Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan

The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan (MCoS) is a provincial non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 1975 to advance multiculturalism, cultural continuity and anti-racism across Saskatchewan. Based in Regina, it works with member organizations, schools, communities and partners to ensure ethnocultural survival, foster intercultural connections, and promote welcoming and inclusive communities. Financial support is a central tool in how MCoS pursues this mission.

MCoS offers several funding mechanisms. Through its Strategic Initiatives program, including festivals, it invests in roughly 15 projects, events and festivals per year that align with at least one of its five streams of multicultural work: cultural continuity, celebration of diversity, anti-racism, intercultural connections and integration. Non-profit member organizations can apply for up to $3,000 per project, following published guidelines, fixed application deadlines (February 15 and September 15 each year) and required follow-up reporting.

For the education sector, MCoS administers Multicultural Education Initiatives (MEI), offering $200–$400 grants to schools and school divisions serving Pre-K to Grade 12 students across Saskatchewan. These grants support classroom and professional development projects that promote anti-racism, reconciliation, diversity and cultural education. MCoS typically supports 25 to 50 MEI projects annually and provides detailed guidelines, application forms and evaluation tools.

In addition to formal grant streams, MCoS maintains a sponsorships program that supports member-led activities reflecting its values and streams of work while raising the organization’s public profile. Sponsorships are open to individual and organizational members (not limited to non-profits), accepted throughout the year, and have a documented record of past recipients ranging from community associations and multicultural festivals to arts and cultural organizations. MCoS has also created microgrant opportunities to help organizations maintain community programming and connections during challenging periods such as the pandemic.

All MCoS investments are guided by its multicultural values rooted in the provincial motto “From Many Peoples Strength” and in treaty relationships. Funding priorities emphasize respect for diversity, recognition and rejection of racism, building intercultural connections, and integration that avoids assimilation by valuing all cultural identities. Supported projects commonly include community festivals, anti-racism education, youth leadership activities, intercultural dialogue initiatives and inclusive arts and heritage events.

Beyond direct funding, MCoS supports the ecosystem with campaigns, workshops, youth conferences, resources such as the Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Toolkit and multifaith calendars, and collaborations with partners like SaskCulture and Indigenous and immigrant-serving organizations. Annual reports, success stories and public recognition events (such as Multicultural Honours awards) document the reach and impact of the organization’s funding and programming across Saskatchewan.