Grant and Funding Programs Offered by The Medavie Foundation Inc.

The Medavie Foundation is a philanthropic arm of Medavie, established in 2011 to advance community-centred care across Canada. Acting as a grantmaking foundation, it channels financial support to registered charities and non-profit organizations working in the communities where Medavie operates, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Foundation provides primarily one-year grants and, in some cases, invites established partners showing sustained impact to apply for multi-year funding. Its portfolio is structured around three main funding themes: healthy living, youth mental health, and post-traumatic stress. Within these themes, it prioritizes equitable and culturally aligned care that addresses barriers faced by populations with lower access to services.

In the area of healthy living, the Medavie Foundation supports community-centred food systems and access to physical activity. Typical projects include community gardens and urban farms, community kitchens, sports and recreation programs, and accessible outdoor spaces that are open to the public and offered at no or low cost. Funded initiatives are expected to track participation and improvements in physical activity or food literacy.

Through its youth mental health focus, the Foundation funds initiatives that increase access to credentialled, community-based counselling and therapy for young people aged roughly 12 to 25. Supported projects must embed counselling at no cost to youth, respond to a range of mental health challenges, and measure both service usage and clinical outcomes.

In the post-traumatic stress stream, the Foundation backs programs that improve access to credentialled counselling and therapy for individuals and families affected by trauma, including public safety personnel such as paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and other emergency or security workers. Funded services are expected to respond to diverse mental health symptoms and to document changes or maintenance of clinical indicators over time.

The Medavie Foundation partners with organizations that demonstrate strong governance and financial management, are clearly community-led, and directly address barriers to access for underserved populations. It runs two annual request periods during which organizations can submit applications for funding. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Foundation’s Partnership Guide and FAQ to ensure their requests align with the funding focus and evidence-tracking expectations.

Beyond direct financial support, the Foundation also facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing among its partners, helping to strengthen community capacity and disseminate effective practices in healthy living and mental health care. Its emphasis on measurable outcomes, equity, and community leadership positions it as a targeted grantmaker within Canada’s health and social impact ecosystem.