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COVID-19 Funding Opportunities
Current COVID-19 funding opportunities are available on our website.
National Funding Opportunities
Grants for Internet-Related Initiatives Across Canada
Canadian Internet Registration Authority: Community Investment Program
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) manages .CA domains on behalf of all Canadians and works to build a trusted internet for Canadians. CIRA's Community Investment Program funds community internet projects to build a resilient, trusted, and secure internet for all Canadians. Grants ranging up to $100,000 are provided in the areas of infrastructure, digital literacy, cybersecurity, and community leadership, with priority given to initiatives that benefit K-12 and post-secondary students and northern, rural, and Indigenous communities. (In addition, one grant of up to $250,000 will be awarded.) Eligible applicants include registered charities, nonprofit organizations, Indigenous communities, and academics affiliated with a Canadian university or college. The application period closes on April 13, 2022, at 2pm ET/11am PT. Visit the CIRA website to learn more about the funding priorities and how to apply.
Funding Targets Underrepresented Communities in Canada and Worldwide
Srinarayanathas Foundation
The Srinarayanathas Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations focused on improving outcomes for underrepresented communities in Canada and abroad. The Foundation funds charitable organizations working to achieve this through healthcare, education, civic engagement, and the creative arts, with a focus on communities of colour in Canada and vulnerable populations around the world. In order to be eligible, organizations must be a registered charitable organization or qualified donee of the Canada Revenue Agency. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Visit the Foundation's website to start an online application.
Literacy Programs for Children and Youth Funded in Canada
Excellence in Literacy Foundation
The Excellence in Literacy Foundation (ELF) seeks to empower young people with skills, confidence, and resilience through kindness, knowledge, and literacy. The ELF provides small grants of $500 to $2,000 to registered Canadian charities for literacy initiatives geared towards children and youth facing barriers. Support is provided for direct literacy program delivery, including program and operating expenses, such as salaries, classroom/program materials, or books. Book buying projects not associated with a literacy program will not be funded. Grants include free, bilingual literacy and life-skills workbooks for use in the program, as well as free training workshops on effective literacy program development. Applications are reviewed throughout the year. Application guidelines and forms are available on the ELF website.
Efforts to Protect Human Rights, Animals, and the Planet Supported
Lush Charitable Giving Program
The Lush Charitable Giving Program, the Charity Pot, supports small, grassroots organizations in North America and around the world that are working on the root cause of issues and creating long-term sustainable change. Grants ranging up to $15,000 are provided to organizations working in areas of animal protection, environmental justice, and human rights. Lush looks for organizations that challenge mainstream opinion through public engagement and holding governments accountable, including non-violent direct-action groups. Eligible applicants include registered and unregistered organizations, nonprofits, and Indigenous and community organizations with an annual revenue of $500,000 or less. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Visit the Lush website to read the funding guidelines and apply online.
Regional Funding Opportunities
Matching Grants Support Climate-Related Projects in Rural Nova Scotia
Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia: Joan Feynman Climate Change Fund Grants
The Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia supports community organizations in rural Nova Scotia through grantmaking, convening, and capacity-building. The Joan Feynman Climate Change Grants program provides small matching grants for climate change-related projects in rural areas of Nova Scotia, excluding the urban areas of the Halifax Regional Municipality (Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford) and Sydney. Grants, ranging up to $5,000 for general projects and $2,000 for youth grants, must be directly applicable to climate change but can connect to areas such as food and water, health, clean energy production, reduction of emissions, the ocean, or social aspects. Grantees must be able to provide a 50% match from community-based or local sources. Individuals who are residents of Nova Scotia, have a direct connection to a rural community, and are sponsored by a qualified donee are eligible to apply. Applications will be accepted from April 22 to May 20, 2022. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the 2022 Guidelines.
Support for Arts, Sports, and Recreation Initiatives in the Yukon
Lotteries Yukon: Projects Fund
Lotteries Yukon provides support to registered Yukon nonprofit organizations through the Projects Fund. The Fund aims to sustain and contribute to the growth of arts, sports, and recreation in Yukon by increasing access and participation of all Yukon people in these activities; supporting individuals in developing their abilities in arts, sports, and recreation; enhancing community arts, sports, and recreation infrastructure; and increasing organizational and community capacity in arts, sports, and recreation. Two types of funding are available. Opportunity Projects funding of up to $3,500 supports projects that are low risk, simple to execute, and have not already been funded by Lotteries Yukon. Opportunity Projects applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until the budget is disbursed. Regular Intake funding supports small-medium projects as well as large projects, with priority given to initiatives that benefit more than one nonprofit. The annual deadlines for Regular Intake funding are April 15 and October 15. Visit the Lotteries Yukon website to download the Projects Fund guidelines.
