CANCOM Comedy Grants

The Foundation for Canadian Comedy (CANCOM) bolsters the creation of Canadian comedy content made and owned by independent professional comedy artists.

BECOME A MEMBER

Applications Are Now Being Accepted

The CANCOM Comedy Grant Program is the first federal grant of its kind in Canada exclusively for the full scope of comedy work created by Canadian comedy artists.

The new application form is now available.

See below for details starting with our program sponsors.

skip to Application Details
CANCOM Comedy Grant, Sponsor Logos

Our Goal

The goal of this grant is to provide funding for original comedy projects by Canadian Comedians. This year is the fourth round of funding made available by CANCOM industry partners and sponsors.

Eligible comedians can apply for up to $1,000.

Application and Results – Key Dates

TIMELINES

Application Phase & Due Date

Applications must be received by the CANCOM Selection Committee prior to Friday, October 31st, 2025 11:59pm PST.

Applicants will be notified of their results by Friday, December 19th, 2025.

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible for a CANCOM Comedy Grant, applicants must be creating original comedic work, including but not limited to:

  • Videos
  • Live broadcast
  • Live performance of improv, sketch, stand-up, music
  • Touring
  • Sizzle reels
  • Podcasts
  • Albums
  • Clowning/ commedia dell’Arte
  • Writing

  • Digital creative for social media including discoverability and engagement 

CANCOM celebrates the diversity of the Canadian comedy landscape and welcomes applicants whose comedy highlights unique personal narratives that showcase Canada’s rich and dynamic multiculturalism.

Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or have been a resident of Canada for at least one year as of the date of the applications.

All applicants must also:

  • Be CANCOM Members, which is free
  • Read and agree to the CANCOM Health, Safety and Anti-Harassment Policy, which will be available on the application portal coming soon

  • Complete their project and submit their final report before December 19th, 2026

All successful recipients will receive:

  • 50% of their assigned funding upon signing the CANCOM Comedy Grant Agreement

  • 50% of their assigned funding upon completing their project and providing a Final Report that is approved by CANCOM

Applicant and Assessor Expectations:

The Selection Committee consists of working, professional comedians – Peer Assessors – who are hired by honorarium, as well as the volunteer CANCOM Board of Directors.

Important considerations before applying:

  • Work funded by CANCOM must be created after the application deadline. But, if you’re recording an album or touring, for instance, it can include material you’ve been working on prior to the deadline.

  • Incomplete projects will be expected to return 100% of all funding provided by CANCOM. Funds returned will be redirected to other comedy artists through the grant program.

More Details

All comedic work by eligible applicants is welcome to apply for these grants. Some possible directions:

  • Podcast – with or without video, produced video or live broadcast

  • Video or web series – sketch shows, improv, stand-up, music or digital creative storytelling

  • Live stand-up, improv or sketch show – with produced video or live broadcast optional

  • Album recording – produced picture stills, graphics and videos from album creation optional

  • An independently produced comedy festival or show that pays artists – with video production and/or live broadcast optional
  • Walking tour – with video production and/or live broadcast optional

  • Series of video reels for social media and online

  • Writers for video and live broadcast productions – including web series, sketch, stand-up and digital creative.

  • Other!

Past project recipients include:

Web Series

Sketch, Stand-up and Musical comedy albums

Improv shows and workshop

Tours

Stand-up specials

Social Media sketches and promos

Application Assessment

The CANCOM Comedy Grant Selection Committee consists of working, professional comedians (Peer Assessors) hired by CANCOM, as well as the volunteer CANCOM Board of Directors. 

Two Assessment Stages:

1 - Application Review

Your application will be reviewed by the CANCOM Board to ensure it’s eligible. Make sure your application satisfies the eligibility criteria and includes the required documentation. Be sure that you are a currently registered member of CANCOM (membership is free).

2 - Peer Assessment

Your application will then be assessed by the Peer Assessors, who are working Canadian comedy artists from various disciplines. The Peer Assessors cannot be affiliated with any projects being submitted for grants and will make the final recommendations to the Board for the projects that should receive a grant.

Application Assessment

Applications will consist of your written answers, and any relevant support materials and examples of your comedic work, and will be evaluated on the following criteria:

CANCOM understands that the funding won’t likely cover all project costs.

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Project Description & Artistic Growth
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Marketing Plan
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Budget

Application Content Pt.1

In advance of the application portal/form being available, these are the details you can prepared ahead of time:

Please ensure that you include all individuals who are involved in key creative roles in your project and that they are all CANCOM Members, which is FREE.

Project Name:
This is a reference for you and the CANCOM Comedy Grant Selection Committee to identify your grant application.

Contact Person and Location:
Provide the name and contact details of one person who will be responsible for your application.

Where will your project be taking place and where is your primary residence?

Project Type:
(You’ll check all that apply)

  • Stand-Up
  • Sketch
  • Improv
  • Podcast with Audio-Only

  • Podcast with Video Production 

  • Digital Creative Storytelling
  • Album
  • Live Performance
  • Tour
  • Live Broadcast – Livestream or Pre-Produced Video “Like Live”
  • Writer/Writing Workshop

  • Video Production – Web Series, Sketch Shows, Improv, Stand Up, Music or Digital Creative

  • Online/Social Media Promotion and Discoverability
  • Other

Application Content Pt.2

Project Description & Artistic Growth – max. 750 words

  • What is your project and who are the key people involved?
  • Describe your objectives in creating it.
  • How will this project help to advance your career and artistic growth?
  • Which audiences will engage with your work and where?
  • Describe the timeline for completing your project.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

  • Do you, and/or other key creative people involved with your project, identify as a historically underrepresented artist in Canadian comedy? (If yes, please elaborate).

  • What impact would this grant have in developing your craft?

Marketing Plan – max. 250 words

  • Identify your project’s target market/audience.

  • How are you going to let this audience know about your project and engage them?

Application Content Pt.3

Budget – max. 250 words

Use the provided CANCOM Comedy Grant Budget Template and also provide a short description.

Does your budget pay for what you need? If not, where may other funding come from?

The CANCOM Comedy Grant can account for all, most, or part of your overall project budget.

Links and Uploads

You have an option to include links to, or uploads of, existing written or produced examples of your creative work and/or its creative team.


FINAL REPORT
Successful applicants are required to submit a short report upon completion of their project, which will include:

  • The final creative team and key collaborators involved

  • The achievements of the projects’ stated objectives, with a focus on Artistic Growth

  • The reach and engagement of the marketing plan

  • Any relevant critical acclaim and media coverage, (not applicable to all projects)

  • Images and/or video samples to be included on CANCOM’s Website and social channels