When you have good mental health, you can manage stress, use your talents, learn effectively, work well, and be part of your community. It's valuable in itself and crucial for your overall well-being.
Edmonton City Council approved funding for an Anti-racism Grant Program to support the Anti-Racism pillar of the Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy. This year, a total of $1.7 million in funding is available to the local community and not-for-profit organizations.
2025 Application Intake
Applications are being accepted for the Anti-racism Grant Program. The grant deadline is Thursday September 11 at 11:59pm.
Program Outcomes
The grant program has 3 outcomes. Edmontonians:
- Are more aware of racism and its impact and have a greater understanding of how to take action to address it
- Will be knowledgeable of the community organizations that are working to dismantle individual and structural racism
- Will work together to build a diverse, inclusive and equitable city
Grant Goals
The goal of this grant is to address racism through Anti-racism projects. Please review the grant guide and definitions in order to better align your project request to our requirements.
Applicants are encouraged to apply for the grant most appropriate for their initiative based on the intended outcomes of the project.
If you have any questions or need help, please contact grants@edmonton.ca.
Training Sessions
To learn more about the City of Edmonton Anti-racism Grant, we are hosting a number of training and workshop sessions. These sessions will provide you with an overview of the grant program including:
- Organizational and program eligibility
- Tips for completing the application
- Timelines
You will have the opportunity to brainstorm and discuss program and project ideas with other applicants, potentially leading to new connections and collaborations.
As training sessions fill up, more will be made available.
Schedule
Note: All sessions will be virtual.
| Session | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Session #1 | July 9 | 9-11am |
| Session #2 | July 22 | 6:30-8:30pm |
| Session #3 | August 13 | 10am-noon |
| Session #4 | August 27 | 1-3pm |
Community Evaluation
The City is inviting community members to volunteer and help review and assess applications for this year’s Anti-racism Grant Program.
You can help make important, meaningful community funding recommendations! Application deadline is August 20, 2025.
Apply to be a Community Evaluator
Note: registration requires a Google Account. If you do not have one, contact grants@edmonton.ca for more information about registering.
Anti-Black Racism
Grant Amount
Up to $50,000 and $200,000 of total funds available.
Intended Use
For community groups looking to implement actions in the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan through collaboratives and/or partnerships.
Community Activation
Grant Amount
Up to $15,000 and $325,000 of total funds available (under 250,000 operational).
Intended Use
Helps community groups run projects and events led by and for young people and seniors. Projects that encourage connections between different cultures and generations to fight racism will be prioritized.
Local Anti-racism Capacity Building/Innovation
Grant Amount
Up to $30,000 and $450,000 of total funds available.
Intended Use
We support local grassroots groups doing anti-racism work. This includes projects that:
- Help people participate fully
- Promote healing and reconciliation
- Show and fight against systemic racism
- Create lasting positive change (for example, building relationships with other communities facing racism, sharing stories of those affected, and assessing and meeting community needs)
Local Community Participatory Action Research
Grant Amount
Up to $40,000 and $375,500 of total funds available.
Intended Use
For communities facing racism to do their own research on local issues that matter to them.
Shifting the Perspective
Grant Amount
Up to $50,000 and $350,000 of total funds available.
Intended Use
Specifically for community groups looking to support projects that tell stories, to change how we talk about racism, through digital media.
Grant Priorities
As part of your application, you will also be asked to define what level of racism you will be addressing:
Between People (Interpersonal)
This is about negative feelings and actions between individuals. It can be things we say or do without even thinking, like microaggressions, or more obvious things like racial bullying, discrimination and hate crimes.
Within Organizations (Institutional)
This happens when schools, workplaces, and other organizations have rules and policies that unfairly favour the dominant group. Even if they don't say anything about race, these rules can lead to unfair outcomes.
Throughout Society (Structural and Societal)
This is about the big, long-term ways our society is set up that give some racial groups more advantages than others. It affects many different parts of our lives.
Please see the definitions for more information.
Project Focus Areas
Organizations must clearly demonstrate how their project meets one or more of the Anti-racism Grant Program outcomes and how their project falls under 1 of the project focuses.
Mental Health
Employment
This means having work that pays fairly and offers a safe and encouraging environment. It's not just about earning money, but also about feeling good about your work and growing in your career.
Education
Education involves both teaching and learning. It's the knowledge you gain through school or being taught, and it also refers to the whole system of education.
Food Security
Food Security means that everyone has reliable access to enough food that is affordable and healthy. It can also mean having access to foods that are important to different cultures.
Disabilities
"Disabilities" is a broad term that includes:
- Impairments: Issues with how your body functions or is structured.
- Activity Limitations: Difficulties doing things like walking or reading.
- Participation Restrictions: Challenges getting involved in social activities or work (based on the World Health Organization definition).
