GrantStation Canadian Insider - February 2024

Application deadline: Applications will be accepted from February 26 to April 8, 2024. 
Grant amount: Up to $30,000  
Description: Kindred Foundation aims to advance cures, treatments, and supports for children and adults experiencing health and life challenges in Canada. Through the Youth Mental Health Grant, Kindred Foundation supports Canadian organizations providing mental healthcare to Black youth or 2SLGBTQ+ youth communities across Canada. Eligible applicants consist of registered charities as well as organizations affiliated with one who can receive a donation for their organization. Priority is given to grassroots Black-led or 2SLGBTQ+-led Canadian organizations.

Application deadline: April 18, 2024
Geographic scope: Canada and the United States, including U.S. territories
Grant amount: All teams selected for the Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant and are eligible for additional prizes.
Description: MIT Solve’s Indigenous Communities Fellowship seeks to address the question, “How can Indigenous innovators in the U.S. and Canada build upon traditional knowledge and technology to meet the social, environmental, and economic goals of their communities?” MIT Solve seeks exceptional innovators supporting community-based solutions by and for Indigenous communities across the United States and Canada, though solutions do not need to be cross-border or international in scope and can focus on specific Indigenous communities in either country. Support is provided to innovators with any focal area, with a particular interest in solutions that strengthen sustainable energy sovereignty and support climate resilience initiatives by and for Indigenous peoples; drive positive outcomes for Indigenous learners of any age and context through culturally grounded educational opportunities; promote culturally informed mental and physical health and wellness services for Indigenous community members; and advance community-driven digital sovereignty initiatives in Indigenous communities, including the ethical use of AI, machine learning, and data technologies. 

Application deadline: April 5, 2024
Grant amount: An estimated 30 schools will be awarded grants of up to $10,000.
Description: The mission of Farm to Cafeteria Canada is to transform how food is experienced, learned, and celebrated in all schools across Canada. Farm to School Canada Grants provide funds for schools throughout Canada to advance the farm-to-school approach at their school. Selected schools will commit to advancing the farm-to-school approach by establishing a new meal service or enhancing their existing school meal service so that it serves as much healthy, local food as possible; aiming to increase student consumption of healthy, seasonal foods that are locally sourced wherever possible; setting local food procurement targets and aiming to increase the amount of local foods procured and served each year; and developing and implementing an education strategy to engage students in experiential and classroom learning around growing, harvesting, preparing, serving, and eating healthy local foods. All K-12 schools across Canada are eligible to apply, including Indigenous, public, private, and independent schools.

Application deadline: April 15, 2024
Geographic Scope: Canada and the United States
Grant amount: Fifteen awards of $10,000 will be provided.
Description: The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes honors inspiring, public-spirited young people from diverse backgrounds all across Canada and the United States. Each year, the Barron Prize honors outstanding young leaders ages eight to 18 who have shown leadership and courage in developing and implementing an extraordinary service activity that has clearly benefited other people or the planet. The project must have been initiated and motivated primarily by the winner himself or herself. Fifteen top winners will receive a $10,000 cash award to support either their service work or higher education.

Application deadline: March 31 and September 30, annually (Applications for emergency funding can be made at any time.)
Geographic scope: Alberta
Grant amount: $1,000 to $5,000 (The average award is $2,000.)
Description: Four Feet Companion Foundation, comprised of animal loving volunteers, seeks to make the community a better place for pets and people. The Foundation supports local animal charities in Alberta, with a focus on emergency situations and special projects, such as spay/neuter initiatives. Support is provided for all companion animals. Areas of interest include spay/neuter programs, low-income medical assistance programs, adoption programs, public education/guardianship education programs, emergency medical treatment, and other animal welfare initiatives. The Foundation will consider applications from rescues with respect to emergency veterinary medical and physical care in extenuating circumstances. Additional information is available on the Foundation’s website.

Application deadline: March 31, 2024
Geographic scope: Company communities, including Oakville, the greater Toronto area, and Tiverton, ON; Calgary, AB; Courtenay, BC; and Montreal, QC
Grant amount: $5,000 to $15,000
Description: The Meaningful Work Foundation, the foundation of Raise, exists to break down barriers to meaningful employment in Canadian communities, with emphasis on communities where Raise has offices in Canada, including Oakville, the greater Toronto area, and Tiverton, ON; Calgary, AB; Courtenay, BC; and Montreal, QC. Support is provided to registered Canadian charities that help break down barriers to employment. The focus is on organizations that are business-aligned and are looking for partnership through thought exchange, volunteer opportunities, and mentorship in addition to financial support.

