FUNDING AND RESOURCES

Indigenous Languages, Arts and Culture - Events, Funding, Opportunities

Funding

 

FPCC’s Indigenous Arts Grants now Open! We are currently accepting applications from Indigenous artists residing in B.C. for the Indigenous Arts Program and Indigenous Music Initiative:

 

Indigenous Climate Health Action Program. (FNHA). Deadline October 12, 2021. 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​. Up to $100,000 is available per year per project from ICHAP, but a higher amount can be considered for larger sub-regional partnerships.

 

Career Development BC Artists. (Amplify BC). Deadline October 13, 2021. This program supports the economic growth and career development of emerging and established artists in the areas of sound recording, marketing, and music videos. B.C.-based emerging and established artists are eligible to apply. Grant amounts are from $1,000 to $30,000.

 

Early-Stage Development Program. Canada Media Fund. Deadline October 14, 2021. Funding received through this Program should focus primarily on the creation of early-stage creative materials. Allowable Eligible Costs in this Program shall be the following: Writing (Treatment, Outline, Bible, or Script), Scriptwriting consultant, Story editor, Preliminary research, Travel costs for research or to meet with national/international production partners (limited to 2% of Eligible Costs), Printing and collating costs. The CMF may contribute financially to an Eligible Project at the level requested by the Applicant up to a Maximum Contribution of $40,000.

 

Visual Arts Organizations: Project Assistance. (BC Arts Council). Deadline October 15, 2021. Projects Assistance: Visual Arts Organizations supports the development, enrichment, and creation of new or unique public programming and documentation, including exhibitions, dissemination projects, artists’ residencies, exploration of new artistic or curatorial practices, community engagement, and audience development. Project assistance will not exceed 50% of the total project budget. There is no maximum request amount.

 

Museums and Indigenous Cultural Centres: Project Assistance (BC Arts Council). Deadline October 15, 2021. This program supports the development and creation of artistic, cultural and/or human cultural history programming, including exhibitions, dissemination projects, artists’ residencies, exploration of new museological and curatorial practices, community engagement projects and collections management projects. Project assistance will not exceed 50% of the total project budget. There is no maximum request amount.

 

Museum Assistance Program (Federal Government). Deadline October 20, 2021. The Museum Assistance Program is now accepting applications for assistance with ongoing operating costs through the Reopening Fund for Heritage Organizations. This assistance will help heritage organizations that have felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as they reopen and safely welcome back visitors. To be eligible for funding, your organization must be: a not-for-profit organization such as a museum, an archive, or a historic site (including those that operate seasonally and those without full-time staff); an Indigenous organization or official language minority community organization; or, a municipal or university museum with a distinct budget. To be eligible, applicants must also: manage a heritage collection, provide public access through regular hours of operation (including on a part-time or seasonal basis); and, have had annual expenses in 2019 (or your last completed pre-pandemic fiscal year) between $2,000 and $3,000,000. High volume of applications expected. Funding amounts will range from $1,000 to a maximum of $100,000. The amount will be determined by a formula based on your 2019 expenses (or last completed pre-pandemic fiscal year), as supported by financial statements. Applicants are encouraged to apply early as funds are limited.

 

Mentor-Apprentice Program. Deadline November 17, 2021. The Mentor-Apprentice Program supports one-on-one learning between an adult learner (16 years of age and older) and a fluent speaker. This program is intended for B.C. First Nations individuals learning one of the 34 First Nations languages in B.C. You do not need to be living in your community (on reserve) to be eligible to participate, but you must be living in B.C. The Mentor-Apprentice Program is now offering two program types to better suit different types of language learners. Mentor-Apprentice Program (MAP) – Intensive – This option is intended for language learners who want to actively pass on the language to others, most often through a career as a language educator. MAP participants complete 300 hours of language immersion with a fluent speaker over approximately nine months. Mentor-Apprentice Program: Connections (MAPC) – Flexible – MAPC is for language learners who want to strengthen their connection to their language and who want greater flexibility and minimal reporting requirements. MAPC participants complete 100 hours of language immersion with a fluent speaker over approximately six months. The project term for Map Connections is June 1 - Dec. 15, 2022. To learn more about the program and how to create a successful application, register for our webinar on September 21, 2021 from 12:00PM - 1:00PM. To register email: map@fpcc.ca

