Banff Mountain Grants Program

How to apply
How NOT to apply
General policies
Application format
Sending in your application
Adjudication process
Contacting us

How to Apply

Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre promotes understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share — and find inspiration in — mountain experiences, ideas and challenges.

Individuals or organizations from any country may apply for grants up to $5000 (Canadian dollars) to fund projects that creatively interpret the environment, natural history, human heritage, arts, philosophy, lifestyle, and/or adventure, in and of the mountains. Proposals should include a communication component (film, literature, photography, etc.) that brings the project before a public audience.

Projects must show respect for mountain landscapes as places of ecological, inspirational and cultural value. Projects should be world class in execution, celebrate the spirit of adventure, and promote understanding of mountain places and people as envisioned in our mission statement.

Please read our information on policies and procedures in detail before creating your grant application.

General Policies

Funds will not be given for capital purchases, establishing a business or endowment fund, or for covering existing deficits. We do not fund recreational travel or expeditions that are mainly for the benefit of the expedition members.

Funds to successful applicants will be governed by a funding agreement, which will be drawn up with MC. This agreement will outline the recognition requirements of MC and will be tailored to individual projects, including potential collaborations and future initiatives. Timelines and reporting procedures will also be outlined within this agreement. Under the agreement, a grant recipient must adhere to the project as outlined in their application. Any variation of the project must be approved in writing by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre (MC).

Application format

Please include the following (in the order shown) with your application:

NOTE: If your application does not include these headings in this order, we will return it unread.

Project cover sheet

Project statement

A short (50 words or fewer) description of the physical product, audience and potential impact of your project. For example: "This project will produce a book on the flora of the Hindu Kush, aimed at the trekking audience, which will increase awareness of threatened species and encourage conservation." OR "This project will produce an exhibition of paintings from the Gory Putorana region, which will tour Eastern Europe to publicize the need for the preservation of mountain ecosystems." Your project statement should answer the questions: What? To Whom? and Why?

Project summary

An outline of the goals and objectives of the project

Does this project promote cooperation or connection between mountain people in two or more areas of the world? If so, describe how it does this.

Public distribution/communication

A clear description of the project’s communication component: message, medium, marketing, audience. It is important to show the selection committee that you have considered how your product will be distributed and/or publicized.

Project timeline

A detailed schedule for completing the project, including significant milestones (please mark those milestones that would be suitable times for a progress report to The Banff Centre, Mountain Culture)

Project personnel

Tell us about your personnel and their qualifications, especially their track records in effective public communication

Project evaluation

Evaluation procedures: How will you be able to tell that your project has met its objectives?

Budget

Detailed expenses and revenues

Listing of other sources of confirmed and requested revenue

Additional Materials

Are any permits or approvals required for any part(s) of your project? If so, do you have them?

Names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses for three references who are familiar with your work

Sending In Your Application

Please do not send any valuable samples of your work. They could be held up at Customs, and we will be charged duty and sales tax for the value you have put on them. We will not pay duty to import them into Canada — we will refuse the package. We cannot guarantee their return to you.

If you are applying from WITHIN North America (Canada, the USA or Mexico):

We do not accept email or fax applications from North America. Hard copy must be received in our offices by May 30, 2008.

If you are applying from OUTSIDE North America:

Hard copy applications must be received in our offices by May 30, 2008. We will accept email or fax applications from outside North America, but they must be received in our offices by May 9, 2008. The entire application must be printable as NO MORE THAN three files. The size of the email message plus attachments cannot exceed 1 megabyte.

Please send applications to:

Mailing address:

Mountain Culture, The Banff Centre
Banff Mountain Grants
Box 1020 Stn 38
Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1H5

Courier (shipping) address:

Mountain Culture, The Banff Centre
Banff Mountain Grants
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1H5

Email: mountainculture@banffcentre.ca

Fax: 403-762-6277

Adjudication Process

1. This year, a total of $15,000 Canadian will be available for grants.

2. A project review committee will assess the proposals. In a typical year, of the applications that meet our criteria, one in ten will receive some funding. The committee may award the amount requested in a particular application, or they may award part of that amount. We try to support projects in a range of countries and a range of media. We also try to support a mix of well-established proponents and those who may be newer to the field but have a good project to propose. We encourage projects that link two or more mountain areas.

The project review committee considers the following questions:

Does the proposal…

Describe a project that will creatively interpret an important mountain story?
Describe a project that has the potential to be "world-class"?
Include a clear set of objectives?
Clearly define the communication component: message, medium, marketing, audience?
Convince you that the project actually will reach a "broad public audience"?
Have the potential to link mountain people in two or more countries?
Include a detailed and well-planned schedule?
Include personnel with relevant credentials?
Include a realistic means of evaluating project success?
Include a realistic and well-thought-out budget?
Show that the applicant is making a good effort to raise other funds needed?

3. Decisions will be made by August 31, 2008. All applicants will be informed by email of the outcome of their application. If you have not heard from us, you are welcome to email an inquiry after September 1, 2008.

4. We regret that we cannot provide individual feedback on applications after the decision is announced.

5. Successful projects will be announced by media release in early September and at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in November.

Click here for a copy of the Project cover sheet.

