Deadline: 15-Jul-23
Through the Indigenous Climate Action Grant program, the City of Toronto offering grants of up to $20,000 to support local Indigenous projects and initiatives that help to address the climate crisis.
Eligible initiatives include those that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or increase awareness and action on climate change.
The City welcomes the formation of relationships between Indigenous land-based projects, climate-focused initiatives, cultural leaders and professionals, and potential partners (non-Indigenous and Indigenous organizations) at both the grassroots and institutional levels.
Funding Information
- Funding Stream 1: Up to $7,500
- The Indigenous Climate Action Grant will utilize a place-based approach to support Toronto’s Indigenous community members across the city of Toronto.
- Funding Stream 2: Up to $20,000
- This funding stream is for:
- Indigenous-led grassroots collectives, and individuals/community projects that have a trustee (Indigenous or non-Indigenous trustee).
- Non-profit initiatives/organizations that have an Indigenous project lead(s) directly leading project development and implementation.
- This funding stream is for:
Eligible Projects
- Eligible climate-based and environmental projects include initiatives that:
- Increase opportunities for hands-on learning, especially in getting back to the land, promoting green initiatives, and supporting grassroots collectives with Indigenous job creation;
- Enhance and strengthen the City of Toronto’s engagement with the Indigenous community;
- Advance social equity, including gender equity and 2SLGBTQ+ initiatives;
- Improve access to health-care and Mind-Body-Spirit wellness for the Indigenous community;
- Protect low-income residents against climate risk and vulnerabilities;
- Support poverty reduction and increase support for Indigenous harm reduction;
- Increase access to Indigenous knowledge systems that support inter-generational learning including language programs and land-based learning programs;
- Develop Indigenous place-making projects that promote food security, the growing of traditional medicines and/or ecological biodiversity;
- Develop land-based educational activities/curriculum including culture camps, Two-eyed Seeing learning programs, and workshops/events that increase knowledge of Indigenous law systems, sustainability issues, and climate-related impacts;
- Support the health of Lake Ontario/the Great Lakes or riverine systems, and encourage swimmable, drinkable and fishable freshwater systems for future generations.
Eligibility Criteria
- Funding Stream 1
- Grassroots groups/collectives and Indigenous-led community projects (of 2 or more people).
- Groups must have at least 50 per cent leadership who have First Nations, Inuit or Métis ancestry. Members of the group must live in separate households.
- Groups, collectives or community projects operating on a for-profit basis are not eligible.
- Funding Stream 2
- Groups must have at least 50 per cent leadership who have First Nations, Inuit or Métis ancestry. Members of the group must live in separate households.
- Grassroots groups and collectives can operate as a trustee for their own funds if they have a bank account in the name of their group/initiative/collective.
- All initiatives must be Indigenous-led; i.e. have a project lead who is Indigenous and the project must be created to serve the external Indigenous community.
- For non-Indigenous non-profits, an Indigenous council or committee must be devised to guide the project and to ensure it serves the needs of the community. This can include the Indigenous project lead or group leading the project.
- Applicants must have a physical address in Toronto (M postal code). Indigenous-led, culturally-based programming that occurs outside of the GTA can be supported with this grant if they have a physical address in Toronto.
- Grassroots groups or collectives and non-profit organizations must have a bank account in their group name to receive the funds or have a trustee.
- Groups that previously received grants from the City of Toronto can apply for the Indigenous Climate Action Grant in 2023.
- Groups, collectives or community projects operating on a for-profit basis are not eligible.
For more information, visit City of Toronto.