Indigenous Climate Action Grants

• Completed budget using the required budget template.

Who is eligible?

• Indigenous grassroots groups, collectives, and individual/community projects where at least 50 per cent of the group identify as having First Nations, Inuit or Métis ancestry.
• Indigenous-led collectives and non-profits with at least 50 per cent leadership who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis, and who have a bank account in the name of the collective and/or have a trustee.
• Non-Indigenous non-profits with an Indigenous project lead directly leading project development and implementation.

Who is not eligible

• Groups, collectives, or community projects that operate on a for-profit basis.

Eligible expenses

• Equipment rentals and small equipment purchases (must remain within the community after project completion)
• Honoraria, food expenses, transit costs, and personal protective gear for volunteers
• Honoraria for Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and group members
• Barrier reduction costs for participants (such as childminding, meals, transit)
• Consultant and staffing fees related to the project
• Local travel expenses (e.g., Presto tickets, TTC tokens, car-for-hire receipts)
• Interpretation and translation fees
• Training and workshop expenses, including facilitation and speaker fees
• Training expenses (e.g., food handlers training)
• Communications and promotion (e.g., printing, digital advertising)
• Permit fees, space rental, and liability insurance for community events and activities
• Trustee fees (up to 15% of the total project funding)

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Fundraising events.
• Donations to charitable, political, or religious organizations.
• Debt repayment or deficit funding.
• Revenue-generating activities for staff or group members, staff salaries unrelated to the project, honoraria or stipends for non-approved roles, insurance and accounting fees as part of the regular functioning of the organization, and disbursement of funds to provide additional grants, rebates, or incentives to other parties.
• Conference registration fees, banquets, receptions, annual general meetings, sport tournaments, alcohol, cannabis, political or religious activities, capital costs, land acquisition, lease or rental, and permit fees for construction or capital work.

Eligible geographic areas

• Applicants must be based in Toronto (M postal code).

• Core requirements: Indigenous leadership, an Indigenous committee or group guiding the project, and service to the Indigenous community.
• Project strength: the project’s rationale, clarity of the goal, and how well the proposed activities support that goal.
• Technical merit: clarity and detail of the application, realistic project steps, and a realistic budget.
• Community engagement: value to the Indigenous Community, the support plan, involvement of other Indigenous community members, initiatives or organizations, and accessibility of the project location.

• For individuals and community projects or grassroots collectives applying for less than $10,000, answer Questions 2 to 8; for grassroots collectives applying for up to $20,000, answer Questions 2 to 8; for non-profit organizations, answer Questions 9 to 18.
• Attach a budget to demonstrate how you will be using the funds.
• Email your application and budget to Project Lead - Indigenous, Engagement and Capacity Building, Environment, Climate and Forestry Division, Miranda Black at miranda.black@toronto.ca.
• If you want to complete the solar and renewable energy needs survey, fill out the survey on page 9.

• Applications will be reviewed initially by City staff and evaluated by an Indigenous-led committee consisting of community members and City staff.
• Final funding recommendations are the sole responsibility of the committee and are approved by the Executive Director of the Environment, Climate & Forestry Division.
• Successful applications will be listed on livegreentoronto.ca with the initiative or group name, a description of the initiative or group, and a description of the project.
• Information about unsuccessful applications will be disclosed only to the Group Lead.
• If the funding offer is accepted, successful applicants will enter into an agreement with the Trustee or with the City of Toronto and will be invited to an orientation session.

• Applicants are encouraged to complete the optional solar and renewable energy needs survey on page 9.
• The survey responses do not need to reflect the Indigenous Climate Action Grants application.
• Applications with an emphasis on solar technology and food security are welcomed.