GrantStation Canadian Insider - November 2024

Application deadline: December 13, 2024
Grant amount: Up to $500,000 for Skills Solutions, and up to $250,000 for Skills Research
Description: The Future Skills Centre (FSC) is dedicated to helping Canadians gain the skills they need to thrive in a changing labor market. FSC currently has two open calls for proposals addressing Canada’s emerging skills and labor challenges: The Skills Solutions call will fund projects that focus on solution design or advancing skills initiatives based on evidence of what has worked. The Skills Research call will explore key knowledge gaps or emerging challenges shaping Canada’s labor market. Both calls are focused on the following areas: Pathways to Jobs, SME Adaptability, Tech and Automation, Inclusive Economy, and Sustainable Jobs. Institutions based in Canada are eligible to apply, including nonprofit organizations, publicly funded post-secondary institutions, industry associations, professional associations, Indigenous organizations, municipalities or district social services administration boards, and for-profit organizations.

Application deadline: None for inquiries
Description: The Foyston, Gordon & Payne Foundation's mission is to support registered charities whose activities and programs benefit children. The Foundation supports charities anywhere in Canada that have an impact in their communities by helping children locally. The focus is on smaller charities, where grants will result in noticeable changes and have a long-lasting impact, and on charities helping children locally. A minimum of one donation each year is provided to a charity serving Indigenous peoples of Canada.

Application deadline: December 9, 2024
Grant amount: Up to $10,000
Description: Tree Canada’s Community Tree Grants program helps schools, community groups, Indigenous communities, and municipalities across Canada looking to plant trees or develop green infrastructure through creative projects. The following types of grants are available: Greening Canada’s School Grounds grants support school greening projects that in turn enhance the learning experience for students and strengthen their relationship with nature. Educational institutions including but not limited to K-12 schools, universities, and colleges are eligible to apply. Edible Trees grants help fight food insecurity by offering financial and logistical support to plant fruit- and nut-bearing trees and shrubs in communities on publicly accessible sites. Edible Trees funding is available to schools, nonprofits, community groups or gardens, food banks, community housing projects, Indigenous communities, and municipalities. Treemendous Communities grants encourage and support community tree planting projects that create long-lasting benefits where people live, work, or play. Canadian municipalities, Indigenous communities, business improvement associations, nonprofit organizations, and community groups are eligible to apply for this type of grant.

Application deadline: None
Geographic scope: Canada, with an emphasis on company communities
Description: The Merck Canada Corporate Philanthropy Program supports programs to help improve access to health and enhance the quality of life. Merck Canada's philanthropic outreach is guided by three strategic priorities: advancing scientific knowledge and education, improving healthcare in Canada, and supporting communities where Merck has a presence. Areas of interest include reducing health disparities among people living with Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS in underserved communities; strengthening health systems to improve the delivery of high-quality care; empowering patients to better manage their health by helping them overcome social and environmental barriers to care; and supporting local nonprofit organizations in company communities. Support is provided through charitable contributions/donations, grants, and sponsorships. Eligibility varies by award type to include registered charities, nonprofit organizations, and other institutions.

Application deadline: January 30 and May 15, 2025, for Community Grants (There is no deadline for sponsorships and in-kind donations.)
Geographic scope: Edmonton, AB, and the northern and central Alberta region
Grant amount: Up to $25,000 per season
Description: The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Edmonton, AB, and the northern and central Alberta region. The Foundation is focused on the following: 1) growing the game of hockey for boys and girls in Oil Country at the grassroots level; 2) focusing on the needs of Edmonton's downtown community by engaging with organizations delivering programs aimed at those most vulnerable in the community, and 3) stepping up in times of community need and crisis. Community Grants of up to $25,000 per season are provided to organizations that are aligned to the Foundation's investment focus or support an emergent need in the community. Sponsorships and in-kind donations are also provided. Registered charities are eligible to apply.

Application deadline:  None
Geographic scope: Saskatchewan
Grant amount: Up to $1,500
Description: SaskTel Be Kind Online aims to end bullying and cyberbullying in SaskTel communities in Saskatchewan. Grants are awarded for youth-led initiatives to address bullying and cyberbullying within the province of Saskatchewan. Schools, clubs, and organizations are eligible to apply with the exception of those associated with a political party or activity, lobby group, or religious organization. Initiatives must be led by Saskatchewan youth residents, take place in Saskatchewan, and align with the Be Kind Online philosophies of inclusion, positivity, and influencing social change. (Initiatives that focus on the depiction of violence, exclusion, or the negative impacts of bullying will not be accepted.)

