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Source verified August 28, 2026
Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund
Community-led support for residential school engagement
Funding available
$ 250,000
Deadline
September 16, 2026
Location
Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Political Territorial Organizations (PTOs), Tribal Councils, First Nation communities, and Métis communities in Ontario
See full eligibility
Overview
The Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund supports Indigenous-led initiatives in Ontario with up to $250,000 for the 2026-27 fiscal year. It funds survivor-centred, culturally sensitive work such as commemoration initiatives, survivor engagement, public education and awareness, mental health and wellness supports, and research activities.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Raise awareness or mobilize a population
- Conduct research or evaluation activities
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Commemoration initiatives, including ceremonies and traditional protocols
- Community engagement with Survivors, families, community members, Survivor networks, and other First Nations and Indigenous organizations connected to IRS burial investigations
- Mental health and addictions supports, including trauma-informed wellness supports
- Staffing supports to address challenges related to planned or ongoing IRS burial investigations
- Research activities, public education and awareness, and IRS-specific memorialization or legacy initiatives
Documents Needed
- Description of the initiative
- Initiative work plan, including clear activities, statements of objectives, project timelines, and expected outcomes or benefits for Survivors and/or communities represented
- Initiative budget, including the funding required and the activities and expenditures it will cover
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number, if applicable
- Proof of support from the community or communities being represented for joint applications or applications made on behalf of a First Nation community or Indigenous organization
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Political Territorial Organizations (PTOs), Tribal Councils, First Nation communities, and Métis communities in Ontario
- Regional or provincial organizations representing First Nation, Métis, Inuit or urban Indigenous peoples in Ontario
- Indigenous service providers in Ontario
- Indigenous organizations undertaking IRS-related initiatives in Ontario
- Non-Indigenous organizations with proof of partnership with a First Nation or Indigenous organization
Who is not eligible
- Individual applicants
- For-profit businesses
- Non-Indigenous organizations
- Applicants receiving funding through Support for Indian Residential School Burials Investigations funding
Eligible expenses
- Salaries and wages of staff hired to support IRS burial investigations
- Mandatory Employee Related Costs (MERCs)
- Community and other related expenses for initiative planning, training sessions and program implementation
- Professional fees and other fees in support of planned or ongoing IRS burial investigations, plus travel expenses
- Commemoration, memorialization, legacy activities, and administration costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Fieldwork or ground searches related to planned or ongoing burial investigations
- Costs associated with activities related to school locations and other institutions not identified in the IRSSA
- Purchase of automobiles, land, or buildings
- Stipends for project participants and international travel
- Contingency or miscellaneous fees, compensation already received for the same period, and deficit recovery
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
Selection criteria
- Priority is given to applications detailing commemorative and legacy-focused initiatives.
- Applications are assessed on alignment with the objectives of the broader Support for Indian Residential School Burials funding program.
- Applications are assessed on the strength and clarity of project rationale and the community-identified need.
- Applications are assessed on clear initiative details, including key activities, a detailed budget, a timeline, achievable outcomes during the funding period, and costs that are reasonable and in accordance with program objectives.
How to apply
- Register with Transfer Payment Ontario before submitting an application.
- Create a ONe-key account and enroll in the Transfer Payment Common Registration system if you are applying through Transfer Payment Ontario for the first time.
- Submit your overview of proposed activities and budget within the application form through the Transfer Payment Ontario Network portal.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed and evaluated as they are received, subject to available funding.
- A preliminary assessment checks whether each application is complete, and the Ministry may request additional information if needed.
- Eligible applications move to a final assessment by the Ministry.
- The Ministry finalizes a Transfer Payment Agreement; the first payment is released after execution of the TPA and submission of required documents, and later payments are processed after reconciliation of work completion.
- Recipients must submit end and/or final activity and expenditure reports according to Schedule F of the transfer payment agreement, and activity and expenditure check-ins are arranged by phone and email.
Contacts
Availability timeline
2026
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund Program
What is the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund?
The Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund supports Indigenous-led initiatives in Ontario with up to $250,000 for the 2026-27 fiscal year. It funds survivor-centred, culturally sensitive work such as commemoration initiatives, survivor engagement, public education and awareness, mental health and wellness supports, and research activities.
How much funding can be received?
Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund Funds up to $250,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund program?
To be eligible for the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund program, you must:
The applicant must be a legal entity with governance and accountability processes.
The applicant must have a Canadian bank account and reliable financial reporting.
The funded activities must take place in Ontario and benefit Indigenous peoples.
What expenses are eligible under Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund?
Commemoration initiatives, including ceremonies and traditional protocols
Community engagement with Survivors, families, community members, Survivor networks, and other First Nations and Indigenous organizations connected to IRS burial investigations
Mental health and addictions supports, including trauma-informed wellness supports
Staffing supports to address challenges related to planned or ongoing IRS burial investigations
Research activities, public education and awareness, and IRS-specific memorialization or legacy initiatives
Who can I contact for more information about the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund?
You can contact Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation by email at RSU@ontario.ca or by phone at 1-855-216-3090.
Where is the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund available?
The Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund program is available the province of Ontario.