 

Community Gaming Grants - Human and Social Services. Deadline November 31, 2020. Organizations within this sector deliver programs that improve the quality of life in a community by supporting the wellbeing of children, youth, families and/or seniors; by addressing equality issues (e.g. gender, LGBTQ2S+, race, etc.); by addressing the unmet needs of under-served groups; or, by providing public outreach and education regarding important social issues. Local organizations can apply for funding up to $100,000 per year, regional organizations up to $225,000 per year, and province-wide organizations up to $250,000 a year. I’ve understood that communities have had success applying for this funding to support language nests and other language revitalization work.

 

Pathways to Language Vitality Program (FPCC) Deadline December 6, 2021. Created in response to community feedback, the FPCC Pathways to Language Vitality Program provides funding and support for community-led projects that revitalize First Nations languages in B.C. and help create new fluent speakers. Up to $250,000 in funding is available. New applicants are encouraged to apply. The Pathways program offers three types of funding: Rise, Roots and Grow funding. Rise funding ($15,000 - $100,000) for organizations with up to two prior years of experience receiving FPCC language grants. These applicants are building stewardship practices for long-term language revitalization growth. Roots funding ($100,000 - $175,000) for organizations with up to four years of experience receiving FPCC language grants. These applicants have absorbed the teachings from previous efforts and are nourishing strong roots for long-term community language goals. Grow funding ($175,000 - $250,000) for organizations with 5+ years of experience receiving FPCC language grants. These applicants have established language programs and practices and can steward complex plans with many moving parts to achieve community language revitalization goals. Learn about the Pathways to Language Vitality Program and how to strengthen your application at our live info session on Monday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m. Meet our team and get your questions answered! Email info@fpcc.ca with your name and organization to register.

 

Nation Building Program (New Relationship Trust). Deadline December 7th or until funds are exhausted. The purpose of the Nation Building Program is to provide funding opportunities to First Nations and Tribal Councils in British Columbia to support their nation-building activities according to their self-determined priorities. A project or initiative meant to strengthen the institutional, governance, and community capacities in reclaiming and rebuilding resiliency, self-determination, and sovereignty, within each Nation’s own context is considered an eligible project. Successful applicants (i.e., BC First Nation Community/Organization/Tribal Council) can apply for up to $50,000 for their project(s).

 

Elders Grants. Open Until Funds Exhausted or December 7, 2021. The New Relationship Trust (NRT) Elders Grant Initiative is available to all BC First Nation Elders groups at the community level. Priority will be given to Elders Groups. The maximum amount available is $2,500 per Elders group or First Nation/community/organization.

 

BC First Nation Youth Language Grant Initiative. Open until Funds Exhausted or December 7, 2021. The New Relationship Trust (NRT) recognizes the importance of revitalizing British Columbia (BC) First Nations languages and has identified Youth Language funding as a strategic priority. Preservation and restoration of First Nations languages is integral to cultural identity. NRT will begin to accept completed applications on June 15, 2020 until funds are exhausted. The maximum amount available is $4,000 per First Nations youth language projects.

 

Legacy Fund - Building Communities through Arts and Heritage. Applications accepted on continuous basis. This Department of Canadian Heritage Program provides funding for community-initiated capital projects, intended for community use. Recipients may receive up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses up to a maximum of $500,000. Funding supports community-initiated capital projects that: commemorate a significant local historical event or pay tribute to a significant local historical personality; mark a 100th anniversary or greater, in increments of 25 years (e.g., 125th, 150th); involve the restoration, renovation, or transformation of existing buildings or exterior spaces with local community significance that are intended for community use; encourage arts and heritage activities in the local community that are intended for and accessible to the general public.

 

History and Heritage Grants in Aid. Applications accepted at any time. The Islands Trust established the History, Heritage and Conservation Grant-In-Aid to fund initiatives that contribute to the conservation of the Islands Trust Area’s history and heritage. Individuals, groups, organizations, First Nations communities or members, or agencies may apply. Successful grant applicants will receive funding for activities or projects that do one or more of the following: Expand knowledge about the history and/or heritage of the Islands Trust Area; Increase public awareness, understanding and/or appreciation of the history and/or heritage of the Islands Trust Area, including cultural heritage and/or contribute to the understanding of Indigenous Peoples on the island; Conserve heritage properties, cultural heritage areas, or preserve and protect archaeological areas or locations. Grant applicants may request funding up to $5,000.

