FACTOR

As a private non-profit organization, FACTOR is dedicated to providing assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian independent recording industry.

• FACTOR started out with an annual budget of $200,000, and in its 24 years FACTOR has administered over $112 million in funding to assist in the development of the Canadian artists and the independent music industry. FACTOR supported sound recordings have sold over 30.2 million copies worldwide with a retail value in excess of $608 million.
• The overall approval of number of requests is 27.09%. It is interesting to note that funding to support children’s music, jazz, roots, rock and classical projects exceed this average.
• Since April 1, 1999 FACTOR has received 550 World Music requests totaling $6.8 million and approved 188 requests, offering a total of $1.6 million.
• Since April 1, 1999 FACTOR has received 348 requests from the classical community totaling $4.4 million and approved 181 requests, offering a total of $1.88 million.
• Urban music, which is still a young developing genre, is already receiving 25% and world music is at 24% of their respective number of requests for funding.
• From FACTOR’s inception in 1982 to December 31, 2005, FACTOR-funded sound recording projects have sold more than 160,000,000 domestic units with a retail value over $286,778,000. International more than 14,000,000 units have been sold, with a retail value over $392,800,000. This represents a combined total of more than 30,000,000 units sold worldwide with a retail value of over $680,000,000.
• From April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2006 FACTOR has disbursed final payments on completed projects totaling $55 million. This funding has been matched by the industry’s own investment of just over $114 million. While FACTOR requires applicants to put up minimally 50% of the budget, the industry has actually absorbed 68% of the costs.