Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Trellis Foundation

Trellis Foundation is a Christian public foundation rooted in the legacy of Covenant Bible College and serving the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada (ECCC). Its stated purpose is to act as a catalyst for biblical, intentional and innovative discipleship, primarily by distributing grants to Canadian Covenant charitable organizations such as churches, camps and affiliated ministries across Canada.

The foundation manages endowed funds and disburses a portion of its capital each year, in line with Canada Revenue Agency requirements, to support discipleship initiatives. Its main instrument is the Discipleship Grant, awarded through competitive application cycles. Trellis Foundation also funds the CBC Legacy Scholarship program, administered through the ECCC, which provides scholarships for students pursuing discipleship education at a range of partner schools.

Trellis Foundation’s Discipleship Grants are open to registered Canadian charitable organizations within the Covenant family, including the denomination, local churches, camps and future affiliated ministries. Funded projects focus on cultivating disciples of Jesus Christ through clearly defined initiatives over a specific period, with strong community support and investment. The foundation prefers proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches, volunteer participation and broader community engagement.

Funding criteria flow from three core values: Biblical Impact, Intentional Planning and Innovative Ministry. Grant applications are expected to show biblical grounding, thoughtful plans and budgets, leadership and capacity to implement the initiative, and evidence of church or organizational buy-in. A published decision-making rubric weighs factors such as catalytic impact on discipleship, clarity of the proposal, organizational investment and novelty for the applying organization.

Trellis Foundation operates regular granting deadlines, typically on November 1 and May 1, with the primary cycle in the fall and a potential second cycle in the spring if funds remain. Applicants complete an online form and are encouraged to consult funding criteria, helpful tips and examples of successful applications. The board may structure disbursement schedules for larger grants. After funded initiatives conclude, recipients are required to submit a self-assessment report—and sometimes a progress report—to reflect on outcomes and improve ministry effectiveness.

Through its grants and scholarship funding, Trellis Foundation strengthens discipleship among young adults and broader church communities, supports leadership development and encourages creative ministry responses to changing cultural contexts. By acting as a “trellis” for Spirit-led growth, it helps Canadian Covenant ministries launch and expand initiatives that might otherwise remain only ideas, thereby contributing to long-term spiritual formation in communities across Canada.