In focus

Funds capital costs for Indigenous community-owned business projects.
Funding resources
Various funding programs and initiatives across Alberta’s government are listed in the categories below. Click the ‘+’ icon to expand each category.
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- Funding to assist organizations with culturally relevant programming during Alberta Culture Days, September 1 to 30.
- Who can apply: Non-profits, Metis Settlements, First Nations, universities and colleges
- Supports smaller budget Alberta productions and contributes to government’s goal of growing Alberta’s cultural industries.
- Who can apply: Organizations engaged primarily in film, television and/or digital media production
- Support for organizations working in screen-based productions, book and magazine publishing, and sound recordings.
- Book Publishers Operating Grant
- Magazine Publishers Operating Grant
- Music Organization Operating Grant
- Who can apply: Projects and organizations involved in book publishing, magazine publishing, sound recording and film production
Indigenous Arts Individual Project Funding
- Provides funding for a specific cultural or artistic project led by Indigenous artists, arts administrators or ensemble of artists.
- Who can apply: Indigenous residents of Alberta; ensembles, collectives and collaborations
Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative – Cultural Stream
- Supports Indigenous-led initiatives that enhance, protect or revitalize Indigenous languages, heritage, cultures and arts.
- Who can apply: Indigenous people, communities, organizations and governing bodies
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Alberta Community Partnership (ACP)
- Helps municipalities provide regional collaboration, capacity building initiatives, internships and new or enhanced services.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, municipalities, regional boards and societies, etc.
Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP)
- Provides funding to acquire, build, purchase, repair, renovate, upgrade or expand sports, recreational, cultural or other related public-use community facilities.
- Who can apply: Organizations and non-profits that fall under the grant’s eligibility criteria
Community Initiatives Program (CIP) Project-Based grant
- Funds projects for non-profit organizations that focus on programs, events and technology.
- Who can apply: Organizations and non-profits that fall under the grant’s eligibility criteria
- Funding for Indigenous-led projects that seek to improve the well-being of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit plus people by addressing violence and increasing their safety and economic security.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, MSGC, First Nations, Métis Nation of Alberta and other Indigenous communities and organizations
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Alberta Community Restorative Justice Grant
- Provides funds to non-profits that provide restorative justice services and referrals.
- Who can apply: Non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, youth justice committees, etc.
Help for victims of crime – Emergency assistance
- Provides financial assistance, counselling service and court expenses to victims of a violent crime to assist with losses and damages.
- Who can apply: Victims of a serious eligible offence in Alberta
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Aboriginal Business Investment Fund
- Helps Indigenous community-owned businesses capitalize on business development opportunities to improve socio-economic outcomes.
- Who can apply: Indigenous businesses or communities, includes designated funding for Metis Settlements
- Funding for projects that assist underrepresented groups in the agriculture sector.
- Who can apply: Indigenous groups and other underrepresented and marginalized groups
Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
- Works with Indigenous communities across Alberta to invest in natural resources, agriculture, telecommunication, transportation and tourism projects.
- Who can apply: Indigenous communities across Alberta
Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative – Economic Stream
- Funds Indigenous-led capacity and opportunity development projects that improve economic outcomes for communities.
- Who can apply: Indigenous people, communities, organizations and governing bodies
Northern and Regional Economic Development Program
- Funds initiatives that support economic development and diversification.
- Who can apply: Incorporated non-profit organizations, municipalities, First Nations and Metis Settlements
Small Community Opportunity Program
- Funds for small communities to help build capacity in agriculture, small business and local economic development.
- Who can apply: Indigenous communities, small communities and non-profit groups they work with
Training and employment services – Self-employment Program
- Supports formal training, business plan development, one-to-one business counselling, coaching and guidance.
- Who can apply: Unemployed or underemployed people living in Alberta seeking to start a business for the purpose of self-employment
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- Provides financial assistance to help individuals restore uninsurable lost or damaged property due to a disaster.
- Who can apply: Individuals impacted by uninsurable loss due to disasters
Drought and Flood Protection Program
- Provides funding to help build drought and flood protection projects.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations, municipalities
Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program: Training Fund
- Provides funding to Indigenous organizations and communities to support wildfire training projects.