Application deadline: January 15, May 15, and September 15, annually
Geographic scope: Ontario
Grant amount: Grants to charities start at $5,000.
Description: The J.P. Bickell Foundation, administered by Scotia Wealth Management, provides support within the province of Ontario. The Foundation makes grants of at least $5,000 to registered charities operating solely within the province of Ontario. Areas of interest include arts and culture, education, environment, health, and social services. (The Foundation also offers medical research grants to Ontario universities, hospitals, and research institutions, with an annual application deadline of April 30.)

Application deadline: None
Geographic scope: Company communities in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan
Grant amount: Requests must be under $10,000.
Description: FreshCo's Community Action Fund provides support in the communities where FreshCo and Chalo! FreshCo operate in Canada. The Fund is focused on building healthier tomorrows by supporting the mental and physical health of children and families. Funding is centered on the following thematic areas: Healthy Bodies, focused on removing barriers for more Canadians to access healthy and affordable food; and Healthy Minds, focused on early interventions in child and youth mental health. Grants are provided for projects that directly benefit the communities where the company operates. Registered charities are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: December 4, 2024
Geographic scope: Canada
Grant amount: Up to $1,000,000, but generally ranging up to $300,000
Description: The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program aims to build on Canada's strength as a diverse and inclusive society. The Anti-Racism Call funds initiatives to address systemic racism and discrimination in Canada with the objective of enhancing access to and inclusivity within Canada’s arts, culture, and heritage organizations and institutions as well as creative industries by addressing systemic racism and discrimination in workplaces. Initiatives funded under this objective will have the following expected results: 1) implementation of new or improved culturally inclusive employment policies and workplace practices; 2) increased representation and inclusion in decision-making processes and governance; or 3) increased access to wrap-around supports and opportunities for equity-deserving communities to take leadership.

Application deadline: December 9, 2024
Geographic scope: British Columbia
Grant amount: Up to $40,000
Description: The Civil Forfeiture Grant Program provides annual, one-time funding to organizations from across BC for the implementation of crime prevention and remediation projects. Funding streams for the 2024/25 program consist of crime prevention, restorative justice, Indigenous healing, and gender-based violence. Eligible applicants include community-based nonprofit organizations, Indigenous organizations, schools and school districts, health authorities, academic institutions, police departments, and local governments.

Have you recently been awarded a grant? Are you curious as to how to best manage it? If so, you should read “Getting Started With Post-Award Grant Management,” published by Foundant Technologies. This article discusses important practices for managing grants once they have been awarded, covering compliance, reporting, financial management, and communication with stakeholders.

Webinar date: November 18, 2024, 2:00 to 2:45 PM Eastern Time
Description: Accurately accounting for your indirect costs is crucial in effectively managing your nonprofit organization. While indirect costs can be confusing, understanding what they are and how to calculate them is worth your time and effort because this will help you provide funders with an accurate picture of what it costs to truly run your programs. Join Alice Ruhnke and Megan Tarnow for an insightful TargetED designed to enhance your financial management skills.

Webinar date: November 20, 2024, 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Description: As a current or aspiring nonprofit consultant, your goal is likely to boost your income without working extra hours, all while enhancing your client relationships and work quality. To achieve this, it’s essential to work smarter, not harder. During this webinar, Marie Palacios will help you identify and create templates that will streamline interactions with your clients and ensure you consistently deliver high-quality products. By adopting a "timesaving-template mindset," you can transform the way you work with clients, potentially saving hundreds of hours each year and allowing you to take on more clients and increase your revenue.

Webinar date: December 3, 2024, 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern Time
Description: As grantseekers, it's vital to streamline the grantwriting process and craft compelling proposals that secure essential funding for our organizations. As AI tools become more commonplace, they’ll be more widely used in the grants world. However, unlocking their deep benefits is not always easy. In this workshop, Alice Ruhnke and David Gates will delve into intermediate and advanced techniques you can use to optimize your grantseeking process using AI technology.

GrantStation shares database profiles of local, national, Canadian, and international grantmakers with upcoming deadlines each week. Check out the current Funding Spotlights for more grant opportunities!