This toolkit, developed by IMAA and completed in May 2020, includes a comprehensive analysis of Canadian arts organizations’ challenges in securing and maintaining affordable real estate, as well as a detailed resource toolkit of template documents, official guides, and sample documents from several Canadian arts organizations. This toolkit can be used as a resource for any non-profit arts organization that is looking to rent/purchase/design a new space for its operations to take place.

This is the largest section of the toolkit, as a response to the identified needs of arts organizations in the study. The section includes guides on financing and capital planning, budget templates, bank loan templates, sample construction quotes, and more. It also provides information on the Community Bond as a financing mechanism, as well as information on Community Infrastructure, according to the City of Vancouver, Province of BC, and the City of Toronto.

a. How to Guide – Financing & Capital Planning (PDF)

Workshop presentation slides from a basic level workshop on financing and capital planning for real estate projects.  Includes sample charts for various planning aspects.

b. Capital Budget – Template (PDF)

Simple (one-pager) budget outline for a real estate renovation project.

c. Capital Planning – Community Bond Workshop (PDF)

Slides from a capital planning presentation which includes the potential use of a Community Bond as a funding mechanism.

d. Study – Community Bonds: A Non-Profit Financing Tool  (PDF)

Research paper on the nature, characteristics, funding circumstances, process and requirements for a non-profit organization to develop a Community Bond as a mechanism for raising capital for a real estate project.

e. Standard Bank Loan – Template (Word Document)

A summary template of terms and conditions included in a typical bank lending document.

f. Capital Campaign Planning – Background Information (PDF)

Considerations and outline of the process, stages and requirements to host a successful fundraising Capital Campaign.  Includes assessment of the readiness of your organization to proceed.

g. Table of Contents – Capital Campaign Planning Document (PDF)

Table of Contents for a detailed Capital Campaign planning document for a large multi-organization capital campaign.  Demonstrates the level of planning, partnership preparation and management requirements to conduct a complex fundraising campaign.

h. Capital Campaign Budget  (PDF)

Standardized Capital Campaign budget which includes all the costs (and percentage amounts) to conduct a successful fundraising campaign.

i. Community Amenity Contribution Policy Guide – City of Vancouver (PDF)

A City of Vancouver guide to how community infrastructure is created and funded through the use of community amenity agreements with developers.

j. Community Amenity Contributions FAQ – City of Vancouver  (PDF)

Brief January 2020 update on City of Vancouver Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) policy in the form of a FAQ document.

k. Community Amenity Contributions Guide – Province of BC (PDF)

Province of BC Guide to the background and role of Community Amenity Contributions to support various elements of community infrastructure.

l. Community Amenity Space, Service Level Agreement – Sample (PDF)

Sample service level agreement which accompanies a City of Vancouver Community Amenity lease agreement.  While the base lease cost is generally nominal, there are many of the occupancy costs which must be paid by the non-profit tenant.  This sample provides a sense of the complexity and division of responsibility for ongoing building expenses.

m. Community Amenity Space Legal Document – TMAC, Toronto (PDF)

Full legal document between the developer and the City of Toronto wherein the developer agrees to provide (at no charge) to the City an amenity space within the overall development  – which was to become the TMAC space.

n. Rooftop Solar Project Summary – PAVED Arts/AKA, Saskatoon