Funding Targets At-Risk Youth in Winnipeg and Brockville
Carolyn Sifton Foundation
The Carolyn Sifton Foundation provides support to organizations in Winnipeg, MB, and Brockville, ON, for projects targeting at-risk youth. The Foundation supports projects in the areas of education, social services, and arts and culture designed to assist young people who do not have the same opportunities due to social or economic circumstances to develop to their fullest potential. Funding is provided for specific projects, preferably pilot projects or new initiatives, including support for capital items and operating costs. Priority is given to challenge or matching grants. The upcoming application deadline is April 15, 2022. The General Guidelines for Granting Programs are available on the Foundation’s website.
Grants Advance Public Interest Law in British Columbia
Law Foundation of British Columbia: Public Interest Law Participation Fund
The Law Foundation of British Columbia seeks to advance and promote a just society in British Columbia. The Foundation's funding areas include legal education, legal research, law reform, legal aid, and law libraries. The Public Interest Law Participation Fund aims to enhance public participation in public interest law matters in British Columbia. Funding is provided to organizations and individuals to support participation in public proceedings, with the aim of supporting the inclusion of perspectives and voices not otherwise represented through the Foundation’s funding in public proceedings and balancing different public interests and perspectives in public proceedings. Applications for this program are accepted on an ongoing basis. Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about this and other programs.
Government Funding Opportunities
Support for Truth and Reconciliation Efforts Across Canada
Canadian Heritage
The Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation program provides funding of up to $10,000 to support initiatives that will 1) increase awareness and commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or the history and legacy of residential schools; 2) honor children who did not return home, survivors, their families, and communities; or 3) provide an opportunity for survivors, families, and communities to share their stories and advance inter-generational healing and reconciliation. Applications must be received by April 11, 2022.
Funding Fosters Economic Growth in Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The Innovative Communities Fund supports projects that build the economies of communities in Atlantic Canada. Funding is provided for initiatives that lead to long-term employment and a stronger local economy, with the aim of enabling communities to develop thriving industry sectors, strengthen infrastructure in rural areas, and invest in projects to help communities overcome economic issues and take advantage of new opportunities. There is no deadline to apply. Applicants must contact their nearest Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency office to discuss their project prior to applying.
PathFinder: Featured Resource
A library of quality resources designed to help you develop your career path as a grants professional
The Smart Nonprofit: Staying Human-Centered in an Automated World, by Beth Kanter and Allison H. Fine
Work has become an always-on game of whack-a-mole. There is never enough time and the job never seems to get done. Authors Beth Kanter and Allison Fine, in their new book, The Smart Nonprofit, outline the ways that smart tech, artificial intelligence, and other similar technologies can bring joy back into work by taking over rote tasks and freeing staff to do truly human things like telling stories, building strong relationships, and solving problems. The Smart Nonprofit is on sale now.
Upcoming Online Education Trainings
Live Webinars
Unless otherwise noted, all Online Education Trainings are webinars,
are 90 minutes in duration, and are scheduled to begin at 2 PM Eastern Time.
Quick Funding Strategies
Nonprofits sometimes need a reboot or refresh to bring in a quick buck. Perhaps the fundraising event fell flat. Staff turnover or expansion may have left you with depleted resources. This webinar, presented by Mindy Muller from Community Development Professionals, offers nonprofit fundraising staff some innovative strategies to overcome an economic pinch with best practices used by nonprofit organizations to create new ways of generating income. This webinar is appropriate for board members, executive directors, volunteers, or others involved in fundraising activities.. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2022.
Grant Consulting: Is It Right For You?
Maybe you’re exploring options for starting a grant consulting business, or maybe you’re already dabbling in consulting and proposal writing and want to know how to turn your side-hustle into a business. If this sounds familiar, you should consider taking this webinar. Where should you start? With so many issues to consider, from marketing to determining services and fee structures, this process can be overwhelming. Let us help you get the ball rolling. This webinar will cover: what questions you need to answer before diving in full-time; how to create your initial services list and price points; how working for yourself differs from working for others; and how to diversify your income to create sustainability. If you are ready to explore taking your passion to the next level and learning the details of what’s involved in a grant consulting gig, join Amanda Pearce of Funding for Good for this 90-minute webinar. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
Building the “Total Value” Proposal Budget
An A+ proposal budget provides an honest, complete, and clear picture of the total value of everything it takes to do our work successfully. It also stands as an invaluable management and evaluation tool when it comes to running the grant-funded program. So…how do we get there from here? That’s the question Maryn Boess will explore in this down-to-earth, myth-busting session. By the end of the webinar, participants will: understand the importance of taking a “total value” approach to budget-building; learn why the form the grantmaker provides is (almost always) the wrong tool for planning their budget—and what to use instead; try their hand at thinking through some of the “total-value” challenges in a real-life scenario; get a behind-the-scenes view of how grantmakers evaluate a proposal budget; and understand the value of volunteer time, accounting for “match,” handling administrative/indirect costs, and other perennially perplexing budget issues. The webinar will be held on Thursday, April 7, 2022.
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Funding Alerts
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Editor: Diana Holder
Contributing Writer: Ashlyn Simmons