Mental health is crucial for overall well-being. This is possible when someone is able to manage stress, use their talents, learn effectively, is able to contribute, and feels a part of the community.
The City of Edmonton’s Anti-racism Grant Program supports the Anti-racism Strategy and the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan, which are intended to address all forms of racism and discrimination.
Our investments help:
- Address racially-motivated hate
- Build community capacity and cultural understanding
- Promote awareness, training and education
- Support research, monitoring and evaluation on diversity, anti-racism and/or discrimination in Edmonton
2026 Application Intake
Applications are now being accepted for the Anti-racism Grant Progam.
This year, Edmonton City Council approved a total of $1,860,000 for local collectives and not-for-profit organizations, upon successful application.
Before You Apply:
- Review the eligibility criteria
- Review the application assessment criteria
- Attend an information session
To Apply
Required Documents
Please attach the following documents with your application:
- Most recent audited year-end financial statements, signed by 2 Board members
Or
- Most recent internally generated financial statements (those that are not presented either as a notice to reader, a review or an audit) signed by 2 Board members and must include a bank reconciliation and bank statement as at the fiscal year-end
If engaged in a formal partnership:
- Memorandums of understanding (MOUs), agreements and/or letters of commitment
If working with a fiscal agent:
- Fiscal Agent documents
Apply Online
*If this is your first time applying for a community investment grant or funding, please register, so that your organization is validated. You will need to identify your organization manager and provide your Certification of Incorporation and/or Annual Proof of Filing.
For more information, including how to register, examples and templates of audited financial statements, internally generated financial statements, and more, visit Support for Community Organizations.
Grant Timelines
- August 25, 2026 - Grant opens
- September 25, 2026 - Application deadline, 4:30pm*
- September/October 2026 - Application review
- November/December 2026 - Applicants will be notified of funding decisions. Applicants approved for funding will be required to sign a funding agreement or funding letter with the City before funding will be provided.
Note: These timelines are subject to change.
*Late submissions or incomplete applications (missing attachments and/or incomplete responses, incomplete financial information) will not be reviewed.
2026 Information Sessions
Brainstorm and discuss program and project ideas with other applicants, potentially leading to new connections and collaborations.
Sessions provide an overview of the grant program including:
- Organizational and program eligibility
- Tips for completing the application
- Timelines
Info Sessions
September 3, 9-11am
Via Google Meet - Info Session #1
September 10, 4-6pm
Via Google Meet - Info Session #2
Collaborative Roundtables
September 4, noon-1pm
Via Google Meet - Roundtable Session #1
September 11, noon-1pm
Via Google Meet - Roundtable Session #2
Grant Streams
The Anti-racism Grants Program has 5 Funding Streams:
Anti-Black Racism
Grant Amount
Up to $50,000 and $280,000 of total funds available.
Intended Use
For local collectives or organizations looking to implement actions in the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan through collaboratives and/or partnerships.
Community Activation
Grant Amount
Up to $15,000 per applicant (for community groups/collectives or organizations with under $250K annual budget)
$300,000 of total funds available
Intended Use
This funding is for local equity-deserving grassroots collectives, community groups/organizations that want to promote solidarity/collective action in anti-racism work. Projects that encourage relationship-building, connection, and dialogue between different cultures and generations to eliminate racism will be prioritized.
Local Anti-racism Capacity Building/Innovation
Grant Amount
Up to $30,000; or up to $100,000 for collaborative projects with formal partnerships (see requirements for formal partnerships in Anti-racism Grant Program Guide); $400,000 of total funds available.
Intended Use
This funding is for local collectives and/or organizations engaged in anti-racism projects or initiatives through partnerships and/or collaboration.
Projects that focus on capacity-building work:
- Empower the community
- Ensure full and equitable participation
- Foster healing and advance reconciliation
- Expose challenges and dismantle systemic racism
Local Community Participatory Action Research
Grant Amount
Up to $50,000; $400,000 of total funds available
Intended Use
This funding is for local communities or collectives experiencing racism to work in partnership and/or collaboration with local academic and research driven organizations. This research will identify local challenges and guide practitioners, community leaders, and policymakers in implementing proactive solutions.
Shifting the Perspective
Grant Amount
Up to $100,000; $480,000 of total funds available
Intended Use
This funding is for local collectives or organizations to create digital media (videos, podcasts, online art, short movies) that address systemic racism through community stories and/or conversation that provokes thinking and helps shift the perspective.
Grant Eligibility Criteria
Please review the following information before you apply.
Applicant Eligibility
- Eligible applicants must be 1 of the following:
- Non-profit organization registered for at least 1 year and in good standing with the incorporating body (Alberta Society, under the Alberta Societies Act, Non-profit Private Company, Non-Profit Public Company, Extra-Provincial Non-profit Company).
- Local collective that has a fiscal agent that is registered for at least 1 year and in good standing with the incorporating body. If the applicant is awarded funding through this grant program, the fiscal agent must agree to act on the applicant’s behalf to sign a funding agreement with the City and to receive, administer, and report on the grant.
- Organizations and fiscal agents (we recommend you work with a fiscal agent to complete your application) must be based in Edmonton and serve Edmontonians.
