IRF Project Collections

Projects Supported by the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund

(New projects added every month)

Pillar One

Healing and Reconciliation for Communities and Families

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund supports initiatives that address the historical trauma, intergenerational impacts and systemic injustices faced by Indigenous people.

Grants are provided for programs and projects that promote emotional, mental and physical healing for communities and families, ultimately contributing to a path of reconciliation and restoration of
well-being.

  • Through the Eyes of an Artist

    For centuries, colonial policies suppressed Indigenous ceremonies, traditions, languages, and storytelling. However, over the last few decades there has been a reclamation of cultural practices and an effort to revitalize traditions with a modern twist.

  • Threads of Story

    Spiritual and physical healing is a process steeped in sacred cultural practices, dependent on personal individuality, and varies depending on one’s experiences. For Indigenous Peoples, intergenerational trauma has caused deep wounds, leaving many struggling to manage their wellbeing.

Pillar Two

Culture and Language Revitalization

Preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultures and languages allows Indigenous communities to reconnect with their rich cultural heritage and traditions.

Through grants provided for language revitalization programs, traditional arts and crafts or cultural education initiatives, Indigenous traditions and identities are celebrated and can be passed down to future generations.

  • Following the River

    In 1984, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations were thriving despite generations of colonial oppression. More than half the community spoke their traditional language fluently and cultural practices such as canoe carving remained an active artform.

  • Sharing the Torch

    It is no longer a debate that Indigenous Peoples and their cultures endured great harm under colonialist policies for centuries. Today, many remain disconnected from their language, culture, and identity because of the ongoing effects of intergenerational trauma, residential schools, and the sixties scoop.

Pillar Three

Education and Community Building

Education and community building are key drivers of reconciliation efforts. Funds provided for educational programs, workshops and community-building activities can help bridge knowledge gaps, strengthen ties between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and promote a deeper understanding of Indigenous history, experiences and knowledge.

  • A Shared Rhythm

    It takes a community to raise a child. Lifestyle, worldviews, language and cultural values shape identity. For disenfranchised youth, especially Indigenous children in foster care, living away from traditional lands and being disconnected from their traditional practices have left them adrift and at risk of losing their cultural identity.

  • Emerging from the Sea

    Waterways that fed into the sea and the creatures that lived beneath those waves have been a source of life for Coast Salish communities since their inception. The relationship between the Coast Salish and the water shaped their culture, traditions and practices.

Pillar Four

Dialogues for Promoting Indigenous Spirituality and Culture

Grants are available to support programs, gatherings and events that facilitate the reconnection with and celebration of Indigenous spirituality and cultural practices.

These initiatives are an opportunity to foster awareness and appreciation of Indigenous worldviews, values and spiritual beliefs and contribute to a more inclusive society where Indigenous voices and traditions are honored and respected.

  • Everything is Interconnected

    For generations, Indigenous children have been forcibly separated from their communities through policies whose entire purpose was dedicated to erasing Indigenous cultural identity. Today, Indigenous children in British Columbia make up 60% of those placed in foster homes through the child welfare system, leaving them displaced from their families, communities and culture.

  • Emerging from the Ashes

    Since 1993, Mi'gmaq peoples living in what is now known as Québec have been revitalizing one of their most important cultural celebrations, the Listuguj Powwow. Today, it is one of the largest Indigenous gatherings in Atlantic Canada, bringing together people from across the country to celebrate Mi'gmaq traditions, language, and community pride through dancing, drumming and art.