 

B.C. Employer Training Grant Program. Applications are prioritized. The B.C. Employer Training Grant program (ETG) supports skills training to address provincial labour market needs. The program is delivered by the Province of British Columbia and is funded by the Government of Canada through the Workforce Development Agreement (WDA). The goal of the ETG is to help British Columbians access the skills training needed to adapt to the changing requirements of jobs and the labour market while encouraging employer involvement in the training of their employees. Due to high demand for limited funds, applications are prioritized and are not assessed solely on a first come, first served basis. Priority is given to first-time applicants, small businesses, applicants from disadvantaged regions and applicants from industries facing the greatest challenges acquiring skilled workers. There are 6 streams: Covid-19 Impacted Worker Training, Workforce Training, Technical Training, Foundational Training, Employment Transition Training and Persons with Disabilities Training. (It looks like this program might support the needs of communities to train individuals to support language and cultural heritage revitalization work.)

 

B.C. Indigenous Agricultural Development Program. Open until funds are allocated. This two-step program is designed to support your government, community or organization to make informed decisions, access professional business and financial planning services for enterprises in the food and agriculture sector and for food security planning activities, and support skills training and build business management capacity. The program stream for governments, communities and organizations offers Agricultural Opportunities Assessments (Step 1 of the Program) and Financial and Business Planning (Step 2) with services from a Qualified Business Consultant, as well as optional top-up funding to support community engagement during your projects. Each Applicant is only eligible to receive a total of up to $15,000 of funding through the Indigenous Agriculture Development Program during the funding cycle of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (2018-2023), in addition to up to $4,000 of Community Engagement Top-up Funding (up to $2,000 for each Step 1 or 2 project). The maximum funding available for an Agriculture Opportunities Assessment Project (Step 1) is $5,000 (plus the optional top-up funding) and the maximum funding available for a Financial and Business Planning Project (Step 2) is $10,000 (plus the optional top-up funding).

 

Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund. Ongoing. The Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund (IPRF) is an Indigenous-led effort to respond to urgent community needs while taking a long-term view on building community resilience. Any Indigenous-led organization or Indigenous-serving organization working to foster resilience in Inuit, Métis and First Nations communities anywhere in Canada can apply for resiliency funds ranging from $5,000 to $30,000.

 

BC Arts Council Grant Programs. The BC Arts Council has MANY programs with intakes throughout the year. Please visit their website for more information: https://www.bcartscouncil.ca/program

 

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. No deadline – ongoing. The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation. The Fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces. The CCSF annual grants and contributions budget is $54 million for the period 2018-2028.

 

National Creation Fund. No Deadline. The National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund invests up to $3 million a year in the development of 15 to 20 compelling and ambitious new Canadian works in theatre, dance, music and inter-disciplinary performing arts. Fuelled entirely by donors, the Fund provides Canadian artists with the additional time, space and resources they need to create great work. The Fund invests in both new work, and in promising productions that need additional development after their initial run to produce stronger, more polished work that will be remounted and toured across Canada and around the world.

 

Aboriginal Community-Based Training Partnerships (ACBTP) and Indigenous Skills Training Development Fund (ISTDF). The Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training (AEST) delivers two programs that provide funding to Indigenous communities (Communities) to access skills training and post-secondary education leading to employment, self-employment or further education.

  • Please contact AEST staff to obtain more information on criteria and how to apply. By email: AEST.IndigenousPrograms@gov.bc.ca or by phone: Yavhel 250-216-4701; Delphine 250-516-3159 or Jennifer Ambers 250.415.6797

 

Movable Cultural Property Grants. (Government of Canada). No Deadline. Movable Cultural Property Grants help designated organizations acquire cultural property of outstanding significance and national importance to Canada, as outlined in the Cultural Property Export and Import Act. Designated organizations are located in Canada and demonstrate the ability to ensure the long-term preservation of cultural property. Grants can be used to purchase cultural property: for which an export permit has been denied; or that is important to Canada’s national heritage and available for purchase outside the country.

