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Funding Opportunities

Following is a resource of opportunities that could be helpful to heritage organizations.

As a grant writer, it is important that you are well-acquainted with the eligibility and fund description. Please refer to a funder’s website, or contact the funders directly, for up-to-date information.

The funding sources are arranged in three groups: Corporations, Foundation-Funder, Government.

This is not an exhaustive list of funding sources and Heritage BC does not guarantee the information, which can change from time to time.

Please refer to the Heritage BC Funding Resources page for further information, as well as the webinar on-demand, Grant Writing.

Please feel free to contact us with corrections, updates and other funding sources that are not currently in this list. Heritage BC will endeavour to update the list from time to time, but we will also rely on the input from the list users.

Heritage BC acknowledges the Columbia Basin Trust in preparing the original version of this list.

Corporations

Air Canada

Description: Supports registered charities that help children, youth and the economic well-being of a community. In some cases they make cash donations, in others they donate promotional tickets.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Children & Youth

Bank of Montreal

Description: Donates to non-profit organizations that are registered charities. Requests are reviewed by Corporate Donations Committee, which meets on a quarterly basis.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Seniors, IndigenousCapacity Building

BC Hydro - Grants for Community Groups

Description: Funding areas: Building the Workforce of Tomorrow; Safety Education; and, Developing Smart Energy Ideas. Broad impact grants of $10,000 for program development and expansion and Grassroots grants of $2,000.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Children & Youth

BC Hydro - Home renovation rebates

Description: BC Home Energy offers a free coaching and/or an EnerGuide home evaluation, as well as help to successfully complete projects that will improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort all year round.

Canada Post Community Foundation for Children

Description: Support for registered charities that promote physical activity and play for children of all abilities and help at-risk youth gain a better understanding of how education is vital to their future.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Children & Youth

CIBC

Description: Support for registered charities that provide programing and services for kids, cures and community. Most organizations receive donations of less than $10,000.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth

Columbia Power Corporation - Community Sponsorship Grant

Description: Wide range of support for activities including arts and culture, education, youth-centered projects, recreation activities, health, heritage, environment and First Nations initiatives.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & YouthIndigenous, Arts, Culture & Heritage

Devon Canada

Description: There are three grant programs available to non-profit organizations: Investing in People; Science Giants; Safe and Healthy Communities. Eligibility: non-profit organizations in Alberta and Devon’s commuter communities in British Columbia.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Seniors, IndigenousCapacity Building

Farm Credit Canada - Agri-Spirit Fund

Description: Capital grants to enhance rural communities with populations of less than 150,000 (i.e.: hospitals, medical centres, childcare facilities). Donation between $5,000 and $25,000.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, Government, First Nations

Field of Interest: Community Development

Fortis BC

Description: Funding in the following categories: safety, education, environment and aboriginal initiatives. Must be a non-profit organization.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Indigenous

Hylcan Foundation

Description: Grant applications are accepted from registered charities fitting the following categories: health and social service, education, arts and animal welfare. Grants range from approximately $1,000-$25,000.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Seniors, Indigenous, ARts, Culture & Heritage

IA Financial Group

Description: Supports registered charities that seek to improve people’s quality of life and that foster development in health, education and social services.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development

IG Investor Group

Description: Support for community organizations that provide benefit to local communities in these categories: arts and culture, civic causes, education and youth, environment, health, social services, amateur sport and recreation. Funding is also available for community events.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Seniors, Indigenous, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Capacity Building

Keg Spirit Foundation

Description: Considers funding requests for both new and established projects. The organization must be a registered charity and relate to children or youth in some way.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Children & Youth

Kootenay Savings Credit Union

Description: Awards financial sponsorships and in-kind donations to community groups and registered charities throughout the Kootenays.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Seniors, Indigenous, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Capacity Building

Mountain Equipment Coop: Various Granting Programs

Description: Each program has its own grant stream: Access and Activity ($500 - $15,000); Advocacy and Awareness $1,000 - $15,000); Capacity Building $5,000 - $15,000); and, Land Acquisition ($10,000 - $100,000).

