Updated: July 04, 2023

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Funding related to Food Security & Food Sovereignty

 

Please note that these descriptions are meant to provide some context about the funding parameters, but always check the main source for the most up-to-date grant information.

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First Peoples Cultural Council Braided Infrastructure Pilot Project

The Braided Infrastructure Pilot Project (BIP) is a one-time funding opportunity from First Peoples Cultural Council. Up to $250,000 in funding is available for B.C. First Nations infrastructure projects that braid together arts, culture, heritage and languages. BIP will fund projects that conserve, repair or develop B.C. First Nations’ cultural heritage, arts and language infrastructure. This could include:

1. Historical, art, language and cultural places, archives and collections that are of collective value to a B.C. First Nation community.

2. Physical infrastructure such as buildings, trails and structures that support public and community access to:

• Stories of historic places and the places themselves.

• The transmission of community memory and traditional practices, crafts and trades.

• Cultural materials that support telling the stories of historic sites and the transmission of community memory and traditional practices, arts and trades.

• Art and language materials and forms.

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Expressions of Interest are being accepted until July 20, 2023

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TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund

TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund offers flexible grants up to $50,000 for Indigenous-led social, health and community programs. Projects must clearly address a pressing social or well-being need and create measurable community outcomes. Projects that have been funded in the past include a community garden, STEM programming for youth, language revitalization, and wellness programs.

 

Applications will open May 15, 2023, and close October 13, 2023. 

 

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TD Friends of the Environment Foundation Grant

The Foundation supports a wide range of environmental initiatives, with a primary focus on environmental education and green space programs. Eligible projects include schoolyard greening, park revitalization, community gardens, park programming and citizen science initiatives. Generally, funding requests range between $2,000 and $8,000.

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Deadline: July 15th, 2023.

 

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Recovery and Resiliency Fund - Vancouver Foundations

Flexible three-year grants of $50,000 and $72,000 per year to eligible organizations thathave been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Eligible organizations have an identifiable need to recover from the pandemic, a vision of its long-term resiliency, and needs additional financial resources to realize its vision; and had an annual operating budget in 2020 and 2021 of less than $1 million. 

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Applications open July 13th, 2023, and close October 5th, 2023.

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Indigenous Foods Systems & Agriculture Skills & Training Program

The Indigenous Food Systems & Agriculture Skills & Training (ISAT)program supports Indigenous Nations, communities, businesses, and organizations in increasing Indigenous participation in agriculture, seafood, food processing and related community economic development initiatives. ISAT funds activities involved in training and skills development, peer-to-peer learning, and revitalization of cultural and economic food harvesting and production practices. The 2023/24 program provides up to $80,000 of funding per project. Program funding is available to successful applicants for projects beginning on or after January 1, 2024 and must be completed no later than January 1, 2026.

 

Funding opens September 12th, 2023.

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Edible Trees Program - Tree Canada

Funding is available to educational institutions, Indigenous communities, community groups or gardens, food banks, community housing projects, municipalities, or other groups interested in planting edible trees on publicly accessible sites. Up to $3,500 in funding is available per project.

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Application form example: Edible Tree Program Application Form.pdf

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Applications open in October of each year. Start planning your orchard now!

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Farm to School BC - Farm to School BC Grants

School communities may apply for a maximum of $3,000 to launch their Farm to SchoolBC project. The amount granted will be dependent on the scope of the proposed program. A total of 30 grants will be allotted for the 2022 granting cycle. Projects may include building garden beds, foraging local food, growing indigenous plant gardens, small-scale farms, indoor growing spaces, and much more. For more farm to school program ideas, click here.

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Applications currently closed, next intake will open October 2023.

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First Peoples’ Cultural Council Heritage Stewardship Program

This First Peoples’ Cultural Council program offers four funding streams: climate change, digitization and archiving, oral histories and protocol, and sense of place. Several projects could be linked with food security and food sovereignty, for example, documenting the impact of climate change on local fisheries and other food sources. Applicants can apply for up to three streams within the program, each with a maximum of $25,000. See the detailed guidelines here.

 

Applications closed. Check back for future intakes and similar programs.

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Community Grants Program - Canadian Roots Exchange

CREation is a multi-level funding program that supports strengths-based, community-focused and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Grassroot Indigenous youth groups/collectives (ages 15-29) are eligible to apply for funding to support community programs and projects, while receiving innovative mentorship, training and capacity-building opportunities. Funding will be provided to projects/groups that seek to create impactful community change and increase the wellness, resiliency and engagement of Indigenous youth. This program aims to support Indigenous youth to take ownership over the wellness of their peers and community. There are four streams:

 

• Youth Empowerment Stream: Sprout – $2500

• Partnership Stream – Parks Canada - $2,500-$5,000

• Partnership Stream – Entrepreneurship - $2,500-$5,000

• Medium Project Stream – $30,000

 

Applications closed. Check back for future intakes.

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Gardens for Good Grant Program

The Gardens for Good grant program supports community gardens across North America that are growing organic food and making a difference in their communities. Sofar, Nature’s Path has supported 52 community gardens with more than $515,000 in grant funding.

 

Intake for 2023 closed. Check back in Spring 2024 for next intake.

 

 

United Way Healing Grants & Indigenous Capacity Grants

The United Way of BC is now accepting grant applications from Indigenous Nations and Indigenous-led organizations for our new streams of Healing Grants and Capacity Grants. Eligible organizations can apply for up to $50,000 to engage in Healing initiatives in their communities, or to initiate projects aimed at increasing organizational capacity – the guidelines are quite flexible.

 

Applications closed. Check back for future United Way BC funding.