How NOT to apply

Please don't...

phone us with questions that are already answered on this website
leave your application to the last minute
phone or email to ask for a deadline extension
send us an application that does not follow our format

Contacting us

We can be reached by calling (403) 762-6215, by faxing (403) 762-6277, or by email at mountainculture@banffcentre.ca


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Individuals or organizations from any country may apply for grants up to $5000 (Canadian dollars) to fund projects that creatively interpret the environment, natural history, human heritage, arts, philosophy, lifestyle, and/or adventure, in and of the mountains. Proposals should include a communication component (film, literature, photography, etc.) that brings the project before a public audience. Projects must show respect for mountain landscapes as places of ecological, inspirational and cultural value. Projects should be world class in execution, celebrate the spirit of adventure, and promote understanding of mountain places and people as envisioned in our mission statement. Please read our information on policies and procedures in detail before creating your grant application. General Policies Funds will not be given for capital purchases, establishing a business or endowment fund, or for covering existing deficits. We do not fund recreational travel or expeditions that are mainly for the benefit of the expedition members. Funds to successful applicants will be governed by a funding agreement, which will be drawn up with MC. This agreement will outline the recognition requirements of MC and will be tailored to individual projects, including potential collaborations and future initiatives. Timelines and reporting procedures will also be outlined within this agreement. Under the agreement, a grant recipient must adhere to the project as outlined in their application. Any variation of the project must be approved in writing by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre (MC). Application format Please include the following (in the order shown) with your application: NOTE: If your application does not include these headings in this order, we will return it unread. Project cover sheet Project statement A short (50 words or fewer) description of the physical product, audience and potential impact of your project. For example: "This project will produce a book on the flora of the Hindu Kush, aimed at the trekking audience, which will increase awareness of threatened species and encourage conservation." OR "This project will produce an exhibition of paintings from the Gory Putorana region, which will tour Eastern Europe to publicize the need for the preservation of mountain ecosystems." Your project statement should answer the questions: What? To Whom? and Why? Project summary An outline of the goals and objectives of the project Does this project promote cooperation or connection between mountain people in two or more areas of the world? If so, describe how it does this. Public distribution/communication A clear description of the project’s communication component: message, medium, marketing, audience. It is important to show the selection committee that you have considered how your product will be distributed and/or publicized. Project timeline A detailed schedule for completing the project, including significant milestones (please mark those milestones that would be suitable times for a progress report to The Banff Centre, Mountain Culture) Project personnel Tell us about your personnel and their qualifications, especially their track records in effective public communication Project evaluation Evaluation procedures: How will you be able to tell that your project has met its objectives? Budget Detailed expenses and revenues Listing of other sources of confirmed and requested revenue Additional Materials Are any permits or approvals required for any part(s) of your project? If so, do you have them? Names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses for three references who are familiar with your work Sending In Your Application Please do not send any valuable samples of your work. They could be held up at Customs, and we will be charged duty and sales tax for the value you have put on them. We will not pay duty to import them into Canada — we will refuse the package. We cannot guarantee their return to you. If you are applying from WITHIN North America (Canada, the USA or Mexico): We do not accept email or fax applications from North America. Hard copy must be received in our offices by May 30, 2008. If you are applying from OUTSIDE North America: Hard copy applications must be received in our offices by May 30, 2008. We will accept email or fax applications from outside North America, but they must be received in our offices by May 9, 2008. The entire application must be printable as NO MORE THAN three files. The size of the email message plus attachments cannot exceed 1 megabyte. Please send applications to: Mailing address: Mountain Culture, The Banff Centre Banff Mountain Grants Box 1020 Stn 38 Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1H5 Courier (shipping) address: Mountain Culture, The Banff Centre Banff Mountain Grants 107 Tunnel Mountain Drive Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1H5 Email: mountainculture@banffcentre.ca Fax: 403-762-6277 Adjudication Process 1. This year, a total of $15,000 Canadian will be available for grants. 2. A project review committee will assess the proposals. In a typical year, of the applications that meet our criteria, one in ten will receive some funding. The committee may award the amount requested in a particular application, or they may award part of that amount. We try to support projects in a range of countries and a range of media. We also try to support a mix of well-established proponents and those who may be newer to the field but have a good project to propose. We encourage projects that link two or more mountain areas. The project review committee considers the following questions: Does the proposal… Describe a project that will creatively interpret an important mountain story? Describe a project that has the potential to be "world-class"? Include a clear set of objectives? Clearly define the communication component: message, medium, marketing, audience? Convince you that the project actually will reach a "broad public audience"? Have the potential to link mountain people in two or more countries? Include a detailed and well-planned schedule? Include personnel with relevant credentials? Include a realistic means of evaluating project success? Include a realistic and well-thought-out budget? Show that the applicant is making a good effort to raise other funds needed? 3. Decisions will be made by August 31, 2008. All applicants will be informed by email of the outcome of their application. If you have not heard from us, you are welcome to email an inquiry after September 1, 2008. 4. We regret that we cannot provide individual feedback on applications after the decision is announced. 5. Successful projects will be announced by media release in early September and at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in November. Click here for a copy of the Project cover sheet. How NOT to apply Please don't... phone us with questions that are already answered on this website leave your application to the last minute phone or email to ask for a deadline extension send us an application that does not follow our format Contacting us We can be reached by calling (403) 762-6215, by faxing (403) 762-6277, or by email at mountainculture@banffcentre.ca
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