Grant and Funding Programs Offered by UNF Foundation (UNF)

The UNF Foundation is a Canadian public foundation created to support the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada and its branches, as well as other qualified charities. Incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act and granted charitable status as a public foundation on 1978-09-27, it must allocate more than 50% of its income as gifts to other charities under the Income Tax Act. Its funding helps sustain a broad range of Ukrainian cultural, educational and community initiatives across Canada.

The Foundation focuses on strengthening Ukrainian cultural and educational life in Canada. It provides financial support to projects such as folk dance groups, choirs, operas, musical ensembles, libraries, museums, summer camps, sports clubs, educational courses, Ukrainian schools, and seniors’ and computer clubs. It also funds publishing activities, including books, magazines and the weekly newspaper The New Pathway, and supports educational ventures like Kalyna Country, Pier 21 excursions and the Paul Yuzyk Institute for Youth Leadership.

In addition to ongoing institutional support to entities such as the U.N.F. Education & Recreation Society, the Foundation backs specific projects and programs. Examples highlighted on its site include youth camps and community events that foster Ukrainian heritage, leadership, resilience and civic engagement among young people and the broader community.

The UNF Foundation operates formal grant application processes. Both organizations and individuals are invited to submit grant applications, which can be filed at any time of the year. Applications must be complete and include required supporting documents. The Foundation indicates that decisions will take a minimum of 45 days, encouraging applicants to plan and submit well in advance of their project timelines.

As a public foundation, much of its financial support flows to registered Canadian charities aligned with its mission, but it also considers individual-led initiatives when they contribute to Ukrainian cultural, educational or community goals. Internal policies and procedures, available in a downloadable document, govern the assessment and administration of grants and gifts.

The Foundation’s activities are aimed primarily at Ukrainian Canadians and their communities across Canada, while also fostering cooperation with Ukrainian organizations in Ukraine and other countries. Through its grantmaking, it promotes democratic values, good citizenship, respect for human dignity and the preservation of Ukrainian cultural traditions. By financing projects ranging from youth leadership programs and camps to cultural events and publications, the UNF Foundation plays a key role in sustaining a vibrant Ukrainian Canadian community and strengthening ties within the broader Canadian society.