An agency of the Government of Ontario, Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) supports the province’s creative economy by providing innovative programs, services and funding for the film & television; book & magazine publishing; interactive digital media & music industries.

OMDC offers financial support directly to incorporated not-for-profit industry organizations undertaking research initiatives that support or complement the mandate (see below) of OMDC.

Research projects proposed should achieve one or more of the following goals in the creative media industries:

• provide information needed by an industry to further industry development or growth (e.g. regarding markets, consumer information, business models, product trend information, etc.);
• update, improve or strengthen existing data;
• address an existing information gap or gaps.

Amount: OMDC’s contribution generally doesn’t exceed $30,000 per project; OMDC funding will be limited to a percentage of the project’s total budget (to a maximum of 75%). Applicants are expected to contribute to the financing of the project, whether in cash or in-kind, and are expected to seek other sources of financing where appropriate.

Deadlines: Research deadlines will be at 5:00 p.m., Toronto time, on the following dates:

• Tuesday, September 6, 2016;
• Monday, December 5, 2016;
• Monday, April 3, 2017

OMDC Research Grant Guidelines
Application Form/Online Application Portal

Note: This funding will be covered by a “research agreement” / contract and is subject to Western’s policy on indirect costs. 15% overhead must be included in the budget as allowed by OMDC.

OMDC’s mandate is to stimulate employment and investment in Ontario:

1. by contributing to the continued expansion of a business environment in Ontario that is advantageous to the growth of the cultural media industry and to the growth of new employment, investment and production opportunities in Ontario;
2. by facilitating and supporting innovation, invention and excellence in Ontario’s cultural media industry by stimulating creative production, format innovation and new models of collaboration among sectors of the cultural media industry;
3. by fostering and facilitating co-operation among entities within the cultural media industry and between the public and private sectors to stimulate synergies in product development and the creation of products with original Canadian content;
4. by assisting in the promotion and marketing of Ontario’s cultural media industry as a world-class leader;
5. by administering provincial tax credit programs and such other programs and initiatives as may be required by legislation or a Minister of the Government of Ontario; and
6. by acting as a catalyst for information, research and technological development in the cultural media industry provincially, nationally and internationally.

photo credit: You Won’t Tell Me Your Private Thoughts Anymore via photopin (license)