- The applicant must demonstrate that 75% or more of project participants are based in Edmonton.
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
- Organizations that are not in good standing with the City of Edmonton
*Individual applicants are not eligible to apply for this grant
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 10% of total project costs
- Administrative costs and fees up to 10% of the total project costs, such as
- Accounting and booking fees
- Bank and financing-related charges
- Ongoing operational expenses
- Fiscal agents
- Fiscal Agent Fees (if applicable; usually 10% of total project costs)
Please note: Fiscal agent fees and administrative costs combined cannot exceed 10% of the total project costs.
Ineligible Expenses
Program funding cannot be used for expenses related to:
- Events/festivals
- Contingency fees/costs
- Time and labour provided towards preparation of funding applications, fundraising 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 (with the exception of gifts for Indigenous protocols)
- Project expenses that are incurred before the application has been approved and agreement signed
- Capital and facility upgrades, renovations and construction
- Debt reduction, financing charges and/or interest payments on loans
- Administrative costs and fees that exceed 10% of the total project costs
- Direct government lobbying or partisan political activities (such as activities related to advocacy must demonstrate non-partisan approaches)
Grant Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Organizational/Collective Capacity: The organization/collective financial and reporting obligations, demonstrates sound governance and the proposed project is within the scope of the organization/collective’s mandate. Organizations whose mandate, values, and purpose are focused on addressing racism will be prioritized.
- Project Viability and Financial Feasibility: A project is viable when there is a clear plan with timelines, activities and readiness to implement. A complete and balanced budget is essential. Costs included in the budget must reflect the actual, fair-market value of goods or services required for your project.
- Project Impacts: The project must address one or more of the grant program outcomes and priorities.
- Access: The project must minimize barriers to participation, including broad public involvement beyond the organization's direct membership (if applicable), and include how project resources, findings and/or learnings will be shared.
- Community Need and Allyship: The organization can demonstrate community need and community support. The organization leverages support from work already underway and/or includes partnerships and collaboration from ally groups directly related to the proposed project.
Higher priority will be given to organizations that:
- Are led by Indigenous, Black, or Racialized community members.
- Demonstrate a mandate, purpose, and values that are focused on addressing racism.
- Work in collaboration with other groups or partners.
- Have an operating budget under $250,000 per year (Community Activation Stream only).
Funding decisions will be based on a number of factors including:
- Alignment with the City of Edmonton’s City Plan’s 6 Guiding Values and the Inclusive and Compassionate Big City Move
- Assessment scores
- Evidence of sound financial processes
- Fully compliant with City standards and past funding agreements
Program Overview
The goal of this grant is to address racism through Anti-racism projects.
Outcomes
The grant program has 3 outcomes — that Edmontonians are:
- Aware of the impact of racism and have a greater understanding of how to take action to address racism and discrimination
- Knowledgeable about the community organizations that work to dismantle systemic racism (interpersonal, institutional and structural)
- Working together to build a diverse, inclusive and equitable city
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.
Grant Focus Areas
Applicants must clearly demonstrate how their project meets one or more of the Anti-racism Grant Program outcomes and focus areas.
Mental Health
Employment
Gainful employment is work that provides a steady, regular income and enough money to live on. It requires access to skill-building, training, constructive guidance, and/or workplace adjustments. It also includes accessible tools for individuals with disabilities, clear paths for promotion, and offers fair pay in a safe and encouraging environment.
Education
Education can be formal or informal. Education helps gain essential societal values, build literacy, and foster critical thinking for personal and community development. Education is gained through school or outside of a formal setting, and includes diverse ways that we learn and grow through knowledge and experience.
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.
Disability
Responding to disability challenges requires physical accessibility, respectful communication and systemic inclusion. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines disability as 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.
Reporting
Projects must be completed before the termination date of the funding agreement, and within 1 year of receiving the grant (by December 31, 2027).
A final report is due within 90 days of the project completion in the grant portal. A notification email will be sent in advance of the reporting due date.
Successful applicants will be responsible for final reporting within 90 days of the project completion, including:
- An outline of project activities, outputs and outcomes of the project
- Financial report showing the approved and actual expenses
Frequently Asked Questions
We are a collective/organization not affiliated with a registered organization. Can I apply for a grant?
All projects must be supported by an eligible fiscal agent/supporting organization. Local collectives can partner with a fiscal agent/supporting organization that will be responsible for all financial accountability and reporting requirements.
Our collective/organization 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.
Can our collective/organization apply for more than one grant?
Your collective/organization can participate collaboratively in more than one grant/project, however, your collective/organization can only submit one application
Our collective/organization already applied for a City of Edmonton grant. Do we 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.
Is our collective/organization eligible to receive this grant if we 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 our collective/organization be notified about the outcome of my application?
The grant closes in September 2026. We hope to have an evaluation and review of all applicants done by November 2026. Applicants will be notified by November/December 2026.
Our collective/organization is not based in Edmonton. Can we still apply for a grant?
The Anti-racism Grant Program supports projects developed by collectives and non-profit organizations based in Edmonton. The organization's mailing address must be in Edmonton.