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, Business or Individual

Field of Interest: Capacity Building

Royal Bank of Canada

Description: (from website) "As a purpose-driven company, creating a positive social impact – not just an economic one – is integral to how we do business. It is fundamental to our philosophy and is at the very heart of our corporate citizenship approach. In 2017, we contributed over $98 million globally to more than 6,700 organizations."

TD Bank Financial Group (TDBFG)

Description: Three funding areas: Education and Financial Literacy; Creating Opportunities for Young People; and Environment. Organizations must be registered charities.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Children & Youth

TECK Metals

Description: Focus areas for sponsorships include: health, education, environment, and community.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity

Trans Canada: Community Investment Fund

Description: Support to a non-profit, registered charity, association or foundation that generates clear and demonstrable value to communities. Focus areas include: safety, community, and, environment.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development

Walmart Canada - Community Grants

Description: Community Giving Grants for non-profit organizations that help community members in need. Grants are valued at $1,000

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development
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Foundation - Funder

Art Starts - Creative Spark Columbia Basin grants

Description: Provides grants up to $1,000 that support artists to engage young people in schools and communities in arts-based projects.

Applicant Type: Business or Individual

Field of Interest: Arts, Culture & Heritage

BC Museums Association

BCMA provides a resource of funding opportunities and oversees several bursaries.

Field of Interest: Museums

Canada Foundation for Innovation

Description: A range of funding programs for leadership, innovation, infrastructure and scholarship programs. Proposals accepted only from eligible institutions (see website). Non-profits, universities, colleges and research hospitals are all eligible if they can prove that they support and conduct research.

Field of Interest: Community Development

Canadian Museum Association Bursary Program

Bursaries assist museum professionals in the following areas: Conference Professional Development; Emerging Professional Development; Mid-Career Professional Development

Commonwealth Foundation

Description: Awards granted for international sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development

Columbia Basin Trust

Description: The Columbia Basin Trust manages several heritage funding programs: Community Development Program; Built Heritage Grants; Community Initiatives and Affected Areas Programs; Heritage, Museum and Archive Grants

Columbia Institute

Description: Focus is organizational leadership for inclusive, sustainable communities. The Institute helps build capacity in communities through lifelong learning scholarships and by working with locally elected leaders.

Applicant Type: Business or Individual, Government

Field of Interest: Capacity Building

First People's Cultural Council

Description: Funding to support First Nation's language, arts and culture. Available to communities, organizations, individuals and language groups in two areas: Ars and Language.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, Business or Individual, First Nations

Field of Interest: Culture & Diversity, Indigenous, Arts, Culture & Heritage

Foord Family Foundation

Description: Supports Canadian registered charities whose initiatives improve the quality of life for children and youth.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development, Children & Youth

Gainey Foundation

Description: Supports registered charities that offer environmental and/or arts education programs for youth.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Children & Youth, Arts, Culture & Heritage

Herb Stovel Fund

The Herb Stovel Scholarship keeps his legacy alive and provides one or more post-secondary students and/or emerging professionals (ages 20-35) in the field of heritage conservation with opportunities to travel, network and enrich their research.

Heritage BC

Description: Supports heritage conservation across BC through education, training and skills development, capacity building in heritage planning and funding through the Heritage Legacy Fund.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society, School Districts, Government, First Nations

Field of Interest: Arts, Culture & Heritage

Ken and Debbie Rubin Public Interest Advocacy Fund

Description: Provides small grants to novel action projects within Canada that might not otherwise be funded. Areas of interest include: social justice, privacy rights, food safety, civil liberties, public interest research training, innovative youth projects and consumer health and safety issues.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Children & Youth

Laidlaw Foundation

Description: Funding for programs that promote an inclusive society that values the full engagement of its young people in the civic, social, economic and cultural life of diverse and environmentally healthy communities. A number of funding programs exist such as "pop up funding."