Application deadline:
Partner Program and Major Investment: April 15, 2024
Kick-Start Projects: November 14, 2024
Geographic scope: British Columbia (Requests from areas outside the Lower Mainland or Southern Vancouver Island are encouraged.)
Grant amount: Kick-Start Projects grants range up to $10,000. Partnership Program grants range up to $45,000 over three years. Major Investment funding of up to $100,000 supports multi-year initiatives.
Description: The Pacific Blue Cross Health Foundation supports organizations striving to improve health and well-being for British Columbians. The Foundation provides three different types of project funding: Kick-Start Projects funding of up to $10,000 is intended for one-time projects, startup programs, equipment, or materials that help to improve mental health and well-being or prevent or manage chronic disease. The Partner Program supports partnerships and provides funding to a maximum of $45,000 spread over three years. A partnership is a project or program that can actively include Pacific Blue Cross. Major Investment funding of up to $100,000 is awarded for larger multi-year initiatives, most often including capital campaigns.

Application deadline: March 8, 2024
Geographic scope: Yukon Territory
Grant amount: In the 2024-25 school year, $400,000 will be distributed. Applicants may request funding for more than one project, to a maximum of $25,000.
Description: Every Student, Every Day, a funding program run by the Victoria Gold Yukon Student Encouragement Society in collaboration with the government of Yukon, provides funding for school and community-led projects in the Yukon aimed at improving student attendance in the 2024–25 school year. Every Student, Every Day's Attendance Initiative Fund focuses on several broad categories for proposals, including, but not limited to, focusing on attendance issues, acting to improve attendance, monitoring and adjusting current attendance initiatives, creating communication projects or products, STTEAM (science, technology, trades, engineering, arts, and music) programs, mental health programs, and fostering reconciliation with Yukon First Nations by addressing the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada: Calls to Action. Projects can be submitted by teachers, schools, school boards, school councils, Yukon First Nations governments and organizations, community organizations, and student/parent clubs.

Application deadline: March 22, 2024
Geographic scope: Canada
Grant amount: $25,000 to $100,000
Description: The EcoAction Community Funding Program provides support to community groups for action-based projects, with a focus on freshwater, to improve the environment and increase environmental awareness and capacity in the community. Project activities must take place in Canada and may have a local, regional, or national scope. Nonprofit and non-governmental groups and organizations are eligible to apply, including environmental groups, community groups, youth and senior groups, community-based associations, service clubs, and domestic Indigenous governments, organizations, boards, commissions, communities, councils, associations, and authorities. Other types of organizations may partner with a nonprofit or non-governmental organization to support a proposal.

Application deadline: None
Geographic scope: Canada
Description: The Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund aims to increase the capacity of the justice system and its stakeholders to offer justice services in both official languages, and to increase awareness in the legal community and official language minority and majority communities concerning their rights and issues related to access to justice in both official languages.

We are living in an era of eroding public trust. However, there are steps leaders can take to maintain a high level of trust towards their organizations. Replenishing Trust: Civil Society's Guide to Reversing the Trust Deficit, published by Spitfire, is a guide to help civil society leaders deliberately and consistently earn high trust and understand how to repair trust once it is breached.

Webinar date: February 22, 2024, 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Description: As a proposal writer and fundraiser, you can use storytelling as a tool for change. The language choices you make frame how your community members are perceived and how the challenges and barriers affecting your community are understood. They also shape the relationship between funding partners and communities served. During this webinar, Stephanie Somerman will walk you through how to identify and utilize empowering and culturally relevant language and approaches when writing grant proposals.

Webinar date: February 26, 2024, 2:00 to 2:45 PM Eastern Time
Description: Writing effective proposals requires excellent editing skills. Editing can improve clarity and persuasiveness and help eliminate errors, which means grant reviewers will focus on the most important part of your proposal: the impact of your programs. Editing, however, can be a challenging part of the grantseeking process, especially for small organizations that don’t have multiple individuals available to review a proposal prior to submission. Fortunately, AI tools can help provide an additional “set of eyes,” ensuring you’re submitting the best proposal possible. During this TargetED, Alice Ruhnke and David Gates will show you how AI can help you effectively edit your proposals.

Webinar date: February 29, 2024, 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Description: To become a successful nonprofit consultant, it’s vital that you know what’s involved. Continued long-term success demands goal setting and strategic planning. In this webinar, Mandy Pearce will offer her expert insights into this process. You'll gain essential knowledge on planning, goal setting, and the initial steps to take so you can achieve success more efficiently than by trial and error. (This webinar is part of our Power of 3 series: Navigate Nonprofit Consulting.)

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