Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is a federal agency within the Health Portfolio that leads national efforts to protect and improve the health of people in Canada. In addition to delivering surveillance, policy and guidance, PHAC administers a broad portfolio of grants and contributions that support external organizations to carry out public health projects across the country. These grants and contribution agreements finance initiatives in areas such as mental health, dementia, suicide prevention, injury prevention, chronic disease and cancer, infectious diseases, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, vaccination, and the health impacts of climate change.

PHAC uses formal solicitation processes to award funding. Open solicitations publish an Invitation to Submit Applications to a wide range of potential applicants, including universities, non-governmental organizations, community groups and provincial or territorial governments. Targeted and directed solicitations focus on specific applicant types, disciplines or regions, with PHAC contacting potential recipients directly when specialized expertise is required.

The Agency’s grant and contribution opportunities include time-limited calls for proposals and ongoing program streams. Examples highlighted on the funding opportunities pages include the Youth Mental Health Fund, funds to promote mental health in Black communities, investments in dementia in communities, intersectoral action funds, immunization partnership funds, as well as initiatives addressing substance use, suicide prevention, family violence, healthy living and chronic disease prevention, and infectious disease and climate change. PHAC also collaborates with Health Canada on shared initiatives and maintains disclosure tools for grants and contributions above specific thresholds.

PHAC publishes service standards for its grants and contributions, outlining what applicants and funding recipients can expect. The Agency commits to acknowledging receipt of funding applications within a set number of business days and to issuing payments within 30 business days after receiving and approving required documentation. Performance tables show high compliance rates with these standards across programs each fiscal year, reflecting an emphasis on predictable, transparent financial management.

Through its funding mechanisms, PHAC supports a wide range of public, non-profit and community-based organizations, Indigenous groups, academic institutions and other partners. Funded projects often focus on populations that face higher health risks or inequities, such as youth, Black communities, people who use drugs, and individuals most affected by COVID‑19. By enabling these organizations to design and implement evidence-informed interventions, PHAC’s grants and contributions extend the federal public health mandate into local, regional and national initiatives that improve health outcomes and reduce disparities across Canada.