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Children & Youth

Max Bell Foundation

Description: Two types of grants: "Development Grants" for short term (typically 4 month) work that will better position the organization to succeed with larger projects and "Project Grants" to support clearly defined activities. Program areas include: health and wellness, education and the environment.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development

McConnell Family Foundation, The J. W.

Description: Grants to registered charities relating to four major challenges: inclusion, sustainability, resilience, and innovation. The Foundation's mandate is to address issues of national significance.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Seniors, Indigenous, Capacity Building

McLean Foundation

Description: Grants in a wide range of areas, including arts, conservation, education, health and welfare. It maintains a flexible policy, with particular emphasis on projects showing promise of general social benefit but which may initially lack broad public appeal.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Arts, Culture & Heritage

National Trust for Canada

Description: National charity that inspires and leads action to save historic places, and promotes the care and wise use of our historic environment. Programs for youth, scholarships and promoting Canada's historic places.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society, School Districts, Business or Individual, First Nations

Field of Interest: Arts, Culture & Heritage

Project Change Foundation

Description: Award grants of $1,000, as well as provide free advisory support, to help kick-start projects that contribute to community or the environment. Applications welcome from early-stage community-based organization

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Capacity Building

Recreation Foundation of BC

Description: Funding $1,000 - $6,000 to provide support to not-for-profit groups active in the broad areas of recreation, sports, parks, culture, the environment and education.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Arts, Culture & Heritage

Salamander Foundation

Description: 20-25 grants per year to specific initiatives or projects with clear objectives and measurable outcomes for Arts and Culture and Environment Programs. Must be registered charity.

Applicant Type: Charitable status

Field of Interest: Arts, Culture & Heritage

Victoria Foundation

Field of interest includes arts, culture and heritage. The Victoria Foundation serves the Capital Regional District.

Vancouver Foundation

Description: Grants support thousands of projects every year to help build healthy, vibrant, and livable communities across BC. Field of Interest Grants for arts & culture, education & training, environment & animal welfare, health & social development (up to $75,000). See website for individual grants and their eligibility.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit SocietyBusiness or IndividualFirst Nations

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity, Children & Youth, Arts, Culture & Heritage

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Government

Aboriginal Peoples' Program

Description: Managed by Canadian Heritage, the Aboriginal Peoples’ Program promotes Indigenous languages, strengthens cultural identity and increases Indigenous participation in Canadian society.

BC Arts Council

Description: Funding for a range of arts programing for visual and performance arts including touring, youth, arts festivals and professional development.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, School Districts, Business or Individual, First Nations

Field of Interest: Arts, Culture & Heritage

Building Communities through Arts and Heritage

Description: Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage supports community celebrations, such as festivals, events and projects.

Canada Council of the Arts

Description: Funding for Canadian artists and arts organizations. Five different program areas.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, Business or Individual

Field of Interest: Arts, Culture & Heritage

Canada Cultural Investment Fund

Description: Managed by Canadian Heritage, the Canada Cultural Investment Fund encourages private sector investment, partnership and sound business practices to help arts and heritage organizations be better rooted and recognized in their communities.

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for artistic creativity and innovation.

Canada Summer Jobs

Canada Summer Jobs in an initiative of Summer Work Experience program that provides wage subsidies to employers to create employment for secondary and post-secondary students.

Applicant Types: not-for-profit, public and private sector

Canadian Heritage

Canadian Heritage offers a number of funding program including the Canada Cultural Investment Fund and the Museums Assistance Program.

