Closed

Indigenous Climate Action Grants

Supports Indigenous-led climate action for Toronto’s urban Indigenous community

Offered by

City of Toronto

Official source: toronto.ca

Source change captured July 10, 2026

Funding available: $ 20,000
Deadline: Unspecified
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Who can apply: 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.; See full eligibility

Overview

The Indigenous Climate Action Grants provide up to $20,000 in funding to support Indigenous-led projects that tackle climate action, share knowledge, and benefit Toronto's Urban Indigenous community. Eligible activities include ecological biodiversity initiatives, climate education workshops, renewable energy projects, waste reduction, water preservation events, and Indigenous-led public art.

At a glance

Funding available

Maximum funding: $20,000

Financing goals

Increase social or community impact
Reduce environmental footprint
Train or support volunteers
Raise awareness or mobilize a population

Eligible candidates

Location: Toronto
Ontario
Eligible Industries: All industries
Annual revenue: All revenue ranges
Organisation size: All organization sizes
Audience: Indigenous Peoples
Legal structures: Non-profit

Receipt of requests is now closed

Get notified about updates to this grant.

Availability timeline

2026

Periods: 3

Latest changes

July 10, 2026

Indigenous Climate Action Grants: 2026 application period opened

The Indigenous Climate Action Grants page now shows applications open until September 2, 2026, with a new apply link and updated 2026 application materials.

The Indigenous Climate Action Grants page now shows applications open until September 2, 2026, replacing the previous closed status. The apply link also moved to a new Medallia portal, and the 2026 application questions and budget template were replaced.

Official source: toronto.ca

July 10, 2026

Eligibility

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).

Activities funded

Indigenous place-making and ecological biodiversity initiatives.
Indigenous climate-focused cultural programming and education workshops.
Waste reduction efforts, water preservation events, and active transportation campaigns.
Intergenerational and land-based teaching opportunities.
Projects that utilize solar technology and support food security.

How to apply

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.

Documents Needed

Completed budget using the required budget template.

Selection criteria

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.

Processing and Agreement

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.

Additional information

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.

Contacts

miranda.black@toronto.ca

Official sources

Indigenous Climate Action Grants

Program guide

Guide to Political Activities (2018)

Application form

2025 Indigenous Climate Action Grant Application Form 95Bf 2025 Icag Project Budget Template 9832-2026ICAGApplication 999C 2026 Icag Project Budget Template

Add helloDarwin as a preferred source on Google

Frequently Asked Questions about the Indigenous Climate Action Grants Program

What is the Indigenous Climate Action Grants?

How much funding can be received?

Indigenous Climate Action Grants Funds up to $20,000 of admissible expenses.

Who is eligible for the Indigenous Climate Action Grants program?

To be eligible for the Indigenous Climate Action Grants program, you must: Indigenous individuals, grassroots groups, collectives, and community projects may apply if at least 50 per cent identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis ancestry. Indigenous-led collectives and non-profits may apply if they have at least 50 per cent Indigenous leadership and, where applicable, a bank account in the collective name and/or a trustee. Non-Indigenous non-profits may apply if an Indigenous project lead directly leads project development and implementation.

What expenses are eligible under Indigenous Climate Action Grants?

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)