 

 

SilverChef Community Grants Program

SilverChef is a B certified corporation that provides flexible equipment finance and funding to hospitality businesses and small communities. The Community Grants Program offers $5,000 to purchase selected ‘Certified Use’ commercial kitchen equipment ($3,750 credit plus $1,250 in cash to assist with freight & installation).

 

Application form: SilverChef_Community_Grants_Program_Application_Form_Canada_June2022.pdf (shopify.com)

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Applications closed.

 

 

Garden Grant Program

Whole Kids Foundation, aims to get kids knowing and connecting to their food, so they become more curious about how things grow or taste, and more willing to try new foods. This is why we believe in edible garden learning spaces! The Garden Grant program provides a $3,000 monetary grant to support a new or existing edible educational garden located at either a: K-12 school, or a non-profit organization that serves children in the K-12 range.

 

Application form: 2023-Whole-Kids-Foundation-Garden-Grant-Application_FINAL.pdf (wholekidsfoundation.org)

 

Applications closed.

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Indigenous Food Systems & Agriculture Partnership Program – IAF

This program supports Indigenous communities, businesses, and organizations in increasing food security and sovereignty over their food systems and strengthens Indigenous peoples’ success within the agriculture and food sector. The program funds activities involved in agriculture, food processing, and/or food systems planning, training and skills development, technological adoption, productivity and profitability improvements, and climate change adaptations. $80,000 is available per project for a maximum of two years (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).

 

Applications closed.

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Heritage Infrastructure Program – First Peoples’ Cultural Council

Up to $250,000 in funding is available for First Nations organizations in B.C. with a focus that includes Indigenous heritage. The goal of this program is to assist First Nations communities to safeguard, revitalize and celebrate their heritage through heritage infrastructure projects. This can include First Nations bands, Tribal Councils and Indigenous led not-for-profit societies. Of note is that eligible projects include construction and upgrades to longhouses, bighouses, carving sheds, community meat freezers and meat processing stations.

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Applications closed October 2022. Check back for future intakes.

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Feed Opportunity Fund – Maple Leaf Feed Opportunity

The Feed Opportunity Fund is offering two funding streams this year: Project Grants to support initiatives that reduce barriers to food security; and Learning Grants for collaborative research or knowledge sharing initiatives. Both funding streams offer up to $150,000 per year and may be extended up to three years. Funding priority will go to collaborative initiatives working across organizations, government, and academia.

 

Applications closed October 2022. Check back for next intake.  

 

 

Indigenous Climate Health Action Plan - FNHA

The Indigenous Climate Health Action Program (ICHAP) funds climate action projects that are community driven and focus on health and wellness outcomes. Projects can focus on climate health in general or on developing a strategy or action plan to reduce climate change impacts on community health. Some examples of focus areas are:

• Food security and food sovereignty

• Access to the land

• Mental health

• Traditional medicine

• Traditional harvesting

• Water quality and quantity

 

Applications closed. Check back for future programming.

 

 

Real Estate Foundation - General Grants

REFBC’s grants program supports projects that contribute to sustainable land use and real estate practices. Grants can support: • Applied research • Public and professional education • Policy analysis and law reform. Grant dollars can be used for project-related costs, including staffing and program delivery, project coordination, communications, consultant fees, workshops, and travel. They are particularly interested in projects that support Indigenous rights and interests in land use and real estate.

 

Note: projects need other funding contributions as well, REFBC will only fund up to 50%

 

Applications open Winter (February) 2024.

 

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B.C. Indigenous Agriculture Development Program – BC Government

The B.C. Indigenous Agriculture Development Program supports Indigenous people’s success in the food and agriculture sector. The program is divided into one stream for Indigenous governments, communities and organizations and another stream for Indigenous entrepreneurs. Each stream has two steps of financial support to work with a B.C. Ministry of Agriculture pre-approved Qualified Business Consultant. For governments, communities, and organizations:

• Step 1 provides up to $5,000 for agriculture opportunities assessment.

• Step 2 provides up to $10,000 for financial and business planning.

• Community engagement top-up fund: During each step of the program, you are eligible for up to $2,000 of additional funding to support community engagement during your project.

 

Application intake is now closed. The program is under review, check back for news of future offerings.

 

 

Indigenous Resilience and Recovery Grant Initiative - New Relationship Trust

Same as Vancouver Foundation Recovery and Resiliency Fund, but for Indigenous organizations with annual revenues of $1 million or more (based on most recent audited financial statements). The goal is to enhance the organizational and economic resilience of Indigenous not-for-profit organizations during their post-pandemic recovery journey. Eligible requests are quite flexible and broad. Maximum funding is $75,000 per year for three years.  

 

All funding resources are fully exhausted. Stay up to date on future funding opportunities from Vancouver Foundation and New Relationship Trust.

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Co-op Community Spaces Funding

The Co-op Community Spaces Program was established to improve community health and well-being by building places for Western Canadians to come together, build social connections and enable community development.

• Projects can apply for between $25,000 and $150,000 in capital funding.

• The program supports small-scale community agriculture initiatives in both rural and urban spaces, including community gardens and food education facilities.

• Projects must be located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba.

• Projects must provide the opportunity for permanent signage.

• Projects must be available and accessible for community use.

• Application sample: SPONSORIUM - Proposal Request Form (co-op.crs)

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Applications currently closed, check back for 2024 application dates.  For inquiries please contact: communityspaces@fcl.crs

 

 

Indigenous Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative – Agriculture Canada

This grant is available specifically to advance economic opportunities through building capacity in growing, producing and selling food. Projects could include developing an approach to growing and selling fresh produce or building/sharing skills and knowledge to scale up or enhance a current agriculture project. Proposals are being accepted until September 30, 2022 and the initiative ends on March 31, 2023. Cannot exceed $500,000 a year. 

 

Applications currently suspended due to high demand.