The Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund (IPRF) is a growing fund with over a $1.4 million to distribute to Indigenous-led organizations and groups. With the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, communities across Canada and around the world are facing an unprecedented moment; one that is challenging our collective ability to deliver services that communities depend on.

For Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations working to respond to COVID-19 in the context of pre-existing economic and health disparities, the impacts are even more pronounced. This is especially true for Indigenous people in rural, remote, and Northern communities with inequitable access to basic supports. To address these critical gaps, a coalition of Indigenous leaders and philanthropic and corporate funders have come together to establish the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund.

To date, the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund has been seeded with support from The Counselling Foundation of Canada, Laidlaw Foundation, the Lawson Foundation, and the McConnell Foundation. This new fund is Indigenous-led and complementary to the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Community Support Fund and other government and philanthropic efforts. It will leverage local data and community knowledge alongside philanthropic capital to provide flexible, adaptive, and crucial support where it is most needed within Indigenous organizations or communities.

The Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund is being developed by Indigenous philanthropic knowledge holders and is being incubated with support from Community Foundations of Canada, the national leadership organization for Canada’s 191 local community foundations. This website intends to support applicants interested in applying to The Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund.

Examples of eligible organizations include:

  • community groups;
  • registered charities;
  • registered not-for-profit organizations;
  • public bodies performing a function of government in Canada.

Applications are received and evaluated on a rolling basis.  Decisions are made bi-weekly. You can anticipate communication from us within 21 days of submitting your application. Applicants will receive a decision no later than Friday, August 28, 2020.

The IPRF will provide immediate financial support for projects that are serving Indigenous populations as they manage the impacts of COVID-19. Applicants may only apply for one project at a time, but no more than two applications if they are distinctly separate initiatives. Should you apply for more than one, it must be done at two separate intake times. Your project cannot be fully completed at the time of application.

Specifically, eligible projects will:

  • Clearly address a pressing social inclusion or well-being need caused by COVID-19;
  • Serve Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) and preferably led by Indigenous peoples;
  • Be carried out in a short timeframe with a reasonable budget, before December 31, 2020

Examples of eligible projects responding to urgent community needs, while taking a long-term view on building community resilience can be found in the Applicant guide.

For more information, click here.