Indigenous Community Support Fund: needs-based funding requests
Needs-based funding to help Indigenous communities and organizations prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19.
Status: Closed
On this page
About the process
The Indigenous Community Support Fund includes a needs-based portion of funding, which will be distributed through this request process.
Indigenous peoples and organizations can also access other supports through Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan.
Who can request funding
- First Nations communities
- Inuit communities
- Métis communities
- National, regional and local Indigenous organizations supporting:
- Indigenous peoples living in urban centres
- members living away from their communities
All organizations must be incorporated. Indigenous communities receiving direct allocations are expected to use these funds to cover pandemic-related needs throughout the year but will also be able to continue to request needs-based funding should their community circumstances warrant it, for example, significant outbreaks, unforeseen urgencies or needs.
Deadline
The request process for needs-based support is open. Indigenous communities and organizations can request funding to cover needs up until March 31, 2023. People who need funding are encouraged to send their requests for additional resources when needs arise. Requests will be assessed for eligibility and prioritized on a case-by-case needs-basis. Requests will continue to be accepted and evaluated until identified funds are exhausted.
How to request funds
- Complete a request budget using the Indigenous Community Support Fund Request form:
- PDF fillable/saveable (128 KB, 2 pages)
- PDF print only (178 KB, 2 pages)
- PDF instructions (25 KB, 4 pages)
- or submit the same information in another format, such as Microsoft Word or Excel
- Make sure your request includes:
- your region
- your community or organization's name and number if applicable
- who will benefit from the project:
- First Nation on reserve
- First Nation off reserve
- Inuit
- Métis
- urban or off-reserve Indigenous peoples
- title and summary
- requested amount of funding
- category or categories
- perimeter security
- medical supplies
- installation of physical barriers
- food security
- transportation
- cleaning supplies
- incremental staff costs
- lodging or accommodation
- infrastructure
- mental wellness support
- cultural supports
- seniors support
- child and family supports
- online learning supports
- communication of information
- other, if this option is identified, please specify
- contact information
- If your community or organization has received any other governmental funding such as federal, provincial, territorial or municipal to address this need
- Please list:
- all sources of funding you have requested
- the outcome, for example, approved, not approved or waiting for decision
- the amount received if approved
- Identify if the funding is part of a pandemic plan
- Please list:
- If your request has multiple activities or sub-activities, provide a prioritized list, in case your request can only be partially funded
- Joint requests must list all the partners and what their roles and activities will be
- National or regional organizations that will distribute the funding to service delivery organizations must list those organizations and how funding would be allocated
Email your request to:
| Region | Email address |
|---|---|
| Atlantic | sac.covid-19atlantic.isc@canada.ca |
| Quebec | sac.covid-19dgspni-fnihbqc.isc@canada.ca |
| Ontario | sac.covid-19fnihbontario.isc@canada.ca |
| Manitoba | sac.covid-19fnihbmb.isc@canada.ca |
| Saskatchewan | aadnc.skemergency.aandc@canada.ca |
| Alberta | sac.cdemergenciesab-urgencesmtab.isc@canada.ca |
| British Columbia | aadnc.iscbccovid19.aandc@canada.ca |
| National | aadnc.centredereponsecovid-covidresponsecentre.aandc@canada.ca |
| Nunavut | aadnc.programmesnu-nuprograms.aandc@canada.ca |
| Northwest Territories | aadnc.nwticsfproposals_tnodemandefsca.aandc@canada.ca |
| Yukon | aadnc.tpu-sptyukon.aandc@canada.ca |
Please do not send links to files in the Cloud as we cannot access them. Contact us by email. We will help find an alternative.
Only requests submitted electronically will be considered. We will confirm receipt of your request and may contact you for further clarification.
Requests will be assessed against the selection criteria below once they are received.
Selection criteria
Request assessment criteria
- COVID-19 risk:
- is there risk of COVID-19 in the community or population that needs to be addressed, for example, an outbreak has been declared in the community, or there is a high rate of transmission in your organization or community's urban area?
- how will the proposed activities address urgent, immediate community needs to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and containment efforts?
- Readiness:
- are there any obstacles to starting your project?
- are staff and resources available?
- has your community or organization provided similar services in the past and could it begin providing expanded or enhanced services to address COVID-19 issues immediately?
- Human impact:
- does the project directly address the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous populations such as isolation, transportation, food security, safe places, health and safety while preventing, protecting, mitigating, responding to, or recovering from the pandemic?
- how many peoples will be impacted by these activities and who are the participants for each activity, for example, community members, women, youth, Elders, homeless individuals
- how will the needs of the most vulnerable be prioritized and addressed?
- does the project offer direct, meaningful benefit to the recipients?
- Prior funding:
- has your community or organization already received governmental funding for the identified COVID-19 need?
Meeting these criteria does not guarantee funding. Requests will be assessed for eligibility and prioritized on a case-by-case basis. The number of approved requests will depend on a number of factors including the number of requests submitted and total available funding.
Examples of activities that can be funded
Reasonable COVID-19-related activities may be eligible including, but not limited to:
- measures to address food insecurity
- educational and other support for children
- mental health and emergency
- perimeter security for the community
- personal protective equipment
- supports to update, review or activate pandemic plans
- additional hand washing stations
- signage to reinforce social distancing consistent with local public health guidance
- plexiglass barriers for distancing or partition
- cleaning supplies and sanitizers
- other activities related to supporting COVID-19 preparedness and response measures
Project costs
- Overhead administrative costs, for example, supplies, IT equipment, rent cannot exceed 15% of the direct project costs
- for example, $50,000 in direct costs can request up to $7,500 in administration costs for a total project cost of $57,500
- Project expenses must be incurred by the project completion date, as set out in the approved project request, and no later than March 31, 2023
- for example, salaries can only be paid for the duration of the project and cannot be used for permanent positions