Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program

Important dates

Overview

The Government of Alberta is committed to preventing youth suicide and improving the health and well-being of young people. 

The Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program is seeking proposals for programs aimed at advancing the outcomes outlined in Building Strength, Inspiring Hope: A Provincial Action Plan for Youth Suicide Prevention 2019 to 2024 (the Plan).  

Targeted grant funding will be used to support evidence-informed initiatives that align with one or more of the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program Guidelines outcome areas, target priority youth populations at increased risk of suicide, and either:

• expand the capacity of existing initiatives to address identified suicide prevention gaps and community needs, and
• support the development and piloting of new, innovative initiatives to address identified suicide prevention gaps and community needs

The Youth Suicide Prevention Program Guidelines note that sub-populations are at an increased risk of suicide. Priority youth populations at increased risk include:

• Indigenous youth
• 2SLGBTQQIA+ youth
• youth experiencing homelessness
• youth in government care or transitioning out of care
• youth with mental health and addiction challenges, and
• recent immigrant and refugee youth

The 3 outcome areas targeted by the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program are supports and services, training, and education and awareness. More information about these outcome areas and examples of eligible activities can be found in the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program Guidelines.

For the purposes of this grant program, ‘youth’ includes all individuals under the age of 25.

The geographic scope of the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program is provincewide, including urban and rural areas, as well as Metis Settlements.

Funding

The range of funding per grant agreement is from $40,000 to $175,000 for one year. Grant funds must be used only for purposes approved by the Alberta government.

The term of the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program will be from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027. 

The Alberta government reserves the right to renew the grant agreement under the same terms and conditions, for up to 2 single year renewals to perform the Project.

Based on available funding and the number of applications received, not all applications may be funded or receive the full amount.

Eligibility

An eligible organization must meet all of these eligibility criteria.

Type of organization

An organization must be classified as one of the following:

• not-for-profit organization or society, legally registered and in good standing under one of the following pieces of legislation:
  • provincial legislation (Alberta)
    • Societies Act
    • Companies Act, Part 9 (Not-for-profit companies)
    • Special Act of the Legislature 
    • Agricultural Societies Act - Religious Societies Land Act, Part 2 
    • Post-secondary Learning Act 
    • Part 21 of the Business Corporations Act - Extra-Provincial Corporations – and must be incorporated as a not-for-profit organization or society in their home jurisdiction 
  • federal legislation (Canada)
    • Special Act of Parliament 
    • Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act – and must be registered in Alberta under the Business Corporations Act 
    • Income Tax Act (and operating in Alberta as a charity) 
    • Board of Trade Act, Part 2 (Chambers of Commerce)
• First Nation
• Metis Settlement

Length of operations

An organization must be operating in Alberta for a minimum of one full calendar year.

Insurance coverage

Applicants must insure: 

• Their operations under a contract of general liability insurance, in accordance with Alberta’s Insurance Act, in an amount not less than $2,000,000 inclusive per occurrence. 
• Against bodily injury, personal injury and property damage, including loss of use thereof.

How to apply

To apply for the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program, follow these steps.

Step 1. Review the guidelines

Review the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program Guidelines.

• We are not able to offer support for grant writing or comment on the likelihood that a proposal will receive funding.
• Each application should identify at least one outcome area (Supports and Services, Training, Education and Awareness). However, it is possible that a project will touch on more than one of these outcome areas. 
• The guidelines do not include a limit on organizations submitting more than one project application for consideration.

Step 2. Complete the application form

Follow all the instructions in the application form and fill it out.

• The Youth Suicide Prevention Application Form budget section (section 5 of the application form) must be fully completed; however, we do not require an additional budget to be submitted separately.
• This section needs to be signed by the treasurer, financial officer or other authorized representation of the board. Digital signatures are not accepted.

Step 3. Submit your application form

Email your completed form to [email protected].

Additional instructions for submitting an application can be found in Section 6.3 and 6.4 of the Youth Suicide Prevention Program Guidelines.

After you apply

Applicants will be notified of decisions in writing. All decisions on applications are final, and no appeals will be considered.

Reporting

Organizations that receive grant funding are required to provide us with reports about how the funding is being used. Recipients are required to submit interim reports and final reports that align with outcomes, reporting timelines and requirements set out in the grant agreement.

The grant recipients will be required to submit:

• Interim Report: Updates on status of project outcomes and indicators, challenges/opportunities, financial report and expenditures to date.
• Annual/Final Report: Update at the end of the term of the grant agreement on status of project outcomes and indicators, challenges/opportunities, and financial reports of actual project expenditures prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principle. Financial reporting requirement determined by grant value.
• Other reporting requirements as determined during the term of the grant.

Contact

Connect with us if you have questions regarding the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program:

Email: [email protected]

Support is available if you need someone to talk to:

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
• Hope for Wellness Chat: 1-855-242-3310
• Mental Health Line: 1-877-303-2642
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
• 211 Alberta – find programs and services in your community

Related

• Indigenous youth suicide prevention graphic novels
• Preventing Suicide
• Child and Youth Well-Being Review