Indigenous Healing and Wellness Grants

• Maximum annual grant request is $20,000 per year.
• Total maximum grant request is $40,000 over a two-year cycle.
• A minimum of 60% of the City grant must be spent on honorariums, contracts, or salaries for Elders or Knowledge Keepers.
• Funding is provided in annual disbursements, with Year 2 funding contingent upon the satisfactory submission and review of an annual report.

• The applicant must be a registered non-profit society, community service co-op, social enterprise wholly owned by a non-profit, a registered charity in good standing with the CRA, or a First Nations Band. Alternatively, organizations may partner with a fiscal sponsor that meets these requirements.
• Programs must take place in Vancouver and primarily serve Vancouver residents or Vancouver-based non-profits. If activities are located outside city boundaries, the program must demonstrate it primarily serves Vancouver residents.
• Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous led organizations may apply; non-Indigenous organizations must demonstrate meaningful and collaborative partnerships with Indigenous peoples, organizations, or communities.
• The applicant must have an independent, active volunteer governing body, and comply with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the BC Human Rights Code.
• A significant percentage of the beneficiaries of the grant-funded activities must be Indigenous.

Who is eligible?

• Indigenous-led non-profit organizations
• Non-Indigenous-led non-profit organizations with demonstrated collaboration with Indigenous peoples and communities
• Registered charities
• Community service co-operatives
• First Nations Bands

Who is not eligible

• Organizations that are not registered non-profit societies, community service co-ops, social enterprises wholly owned by a non-profit, registered charities, or First Nations Bands (unless partnering with an eligible fiscal sponsor).
• Programs or organizations that do not primarily serve residents of Vancouver.
• Entities offering only one-time projects or events (funding is for ongoing programming).

Eligible expenses

• Honorariums, contracts, or salaries for Elders or Knowledge Keepers (at least 60% of the grant must be allocated to this expense).
• Local transportation costs for Elders or Knowledge Keepers (such as transit, taxi, or mileage).
• Program supplies and materials (including traditional foods, drums, etc.).
• Rental of additional spaces (such as boardrooms, halls, community cultural centres, or longhouses for feasts, ceremonies, or honourings).
• Training and development opportunities specifically for Elders or Knowledge Keepers working with vulnerable or at-risk populations.

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations located in Vancouver
• Programs that primarily serve residents of Vancouver

• Demonstrated alignment with the goals of increasing access to Elder and Knowledge Keeper services and Indigenous traditional, cultural, and spiritual healing.
• Evidence of supporting and compensating Elders and Knowledge Keepers appropriately within the proposed program.
• Integration of Indigenous healing and wellness activities alongside mainstream health services to improve community health outcomes.
• Clear outline of program impact, including how it will benefit Vancouver’s urban Indigenous community.
• Consistency with the City’s frameworks such as the City of Reconciliation, equity and intersectionality goals, and accessibility strategy.

• Priority consideration is given to programs aligning with the City of Reconciliation framework, equity and intersectionality objectives, and the Accessibility Strategy.
• Community reviewers are involved in the grant selection process and are compensated for their participation.
• Organizations not registered as eligible entities may partner with a fiscal sponsor that holds the appropriate registration status.
• Programs funded in previous years may reapply for funding.