- Who can apply: Indigenous organizations, groups and communities
- Provides funding to communities to help ensure their local fire services are properly trained to respond safely to community risks.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, municipalities, First Nations or in partnership with one of the listed
- Provides funding for projects related to fire planning, fuel management, public education, inter-agency cooperation and training.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations and municipalities, including partnerships of these entities
Municipal Wildfire Assistance Program
- Provides financial assistance to local authorities that incur extraordinary costs in the suppression of wildfires.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements and municipalities
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Alberta Child Care Grant Funding Program
- Early Childhood Educators can receive wage top-ups and professional development funding funnelled through a child care program.
- Who can apply: Licensed child care programs
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- Provides funds to promote and improve healthy eating and active living opportunities in communities.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations, non-profits, municipalities and public schools
Honouring Life – Indigenous Health
- Formerly, Aboriginal Youth and Community Empowerment Strategy or AYCES, a youth life promotion and suicide prevention program developed to build capacity in mental wellness, resiliency and healthy lifestyles.
- Who can apply: Métis communities and First Nations
Indigenous Addiction and Mental Wellness (IAMW)
- Supports Indigenous-led organizations that build on community driven mental health and wellness projects to address needs and service gaps.
- Who can apply: Indigenous organizations
Indigenous Primary Health Care Innovation Fund
- Invests in Indigenous-led, culturally safe primary health care programs that improve health equity and access through traditional healing, elimination of systemic racism and community-designed services.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations, Indigenous non-profits, Inuit organizations registered in Alberta
Indigenous primary health care funding – Patient Navigator Grant
- Funds the hiring of Indigenous Patient Navigators to help patients access health services, advocate for care and support care coordination.
- Who can apply: Indigenous organizations or health service providers working with Indigenous populations
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- Funds initiatives that create intercultural connections and celebrate diversity among ethnocultural and Indigenous groups.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations, community organizations
- Supports interpretive and public engagement projects that preserve and promote Alberta’s history.
- Who can apply: Individuals that reside in Alberta or have a permanent Alberta address, registered organizations in Alberta including First Nations and Metis Settlements
- Supports the production of publications that preserve and promote Alberta’s history.
- Who can apply: Individuals that reside in Alberta or have a permanent Alberta address, registered organizations in Alberta including First Nations and Metis Settlements
- Supports research projects that preserve and promote Alberta’s history.
- Who can apply: Individuals that reside in Alberta or have a permanent Alberta address, registered organizations in Alberta including First Nations and Metis Settlements
Historic resource conservation grants
- Funds to conserve historic places.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations, municipalities, non-profits, churches and schools
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Affordable Housing Partnership Program
- Funding to help pay for construction, renovation or development of housing projects.
- Who can apply: Public, private, non-profit organizations aiming to provide affordable housing
Continuing Care Capital Program – Small Care Home Stream
- Capital funding to build care homes that house between 4 and 14 residents in small, rural and remote communities that support populations with complex health needs.
- Who can apply: municipalities, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations
Indigenous Housing Capital Program
- Increases the supply of affordable housing units for Indigenous people through construction (including additions/extensions), purchase and repurpose.
- Who can apply: Indigenous governments or organizations; housing management bodies, municipalities, and non-profit organizations with formal partnerships with Indigenous governments or organizations
Métis Urban and Capital Housing Cooperation Housing Programs
- Provides subsidized and affordable housing for low-income Indigenous families.
- Who can apply: Métis and other Indigenous families in Alberta
National Housing Co-Investment Funding
- Funds new affordable housing and the renovation and repair of existing affordable and community housing.
- Who can apply: Housing providers serving Indigenous people
Affordable Housing Fund: New Construction – Rapid Housing Sub-Stream
- Capital funding for the construction of shelters, transitional and supportive housing for those in greatest need.
- Who can apply: Indigenous governments or organizations
- Métis Capital Housing Cooperation provides immediate interventions for Métis families who are homeless or on the verge of being homeless.
- Who can apply: Métis people in Alberta facing homelessness
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- Funds projects that extend or enhance household access to high-speed internet services with speeds less than federal targets.
- Who can apply: Indigenous entities, municipalities and Canadian companies
- Funds capital projects and planning and design projects that develop transit solutions for rural and remote communities.
