Grant and Funding Programs Offered by The Indigenous Innovation Initiative (I3)

The Indigenous Innovation Initiative supports Indigenous-led innovation across Canada by funding projects, businesses, social enterprises, and community-based ideas. Its portfolio focuses on solutions led by First Nation, Inuit, and Métis innovators, with priority areas that include land story, food sovereignty, tech, and wellness.

The organization describes itself as an Indigenous-led initiative created to help innovators access capital, build capacity, cultivate networks, and grow impact. Its funding model is tied to social entrepreneurship and community-defined problem solving, with an emphasis on gender equality and Indigenous self-determination.

The initiative’s Gender Equality Program through Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship funds bold and transformative projects led by Indigenous women, Two Spirit, queer, trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people in Canada. It also supports businesses, organizations, social enterprises, and groups developing products, programs, or services that address challenges in their communities.

The site states that open funding calls allow applicants to seek seed funding of $100,000 to $250,000 CAD. It also references a Request for Proposals that outlined scope, eligibility, review processes, evaluation criteria, and application instructions. The reports and innovators pages list funded cohorts and impact stories, showing an active portfolio of supported initiatives.

The organization notes that it works with Indigenous leaders, an Indigenous Innovation Council, donors, philanthropists, impact investors, and partner organizations. Its materials also state that the current program has been supported by Women and Gender Equality Canada and that the initiative has been incubated with Grand Challenges Canada.