 

Mental Health & Wellness Funding. The First Nations Health Authority, the Province and Canada have each committed $10 million dollars over two years (2019-2021) to support First Nations communities and Nations to come together to plan, design and deliver initiatives in support of the social determinants of mental health and wellness. The funding approach recognizes that each community and Nation is at a different place on their journey to health and wellness. To learn more and how to apply, visit: https://www.fnha.ca/about/work-with-us/funding-opportunities

 

The British Columbia History Digitization Program (BCHDP) is seeking early notice from prospective 2022/2023 grant applicants. This will enable follow-up with applicants eligible for and interested in additional support during the grant application process. If your organisation is considering applying for a 2022/2023 BCHDP grant this October, please fill out this short Notice of Intent survey: https://surveys.bceln.ca/limesurvey/index.php?r=survey/index&sid=499773&lang=en. The Learning Centre will provide matching financial contributions for digitization projects to a yearly maximum of $15,000 per applicant.

 

 

Events

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032.

 

 

 

Opportunities

 

First Nations Technology Council Indigenous Leadership in Technology Survey. Take our survey and tell us about your experience with technology, what skills training you’re interested in, and what increased access to technology, jobs, and connectivity could do for your community! Feedback from this survey will support the advancement of Indigenous leadership in the tech and innovation sector in BC. Your input will help us create regional reports that can be used by communities and inform actionable provincial strategies. The information you share is understood as community knowledge which belongs to you, we promise to respect your community knowledge. The Technology Council will store and care for the information you share. Your feedback will remain anonymous and data will not be used for any other purpose.

 

National Survey re: Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage Across Canada Survey. We invite you to participate in this national survey which has been developed by Heritage Saskatchewan on behalf of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Culture and Heritage Table (FPTCH) to collect information on intangible cultural heritage perspectives and practices across Canada. To show our appreciation for your efforts in responding to this survey, you may enter into a draw to win one of two $100 visa gift cards. We will use the information you provide in the development of a report that will support best practices in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and enhance understanding of intangible cultural heritage at the national and regional level. Link to the survey: https://questionnaire.simplesurvey.com/f/l/ich-survey

 

RPATC will be hosting awareness and educational seminars for museums, art galleries, and heritage/cultural sites on drone based technology services. These workshops (held online via Zoom) are structured to enhance the knowledge of those who would like to use drones for site or event promotion activities, videography and mapping of historic and cultural sites, museum exhibits, and for youth programming (such as applied learning in the STEAM education fields or additional museum based activities). Drone videography can be captured both outside and inside a museum or heritage site (see links below for sample videos). Attendees will have the chance to ask questions and gain clarity on all areas related to the use of drones, certification processes, legal regulations and liabilities, establishing internal drone operations, contracting out to external parties, and applications of the technology within the museum/heritage-site context. The registration fee for workshop attendance is $85. Workshops to be held on September 21 and October 6, 2021.

 

 

Announcements

 

Announcing a new Sector Labour Market Partnership project for B.C.'s motion picture industry, funded jointly by the Ministry of Advanced Education & Skills Training and WarnerMedia Access Canada. Part of MPPIA and Creative BC's Creative Pathways strategy, the project will deliver a new platform in October 2021. The platform will serve all British Columbians seeking to enter the province's motion picture industry and offer distinctive equity-focused streams to champion a dynamic workforce that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive. As a first step, Creative Pathways is now accepting applications for the WarnerMedia Access Canada national equity program, Access to Action.