- Who can apply: Rural, remote, Northern and Indigenous communities
Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership
- Funding for municipal water supply and treatment facilities, and wastewater treatment and disposal facilities.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, cities (under 45,000 population), towns, villages, summer villages, regional commissions, counties and municipal districts
- Funds help local governments switch to sustainable practices faster in waste, water, energy, transportation, land use and housing.
- Who can apply: Non-profits, Indigenous communities and municipalities
Local Government Fiscal Framework (previously MSI)
- Provides funding for projects and activities that enhance municipal sustainability and growth.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements and municipalities
Local Municipal Initiatives (LMI)
- Provides funding to municipalities for priority local transportation infrastructure projects not eligible under other streams of the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP).
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, municipalities
Municipal Climate Change Action Centre
- Various funding programs aimed at addressing climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, municipalities, towns and cities
Municipal Stimulus Program (MSP)
- Provides capital infrastructure funding to support economic recovery and job creation.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, municipalities
Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP)
- Provides funds to assist in road, airport and bridge construction and maintenance.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, municipalities, counties and towns
- Funds new regional water supply and treatment facilities, and wastewater treatment facilities.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, regional commissions and municipalities
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- Funding to help employees and unemployed people living in Alberta access training opportunities.
- Who can apply: Metis Settlements, First Nations and employers
Canada Summer Jobs Wage Subsidy
- Provides wage subsidies to employers with 50 or fewer employees to create quality summer work experiences for people 15 to 30 years of age.
- Who can apply: Non-profit organizations, private businesses and public sector
Employment Partnerships Program
- Funding for Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program agreement holders to connect Indigenous people to employment.
- Who can apply: Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program agreement holders (Metis Settlements can inquire with MSGC)
Indigenous Employment Training Partnerships Program
- Eligible Indigenous organizations can apply for grant project funding to assist unemployed or under-employed Indigenous individuals with skills training and work experience.
- Who can apply: Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program agreement holders. Metis Settlements can apply through the Metis Settlements Strategic Training Initiative Society
Training and Employment Services – Self-employment Program
- Training, business plan development and one-to-one guidance for eligible people living in Alberta to develop and start a new business.
- Who can apply: Unemployed and under-employed adults in Alberta, who are permanent residents or Canadian citizens, seeking to start a business for the purpose of self-employment
- Funding to support labour market adjustment strategies and workforce development to attract and retain workers.
- Who can apply: Non-profits, employers, industry associations, Indigenous organizations
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Belcourt-Brosseau Métis Awards
- Helps Métis people in Alberta realize self-sufficiency through post-secondary education and skills development. This award is intended to cover a portion of education-related costs such as tuition and fees.
- Who can apply: Priority is given to students entering their first year of post-secondary education who show financial need and have a connection to the Métis community
Bob Etherington Heritage Conservation Fund
- Funding to support attendance or delivery of training that will develop heritage conservation skills.
- Who can apply: Permanent residents of Alberta planning to attend an eligible course/workshop in heritage conservation work
First Nations, Métis and Inuit Bursary
- Provides funding for students in the form of a non-repayable bursary in exchange for full-time employment in the north for every year of bursary support received.
- Who can apply: Métis, First Nations and Inuit students enrolled full-time in a post-secondary program
- Provides funding for Indigenous students.
- Who can apply: Indigenous students enrolled full-time in a post-secondary school or First Nations College in Alberta
First Nations, Métis and Inuit Languages Teacher Bursary
- Eligible applicants can get money to complete a post-secondary Indigenous language, culture or teaching development course.
- Who can apply: Residents of Alberta who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons (visa students are not eligible)
Northern Alberta Development Bursary
- Provides student funding of up to $14,000 over 2 years and is non-repayable if they agree to live and work in the north.
- Who can apply: Eligible students enrolled in a full-time post-secondary program in the fall
- Students in a graduate or extended program in the heritage field working on an eligible research project may apply for a scholarship.
- Who can apply: Permanent residents of Alberta enrolled in a graduate or extended study program with a proposed research project at that level, in the eligible study fields
Theodore R. Campbell Scholarship
- Recognizes the academic excellence of Indigenous students enrolled in an education program at the University nuhelot’ine thaiyots’i nistameyimakanak Blue Quills.
- Who can apply: Indigenous students who are Canadian citizens or Alberta resident and have completed first-year Education at Blue Quills with 24 credits and 70% attendance, show financial need and are enrolled full-time in second year.