technology Infrastructure

• Hardware and software that improves business or production efficiencies.
• Training of applicant and/or company staff that accompanies a technology infrastructure purchase.

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Ineligible Projects and Expenses

• Expenses related to the production of creative content or products for sale.
• Residencies.
• Projects focused on technical skill development rather than business skill development (examples of ineligible technical skill development include music lessons, jewelry making courses, acting workshops, etc.)
• Travel expenses for non-Saskatchewan residents.
• Expenses during non-travel days and non-working days.
• Core business operations or capital expenditures such as rent, purchase of real estate, office furniture, renovations, or maintenance costs.
• Technology infrastructure (hardware or software) expenses that are eligible for other Creative Saskatchewan programs.
• Please see the Creative Saskatchewan General Program Guidelines for a list of ineligible expenses.

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Financial Participation

• Funding will be in the form of a grant.
• Approved projects will be funded up to 50% of the approved project budget to a maximum of $15,000 per applicant per fiscal year (whichever is the lesser).

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Assessment

• An initial review of applications is conducted by Creative Saskatchewan program staff to ensure the project and applicant meet eligibility to the program.
• Applications will be assessed by an external assessment process against the criteria for relevance, experience and capacity, and impact as defined here.

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Submission Requirements and Deadlines

• Please refer to the specific program page for application deadlines and instructions.
• Applications to the Business Improvement Grant will be accessed and supported based on the availability of funds.
• Applications must be complete in order to be accepted.
• Creative Saskatchewan provides templates for each grant application.
  • Applications that have not uploaded the mandatory budget template and travel itinerary template (travel itinerary template only required for projects that include travel expenses) will be considered incomplete and the application status will be set to Information Required.
    • Note: This status requires the application to be re-submitted by the applicant by the program deadline. Please keep in mind that applications must be re-submitted prior to the project start date.
• By submitting an application for this grant, applicants confirm they have read the Creative Saskatchewan General Program Guidelines.
• If awarded a grant, they will be obligated by all criteria in the Creative Saskatchewan General Program Guidelines, as well as criteria specific to this grant as described herein.

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Required Acknowledgements

• Successful recipients of a Business Improvement Grant must include Creative Saskatchewan’s logo on all promotional materials.
• The Creative Saskatchewan logo and guidelines for acknowledgement can be found here.

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Confidentiality of Information

• Please refer to the Creative Saskatchewan General Program Guidelines for details of Creative Saskatchewan’s Confidentiality Policy.
• If you are not awarded a grant, all information in and about your application is held in confidence.
• If you are awarded a grant, your name, a description of the project and the amount of funding will be made publicly available.

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Appendix A

Activities must be in support of project(s) that would meet the criteria for Creative Saskatchewan production grants.

The intent of this Appendix is to provide a snapshot of the production grant’s eligible and ineligible activities. It is the applicant’s responsibility to read complete grant guidelines before applying.

Book Publishing Production

The Book Publishing Production Grant assists eligible Saskatchewan book publishers in the production and marketing of titles intended for commercial release.

Eligible Projects:

• Applications must be in support of the production of book publication.

Ineligible Projects:

• Titles commissioned or paid for by an individual, group, political party or company where the publisher does not have complete and independent editorial control.
• Titles for which the author or illustrator does not receive compensation.
• Magazine, newspaper, industrial sales catalogues, calendars, maps or books of maps, loose-leaf updates, sticker books and activity books, games, agendas, sheet music and periodical publications.

Craft and Visual Arts Production Grant

The Craft & Visual Arts Production Grant supports craft persons and visual artists in the production of creative products intended for the commercial marketplace. (This criterion does not apply to eligible commercial galleries).

Eligible Applicants:

• Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria defined in the Creative Saskatchewan General Program Guidelines.

Eligible Projects and Expenses:

• Applications must be in support of the production or refinement of commercially viable, creative products.

Ineligible Projects and Expenses:

• Personal hygiene items (examples include bath bombs, perfume, and soap).
• Candles where the applicant is not creating their own molds.

Digital Game Development Grant Program

The Digital Game Development Grant provides eligible Saskatchewan applicants with financial investment in support of the production of innovative and original digital games and eLearning properties.

Eligible Projects and Expenses:

• This program supports expenses related to creating digital games and eLearning properties that are market-ready and aimed for commercial exploitation.
• eLearning projects must include gamification (game mechanics that add interactivity, engagement, and motivate the user in learning).
• The core product must be intended to entertain or educate the user.

Ineligible Projects and Expenses:

• Projects developed exclusively for corporate use (where the applicant no longer owns the IP).
• Video content creation for streaming services, broadcast, or theatrical release.
• Games with real or simulated gambling.
• Projects primarily intended to sell products or services.
• Projects primarily intended for interpersonal communication.

Feature Film and Television Production Grant

The Feature Film Production Grant provides financial support to eligible applicants for feature film and television productions that have secured a relevant market trigger or distribution agreement of fair market value.

Eligible Projects:

• Applications must be in support of the production of feature films or television production.

Ineligible Projects and Expenses for Feature Film and Television Production Grant:

• Projects that have received funding through the Creative Saskatchewan Micro-Budget Production Grant or Web Series Grant programs.
• Genres of production NOT eligible for funding include:
  • News, current events or public affairs programming, or a program that includes weather or market reports.
  • Programming created for community cable providers (Access Communications, Shaw, SaskTel Max, etc.)
  • Talk shows.
  • Productions in respect of a game or contest (other than a production directed primarily at minors).
  • Sports event or activity.
  • Productions that solicit funds.
  • Pornography.
  • Advertising.
  • Productions produced primarily for industrial, corporate, or institutional purposes.
  • Productions, other than documentary, that consists of more than 25% stock footage.
  • Video distribution platforms or aggregators.

The Filmmaker’s Grant

The Filmmaker’s Grant supports emerging Saskatchewan filmmakers with mentorship and production funds to produce commercial screen content under ten minutes in length. Content can be in most genres, including dramatic, animation, and documentary, web series and music video. Ineligible genres include experimental, game shows, pornography, sports, news, and magazine-style content.

Live Performing Arts Production Grant

The Live Performing Arts Production Grant assists eligible Saskatchewan individuals and companies in the production of a series of performances intended for paying audiences.

Eligible Projects and Expenses:

• Applications must be in support of commercial productions.
• Production and streaming of live radio plays.

Ineligible Projects and Expenses:

• Applications to host fringe festivals or theatre festivals.
• Community theatre productions.
• Expenses related to script development, writing and workshopping.

Sound Recording Grant

The Sound Recording Grant supports the production of commercially viable sound recordings for commercial release.

Eligible Projects:

• Applications must be in support of the production of a commercial sound recording.

Ineligible Projects and Expenses:

• Projects that do not have commercial intent as their primary purpose and focus.
• Podcasts.