Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF)

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is an arm’s‑length, federally incorporated not‑for‑profit registered charity established to fulfill the $30 million financial commitment made by Canada’s Catholic Bishops in 2021. The Fund accepts contributions from 73 Catholic dioceses across Canada and redirects these resources to Indigenous‑led healing and reconciliation initiatives. It focuses on projects that are identified locally in collaboration with First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners, ensuring that funding responds to community priorities rather than being imposed from outside.

The IRF structures its grant portfolio around four pillars: healing and reconciliation for communities and families; culture and language revitalization; education and community building; and dialogues for promoting Indigenous spirituality and culture. Within these themes, the Fund supports a wide variety of initiatives such as land‑based healing programs, language camps, cultural revitalization projects, intergenerational gatherings, education and awareness efforts, and collaborations that rebuild trust between Indigenous Peoples and Catholic institutions.

Funding flows through diocesan and regional Reconciliation Committees that work directly with local Indigenous leaders, groups and agencies. These committees discern reconciliation needs and opportunities and identify potential projects. Once a project is deemed locally significant and aligned with the IRF’s General Criteria and Granting Guidelines, the committee completes a grant application form and submits it electronically to the IRF.

The IRF’s Administrative Officer screens applications for completeness and alignment with guidelines before they are brought to the Board of Directors. The Board meets monthly, typically on the second Thursday, to evaluate proposals using an assessment matrix that emphasizes impact within the four pillars and local Indigenous input. When approved, the Fund disburses resources up to the amount contributed by each diocese or region, with options for pooling support across dioceses for larger or regional initiatives.

The Fund is overseen by an independent Board of Directors composed primarily of Indigenous leaders with deep experience in community health, law, social work, education and reconciliation. It operates at arm’s length from the dioceses that contribute resources, and its structure is designed to meet high standards of transparency and good governance. Annual reports provide financial statements, an independent auditor’s report, and detailed listings of all projects funded in each cycle, along with featured stories that illustrate the impact of grants on communities.

Project partners are expected to provide reports, progress updates and impact statements. These stories and results are shared publicly, in part through the IRF website, to foster accountability and broader learning about effective approaches to healing and reconciliation.

Since its registration in March 2022, the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund has rapidly expanded its grantmaking activity—from 18 projects in its first year to hundreds of projects approved across Canada by 2025. Funded initiatives reach urban, rural and remote communities, and include First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners. Examples range from language revitalization camps and cultural restoration projects, to community‑based healing circles, educational workshops, youth leadership programs, and projects that integrate Indigenous traditions into health and hospice care.

By centring Indigenous leadership and local discernment, the IRF aims to contribute to long‑term healing from the harms of residential schools and other colonial policies, while helping to rebuild relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church in a way that honours Indigenous spirituality, culture and self‑determination.