Organizational Eligibility
Eligible organizations must be 1 of the following:
- Organizations registered (and in good standing) under 1 of the following acts:
- Alberta Societies Act
- Non-profit Private company
- Non-Profit Public Company
- Extra Provincial Non-profit Company
- A local grassroots organization or interested individuals may be funded with a fiscal agent
Ineligible Organizations
Ineligible Organizations include:
- Municipal departments or other governmental organizations
- For-profit organizations and enterprises
- Organizations that have overdue or incomplete accounting and reporting relating to any grant previously awarded by the City of Edmonton
Eligible and Ineligible Expenses
The program provides funding assistance for initiatives, new programming or resources for anti-racism projects within Edmonton.
Eligible Expenses
Eligible expenses include:
- Staffing costs specific to the initiative
- Honorariums
- Program and project materials and supplies
- Printing and communications
- Training expenses
- Travel expenses, within Edmonton
- Evaluation expenses
- Insurance
- Food Expenses, maximum 25% of the budget (exceptions may apply)
- Administrative costs and fees up to 15% of the total project costs, such as
- Legal fees
- Accounting and booking fees
- Bank and financing-related charges
- Ongoing operational expenses such as rent, lease payments and facility maintenance
- Fiscal agents
- Short-term rental of space for projects and programs
Ineligible Expenses
Program funding cannot be used for expenses related to:
- Cultural Events and Festivals
- Time and labour provided towards preparation of funding applications, including costs for fundraising campaigns and websites for fundraising purposes
- Endowments, charitable donations, bursaries, developing business cases or proposals for funding, donor recognition, and gifts (except for gifts for Indigenous protocols)
- Project expenses that are incurred before the application has been received
- Capital and facility upgrades, renovations and construction
- Debt reduction, financing charges and interest payments on loans
- Administrative costs and fees that exceed more than 15% of the total project costs, such as:
- Legal fees
- Accounting and booking fees
- Bank and financing-related charges
- Ongoing operational expenses such as rent, lease payments and facility maintenance
- Fiscal agents
- Direct government lobbying or partisan political activities, such as activities related to advocacy, must demonstrate non-partisan approaches
Application Checklist
The following items are required with your application:
Completed budget template
You must also provide the following information if you are a registered organization and/or provide this information for your own fiscal agent:
- Certificate of incorporation (First time applicants) and/or Annual Proof of Filing
- Copy of most recent AGM minutes (Quorum and approval of financials should be included in these minutes)
- Most recent signed year-end financial statements (2 years) (see financial statement example) and Year-end Bank Statement and Bank Reconciliation (required if your financial statements are internally reviewed)
Submit Your Application
To apply for available grants in the future, please register for an account through the Community Investment Grant Portal.
See the instructional videos below to learn how to register for an account:
Information Session
Account Registration
Please note: This grant program uses the new Community Investment Grant Portal for application intake and reporting. For questions or additional support, please contact grants@edmonton.ca.
Final Reporting
A final project or program report is required approximately 3 months after the project is complete.
Before you submit the form, please carefully review the Final Report Practice Form.
Note: registration requires a Google Account. If you do not have one, contact grants@edmonton.ca for more information about registering.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am an individual and am not affiliated with a registered organization. Can I apply for a grant?
All projects must be supported by an eligible fiscal agent/supporting organization. Individuals (youth applicants, for example) can partner with a fiscal agent/supporting organization that will be responsible for all financial accountability and reporting requirements.
My group does not include Black, Indigenous or people of colour. Are we still eligible to apply for a grant?
Yes. However, the project must address a Black, Indigenous or people of colour (BIPOC) community's identified need and demonstrate BIPOC community involvement.
Higher priority will be given to projects facilitated by organizations that can demonstrate that they are BIPOC-led and/or have the involvement of partner organizations from other diverse communities in the development, delivery and follow-up of their projects.
Higher priority will also be given to organizations that have an operating budget under $250,000 per year and have not received prior City of Edmonton funding.
Can I apply for more than one grant?
Yes. However, applicants cannot resubmit an application for the same project until written notification of the outcome of their current application is made by the City of Edmonton.
I have already applied for a City of Edmonton grant. Do I have to submit all of the same required documents again?
Yes. These documents are a requirement of this grant program and are required in order to assess your application eligibility.
Am I eligible to receive this grant if I have outstanding Final Reports for other City of Edmonton grants?
If you have any final reports that are overdue, then your file is no longer in good standing with the City of Edmonton - this is an outstanding report. You must complete all your final reporting requirements associated with your other City of Edmonton grants before any further grants can be awarded or released to your organization.
If you have a current grant with the City of Edmonton that is not closed - that is, in progress - you are welcome to apply to this grant.
When will I be notified about the outcome of my application?
The grant closes in September. We hope to have an evaluation and review of all applicants done by mid-November. Applicants will be notified by the end of November.
My organization is not based in Edmonton. Can we still apply for a grant?
The Anti-racism Grant Program supports projects developed by grassroots and non-profit organizations based in Edmonton. The organization's mailing address must be in Edmonton.
My organization currently receives funding from the City of Edmonton. Can we still apply for a grant?
Yes. However, higher priority will be given to organizations that have not received prior City of Edmonton funding. Lower priority will be given to organizations that receive ongoing funding from the City of Edmonton and organizations with operational and programme budgets supported by other governmental systems and structures.