Operating Grant for Indigenous-led Organizations

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Program Overview

Edmonton City Council approved funding of $500,000 for the Operating Grant for Indigenous-led Organizations to support the Reconciliation Pillar of the Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy.

If you have any questions or need help please contact grants@edmonton.ca.

Application Intake

Applications for the grant are now open!

See the Grant Guide for Full Details Learn How to Submit Your Application

Applications close October 11, 2023 at 11:59pm.

Grant Information Sessions

To learn more about the Operating Grant Program, we are hosting 2 virtual Grant Information Sessions.

These sessions will give you a better understanding of the organizational and program eligibility requirements, provide tips for completing the application, and provide information on the timelines for review and decisions.

Date: Wednesday September 27, 2023
Time: 2-3pm and 6-7pm

Register For a Session

Grant Priorities

The Operating Grant for Indigenous-led Organizations will help support organizations and groups in their efforts to achieve the following:

Promote the resurgence of Indigenous Peoples’ culture, language, identity and ceremony
Ensure safe, inclusive and healing spaces
Increase awareness and/or address responses to historical colonialism, trauma and violence
Provide education, training, employment and economic security for Indigenous Peoples
Support learning and advancing research

Grant Application Assessment

Applications are assessed based on the following:

Organizational eligibility
Alignment to grant priorities
Eligible operating expenses
Most recent year end financial statements

Grant awards are determined by a formula based on the grant criteria and the number of eligible applications.

Application Criteria and Requirements

Please review all information before you apply.

Organizational Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be a not-for-profit organization registered for at least one year and be in good standing with the City of Edmonton. This means that the organization does not have any outstanding final reports and is not in arrears of payments to their City of Edmonton accounts.
Be Indigenous-led, which includes 1 or more of the following:
- Indigenous cultures central to daily operations
- Indigenous leadership at all levels - board, management and staff
- Programs or services developed with Indigenous people
- Programs or services delivered by Indigenous people
Have a minimum of 75% of its participants living in Edmonton.
Have a mandate that aligns with 1 or more of the grant priorities.
Not receive operating funds allocated by any other City of Edmonton source including City Council, Committees of City Council or grants administered by the Edmonton Arts Council or Edmonton Heritage Council. See grant guide for more details.
Have eligible operating expenses that do not exceed $2,000,000. (Total Annual Expenses - Ineligible Expenses = Eligible Operating Expenses).

Program funding cannot be used for expenses related to:

Capital projects including significant maintenance or repairs to buildings such as an addition or a new roof
Fundraising expenses, such as bingos and casinos
Expenses associated with income generating operations not directly associated with programs and services of the Organization (for example: public food sales/catering/banquet services, facility rental)
Depreciation/Amortization (decreases the value of capital assets over time)
Debt repayment or Debt/Credit Interest - expenses related to a line of credit, mortgage, credit card, overdraft or other debt, or the principle and interest on any credit or debt

Required Documents

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
See Financial Statement/Bank Reconciliation example
Grant Financial Information Form (Excel file)

Submit Your Application

Carefully review and complete the application form and Grant Financial Information Form.

Applications close October 11, 2023 at 11:59pm.

Application Form
Grant Financial Information Form (Excel file)