Grant and Funding Programs Offered by The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)
Overview of Available Grants and Funding
The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF) is a national charitable foundation that attracts, invests, and grants financial resources to support the ministries of The United Church of Canada. Through programs such as Seeds of Hope and United, We, it funds congregations, ministries, partners, and community projects across Canada in areas like faith formation, social justice, reconciliation, anti‑racism, environment, and community outreach. View The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)'s website for more information.
Content last updated: March 13, 2026
List of grants and funding offered by The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)
5 opportunities available
Grant and FundingOpen
Seeds of Hope Granting Program
Supports innovative community projects aligned with United Church values
Grant and FundingOpen
Justice and Reconciliation Fund
Funds for projects promoting Indigenous and non-Indigenous reconciliation and dialogue.
Grant and FundingOpen
Vision Fund - Seed Grants for Innovative Ministry
Financial support for youth ministry initiatives in Canada
Grant and FundingOpen
Vision Fund - Grants for Flourishing Ministry Programs
Support for transformational youth and young adult ministry programs.
About The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)
What is the mission of The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)?
The United Church of Canada Foundation’s mission is to attract, steward, and deploy financial resources to foster deep spirituality, bold discipleship, and daring justice. It supports the ministries and partners of The United Church of Canada by funding congregations, programs, and initiatives that enrich the church and contribute to a more just and compassionate world.
What type of organization is The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)?
The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF) is a Foundation.
When was The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF) founded?
The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF) was founded in 1925.
What is The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)'s official website?
The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)'s official website is https://unitedchurchfoundation.ca/.
What else should I know about The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)?
Role of The United Church of Canada Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF) is the primary national foundation dedicated to sustaining and growing the ministries and mission of The United Church of Canada. It attracts gifts from individual donors, congregations, estates, and other partners, stewards these assets through long‑term investment, and deploys income and capital through a structured portfolio of grant and award programs. Its work is framed by a commitment to deep spirituality, bold discipleship, and daring justice.
Through its extensive granting and award activities, the Foundation supports congregations, regional bodies, affiliated ministries, and community organizations across Canada. Funding helps launch and expand initiatives in faith formation, Indigenous and reconciliation work, anti‑racism, environmental justice, community outreach, peace and justice, children, youth and young adult ministries, and the strengthening of communities of faith. Many of these grants are supported by named endowment and trust funds that reflect donors’ specific passions and legacy intentions.
Grant programs and funding streams
A cornerstone of the Foundation’s portfolio is the Seeds of Hope Granting Program, which runs regular granting cycles. The Fall 2025 cycle alone awarded 29 grants totalling $176,850 to projects such as Indigenous mental‑health training for ministry students, reconciliation‑focused community outreach, environmental initiatives, community meals, faith formation camps, youth leadership programs, and mental‑health and poverty‑response ministries.
In addition, the Foundation administers other distinct funding streams demonstrated in recent results:
- United, We Granting Fund, which provides core support to United Church organizations and partners whose ongoing impactful work may not fit existing project‑based criteria.
- Promotion Project Fund, which helps congregations strengthen their visibility and communications through marketing and outreach projects to grow and sustain their ministries.
- Special‑request and thematic grants, often drawn from the Foundation General Fund or specific endowments, supporting needs such as burial‑site assessments, social research and public policy work, and innovative justice‑oriented initiatives.
Donor engagement and legacy giving
Alongside its grantmaking, the Foundation provides structured pathways for donors to contribute, including immediate gifts, long‑term planned gifts, and the creation or support of designated funds. The Centennial Legacy Campaign, highlighted through a dedicated microsite, encourages legacy gifts in wills and other planned vehicles so that congregations and ministries remain vibrant for future generations. Donors can align their giving with themes such as environmental justice, youth ministry, reconciliation, and the strengthening of local communities of faith.
Publics served and overall impact
The Foundation’s funding reaches a wide range of beneficiaries: local congregations in urban and rural settings, Indigenous learning and spiritual centres, community ministries, camps, youth networks, and partner organizations working in mental health, food security, housing, and community peace. Grants typically support program costs, leadership development, events, outreach activities, and capacity building. By combining endowment stewardship, donor services, and multiple grant programs, the United Church of Canada Foundation plays a central role in sustaining and innovating ministry and justice work across Canada.