Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Rainbow Foundation of Hope (RFOH)

Rainbow Foundation of Hope (RFOH) is a volunteer‑run Canadian charitable foundation created in 2014 and registered in 2015 to respond to the persecution of 2SLGBTQIA+ people worldwide. Based in Vancouver and active nationally, it mobilizes donations and partnerships to fund relocation and resettlement pathways for asylum seekers, refugees and newcomers arriving in Canada on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression (SOGIE).

RFOH does not provide grants to individuals directly. Instead, it awards grants and in‑kind support such as Aeroplan miles to Canadian registered charities that operate specialized 2SLGBTQIA+ sponsorship and settlement programs. Through this model, the foundation supports private sponsorships, emergency travel, housing, counselling, legal documentation, community services, and referral activities across several provinces.

The organization structures its financial support into distinct funding streams. The Sponsorship Support stream helps co‑sponsoring charities and private Circles of Hope bring 2SLGBTQIA+ refugees safely to Canada through private sponsorship. The Community Services stream funds inland resettlement services delivered by charities, including counselling, supportive housing, food and transit assistance, group programs and other integration supports for newcomers.

Each stream has its own application guide and downloadable application form. Eligible applicants are Canadian registered charities with dedicated 2SLGBTQIA+ support programs. Applications are reviewed competitively and not all requests are approved, underscoring RFOH’s role as a selective grant maker rather than a general welfare agency.

In addition to core grants, RFOH operates an Education Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Langara Humanitarian Fund and Langara College. This initiative creates fully funded educational pathways for 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers, including English‑as‑a‑second‑language (ESL) awards and multi‑year scholarships for certificate, diploma and degree programs. Awards are intended to cover tuition, books and related needs, helping newcomers build skills and integrate into Canadian society.

Since its inception, Rainbow Foundation of Hope reports over a hundred privately sponsored refugees, hundreds of counselling and group sessions, emergency flights, legal document supports, community service requests and a growing number of scholarships. Newcomers supported through funded partners have settled across multiple provinces, including British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. By working through a network of civil society organizations, RFOH amplifies the impact of local 2SLGBTQIA+ initiatives while maintaining a national funding lens.

RFOH is governed by a volunteer board and sustained by individual donors, corporate partners and community fundraisers. It collaborates with sponsorship groups such as Circles of Hope and with institutions like Langara College and the Langara Foundation for scholarship administration. The foundation emphasizes transparency through clear eligibility rules, public descriptions of funding streams and the publication of aggregate grant history and impact statistics.