Marketing Grant Guidelines

The Marketing Grant provides support for marketing and publicity activities to improve visibility and generate sales.

The Guidelines were approved on April 1, 2026 for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year. Any amendments made after the fact will be posted here:

• April 20, 2026: A bullet was corrected to read that “Approved projects will be funded up to 50% of the approved project budget to a maximum of $25,000 per applicant per fiscal year (whichever is the lesser).” and not $5,000.

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Eligible Applicants

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria defined in the General Guidelines.

There are two streams available to eligible applicants:

Marketing Grant – Micro Stream

• This stream is intended to support smaller-scale marketing opportunities.
•  Applicants shall not receive additional Marketing – Micro Grants through single purpose companies, parent companies, or other companies where they are owner or majority stakeholder.
• Applications will be assessed four times per fiscal year.

Marketing Grant – Major Stream

• This stream is intended to support larger-scale marketing opportunities.

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Eligible Projects and Expenses

• The primary purpose of the project must be commercial intent; it must demonstrate market potential, viability, and demand.
• Eligible expenses include the engaging services of a publicist or marketing professional, creation of marketing materials, branding, documentation of work (for visual artists), website design, social media and advertising, distribution, market research and intelligence activities identifying commercial opportunities, travel and accommodation for promotional purposes, shipping and/or services required to deliver the project successfully.
• In-house fees related to marketing activity at industry standard rates. Applicants must include:
  • A breakdown of hours and expenses.
  • Rationale for rate determination.
  • Rationale for in-house marketing for the project in place of hiring a third-party marketing professional.
• Travel, per diems and accommodation expenses are limited to Saskatchewan residents. Please review the Travel Policy for more details.
• Expenses for confirmed dates of promotional tour dates and press appearances.
• Live Performing Arts Applicants: It may be more cost-effective to host out-of-province Artistic Directors in Saskatchewan to view your showcased production rather than take your production out of province to showcase events. Live Performing Arts applicants may include travel expenses in their Marketing Grant application for these out-of-province Artistic Directors (of venues they will showcase their production to in Saskatchewan) with the intent of securing out-of-province bookings for that show. Please review Creative Saskatchewan’s Travel Policy for more details.
• For film, television and interactive digital media projects, applicants must own a minimum of 50% of the project copyright and include recoupment structures that demonstrates a revenue share position.
• For budgeted expenses related to promotional video production, applicants must include a strong rationale for expenses being incurred out-of-province. It is the preference of Creative Saskatchewan for expenses to be incurred within the province.
• Live Performing Arts applicants may include travel expenses for out-of-province artistic directors (of venues the applicant will showcase their production to in Saskatchewan) with the intent of securing out-of-province bookings for that show.
• 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.

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Ineligible Projects and Expenses

• Applicants cannot apply to both grant streams (Marketing – Major or Micro Streams) for the same project.
• Applications submitted by a service provider (individuals or businesses creating marketing materials for artists) are ineligible and will not be considered.
• Applications to attend events or participate in activities where the primary organizer is a Creative Saskatchewan supported industry association (Saskatchewan Craft Council; SaskBooks; SaskGalleries; SaskInteractive; SaskMusic; Saskatchewan Association of Theatre Professionals and ScreenSask).
• Applications for motivational speaking tools and tours.
• Travel expenses for non-Saskatchewan residents.
• Expenses during non-travel days and non-working days.
• Please see the General Guidelines for a list of ineligible expenses.

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Financial Participation

• Funding will be in the form of a grant.

Micro Stream

Approved projects will be funded up to 50% of the approved project budget to a maximum of $5,000 per applicant per fiscal year (whichever is the lesser).

Major Stream

Approved projects will be funded up to 50% of the approved project budget to a maximum of $25,000 per applicant per fiscal year (whichever is the lesser).

• Applicants may receive no more than $25,000 per fiscal year. This includes any single purpose companies, parent companies, or other companies where they are owner or majority stakeholder. 
• Applicants are limited to one Marketing – Micro Grant per fiscal. 

Assessment

• An initial review of applications is conducted by Creative Saskatchewan program staff to ensure the project and applicant meet eligibility to the program.
• Eligible applications will then be assessed by an external assessment process against the criteria for relevance, experience and capacity, and impact as defined in the Assessment Criteria for Major and Micro streams respectively.

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Submission Requirements and Deadlines

• Please refer to the specific program page for application deadlines and instructions.
• Applications to the Marketing Grant will be assessed 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 used and 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 General Guidelines.
• If awarded a grant, they will be obligated by all criteria in the General Guidelines, as well as criteria specific to this grant as described herein.

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Required Acknowledgements

• In addition to the acknowledgement requirements for all grant recipients listed in the General Guidelines, successful recipients of a Marketing Grant must include Creative Saskatchewan’s logo on the bottom of the homepage of any websites developed.
• Successful recipients will acknowledge receipt of the grant on their professional social media platforms.
• The Creative Saskatchewan logo and guidelines for acknowledgement can be found here.

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Confidentiality of Information

• Please refer to the General 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 one of Creative Saskatchewan’s 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 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:

• 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, 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 contracted by Saskatchewan Government Entities, or projects distributed only within Saskatchewan.
  • Advertising projects with budgets under $100,000.
  • 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.

Live Performing Arts Production & Performance Grant

The Live Performing Arts Production & Performance 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.
• Tours of live performances.

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.