Canadian Heritage-Youth Take Charge Program

The Youth Take Charge Program aims to strengthen youth attachment to Canada through engagement. In this context, youth is defined as individuals between 7 and 30 years of age. Funding thematic areas include history and heritage.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: inter-action Multiculturalism Grants (National)

Description: Supports the socio-economic integration of individuals and communities and helps them to contribute to building an integrated, socially-cohesive society. Two funding streams: events and programs.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society, School DistrictsGovernment, First Nations

Field of Interest: Community Development, Culture & Diversity

Community Action Initiative

Description: Provides grant and training opportunities for community-based organizations across BC to develop and deliver innovative projects that respond to the needs of individuals and families experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, Business or Individual, Government

Field of Interest: Community Development, Seniors

Community Gaming Grants

Description: Programs must have been in operation for at least 12 months prior to application. To receive a grant, the program must fall into one of the following sectors: arts and culture, sport, environment, public safety, human and social services, and parent advisory councils.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Community Development, Children & Youth, Seniors, Indigenous, Arts, Culture & Heritage

Community War Memorial

Description: Community War Memorial funding supports the construction, restoration or expansion of a community war memorial.

Documentary Heritage Community Program

Description: Managed by Canadian Heritage, the Documentary Heritage Community Program ensures that Canada’s continuing memory is documented and accessible to current and future generations by adopting a more collaborative approach with local documentary heritage communities.

Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Description: Provides funding for projects that will help Canadian cities and communities enhance their asset management practices.

Applicant Type: Government

Field of Interest: Capacity Building

Funding for Jobs, Training and Social Development

Description: Funding programs from Employment and Social Development Canada are government grants and contributions that help support jobs, training, and social development. Includes apprenticeship grants.

Applicant Type: Charitable status, Non-Profit Society, School Districts, Business or Individual, Government, First Nations

Field of Interest: Children & Youth

Green Municipal Fund

The Green Municipal Fund responds to evolving municipal sustainability needs and priorities.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada - Connection grants

Description: $7,000 to $25,000 for events, and up to $50,000 for other outreach activities that facilitate the flow of social sciences and humanities knowledge. Other funding areas include the Talent and Insight Program that supports academic advancement in Social and Humanities research. Applications must be submitted by an eligible Canadian academic institution.

Applicant Type, Non-Profit Society

Field of Interest: Capacity Building

Infrastructure Planning Grant Program

Description: Grants up to $10,000 available to help improve or develop plans that include capital asset management plans, community energy plans, storm water management plans, liquid waste management plans, etc. See website for more info.

Applicant Type: Government

Field of Interest: Community Development

Legacy Fund – Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage

Description: Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage - Legacy Fund component provides funding for community-initiated capital projects, intended for community use. Recipients may receive up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses up to a maximum of $500,000.

Applicant Type: non-profit organizations; local band councils, tribal councils or other local Aboriginal government and organizations (First Nations, Inuit or Métis);
local governments

Museums Assistance Program

Description: managed by Canadian Heritage, the Museums Assistance Program supports heritage institutions and workers in the preservation and presentation of heritage collections.

National Cost-Sharing Program for Heritage Places

The National Cost-Sharing Program for Heritage Places is open to owners and eligible lessees of national historic sites, heritage lighthouses and heritage railway stations. The Program continues to support the Parks Canada Agency's mandate of protecting and presenting places of national historic significance, and fostering the public's understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of these places in ways that ensure their commemorative integrity for present and future generations.

New Horizons for Seniors (National)

Description: Program provides funding for community-based projects across the country that encourage seniors to continue to play an important role in their community. Calls for applications are issued once or twice a year.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society, Business or Individual, Government, First Nations

Field of Interest: Seniors

Rural Dividend

Description: Granting to projects based in communities with 25,000 residents or less. Project categories considered include community capacity building, workforce development, community & economic development and business sector development.

Applicant Type: Non-Profit Society, Government, First Nations

Field of Interest: Community Development, Capacity Building

Support for Interpretation and Translation

Description: The Support for Interpretation and Translation sub-component assists organizations in providing services in both official languages at public events. It also supports the availability of an increased number of documents in both French and English.

Applicant type: not-for-profit

Young Canada Works

Description: Managed by Canada Council, Young Canada Works offers a variety of summer job and internship programs to job seekers and employers.

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