 

The British Columbia Heritage Emergency Response Network has created a Preparing for Evacuation of Collections document to assist in the evacuation of collections during an emergency. You can explore more emergency preparedness resources here: http://www.bchern.ca/

 

Indigenous communities, local governments and heritage organizations in British Columbia will soon have access to funding for projects that spotlight the Province’s diverse cultural heritage. “It has been 150 years since B.C. joined confederation, but the history of this place stretches back to time immemorial,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “To heal and move forward together, it is important that everyone sees themselves reflected in B.C.’s heritage and cultural programs. This is an opportunity for people to learn more about B.C.’s colonial past and to honour the resilience both Indigenous and non-Indigenous marginalized communities have shown. Let’s reflect on our whole story and what we can do together to make B.C. an even better place for generations to come.” Administered through the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and Heritage BC, the new, $30-million 150 Time Immemorial grant program will fund projects that educate people about B.C.’s colonial past, advance reconciliation and promote inclusivity and diversity for the province’s future. Indigenous communities, local governments and not-for-profit heritage organizations with an Indigenous or heritage mandate are eligible to submit applications starting in fall 2021. Read the full news release here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MUNI0040-001509

 

The Department of Canadian Heritage is conducting the Government of Canada Survey of Heritage Institutions for the 2020 data year. The purpose of this year’s survey is to gain economic and sector characteristic data with particular emphasis on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canada’s heritage sector. Survey results will be used to monitor changes in the sector, measure performance, and make comparisons to other data sources to better understand the sector as well as assist in the development of national and regional policies and programs. Canadian Heritage will be sending out the survey this week (week of August 2nd) via email. It has been streamlined to ensure user-friendliness and quick responses. We ask that you please take time to answer the survey, as each response is needed in order to accurately measure the effects of last year’s pandemic on the heritage sector. For more information about the survey, please email the Department of Canadian Heritage at PCH.infoegcep-gcshiinfo.PCH@canada.ca

 

BC ELN & IKBLC Partnership Connects Small GLAM Organizations with Essential Digitization Support. July 6, 2021.

 

Publication release: What Was Said to Me. By Ruby Peter, in collaboration with Helene Demers. A narrative of resistance and resilience spanning seven decades in the life of a tireless advocate for Indigenous language preservation.

 

BSAFE: if you are from the arts and culture sector, this course is an ideal tool to introduce the covid safety concepts to your front of house and volunteer workforce.

 

 

International Decade of Indigenous Languages

 

The Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages was officially launched by UNESCO with participation of Member States, indigenous peoples’ organizations, three-party United Nations mechanisms, the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

 

 

Federal Indigenous Languages Act: April 6, 2021 Update

 

The Department of Canadian Heritage held the Indigenous Languages Symposium from January 25 to 29, 2021. The theme was be Building on Strengths and Successes. The Symposium provided an opportunity for the federal government and Indigenous peoples, as well as other stakeholders, to share best practices and discuss their perspectives. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/culture/canadian-identity-society/languages/indigenous.html

 

 

 

Covid-19 Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources

 

  • The Métis Family Connections team is excited to share the Learn with Louis Summer Issue. Each issue includes family-friendly educational content on Métis culture, including Métis traditions, language, and activities: https://www.mnbc.ca/news/2021/learn-with-louis-issue-6/

 

  • Guidelines to Support Working with Elders. FPCC. May 18, 2021. With guidance from Dr. Lorna Wanosts’a7 Williams, FPCC has developed a free resource Working with Elders to support anyone who is interested in engaging with Elders. The guide also includes suggestions about ways to engage with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, even when we are unable to gather during COVID-19 restrictions.

 

  • Language Champions Live! A series of conversations with language champions from around the world - people who are working to strengthen, reclaim, document, and fight for their Indigenous and endangered languages.

 

  • Virtual & at Home Language Revitalization Program Ideas. A new resource from FPCC. During this time, the health and safety of all FPCC program participants, especially our Elders, is important to us. FPCC understands that programs need to be adjusted during this pandemic and we developed this resource to help you modify your program and keep your community safe. This guide provides program ideas and practices to safely continue language revitalization work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual & at Home Language Revitalization Program Ideas includes:

  • Ways to connect with Elders and the community through technology.

  • How to take an inventory of existing audio and video archives.

  • Ways to digitize audio, video, and print materials in your language.

  • How to create new materials to support language learners, such as exercises, lessons and games.

  • Ways to stay connected with your community through social media.

  • How to start a new language revitalization project in your community.

 

  • Indigitization Program Videos: You can now watch our Indigitization Futures Forum videos broken down by speaker - so now you only need about fifteen minutes to learn more about digitization and language preservation.

 

 

Media

 

​