Flexible, multi-year grants of up to $100,000 per year for three years to land-based First Nations and Indigenous-led organizations serving land-based First Nations in British Columbia.

Status: Applications open until May 21, 2025 at 5pm.

Key Dates:

April 22, 2025: Stage 1 applications open.

May 21, 2025: Stage 1 applications close at 5:00 pm PT.

May 22 to end of July 2025: Stage 1 applications reviewed by Vancouver Foundation staff and Indigenous Priorities Advisory Council.

End of July 2025: Invitations sent via email to select organizations to submit a Stage 2 application (oral or written submission). Declined applicants from Stage 1 will also be notified by email.

End of August 2025: Stage 2 applications close.

September 2025 to October 2025: Stage 2 applications reviewed by Vancouver Foundation staff and Indigenous Priorities Advisory Council.

End of October 2025: Final funding decisions communicated via email.

Overview
The Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund (TISF) provides multi-year grants of up to $100,000 per year for three years to land-based First Nations, including Hereditary Groups and Indigenous-led organizations serving land-based First Nations and/or Hereditary Groups in British Columbia.

Purpose of Funding

These grants were designed to support Indigenous-led initiatives focused on healing, land, rights & responsibilities, and culture. The TISF will support work that creates the conditions for systemic transformation by preserving, evolving, and transforming the social, political, economic and cultural systems of Indigenous communities in BC. See who received a TISF grant in 2024.

Available Grants

Approximately $6 million in funding will be awarded. Each grant will provide up to $100,000 per year over three years to support Indigenous-led initiatives focused on healing, land, rights and responsibilities, and culture.

Eligibility

We encourage interested applicants to review pages 7 & 8 in the application guide to understand the eligible activities and expenses this grant program funds.

To be eligible for a TISF grant, your organization’s primary purpose must be for community benefit AND must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Land-based First Nations, including Hereditary Groups in the territories known as British Columbia (BC)
  • An Indigenous-led organization serving land-based First Nations or Hereditary Groups located in BC that is either:
    • A non-profit society operating in British Columbia since August 1, 2024, that is in the process of becoming registered and will have society registration by June 1, 2025

Want to confirm your eligibility? Take our short online eligibility quiz to determine if this grant is the right fit for your community or organization.

Info Sessions

The granting team will be hosting information sessions for interested applicants to learn more about TISF. This is an opportunity to engage with staff and ask questions.

Register to attend a session for Indigenous-led organizations:

  • Tuesday April 29th from 4pm-5pm
  • Thursday May 8th from 9:30am-10:30am

Register to attend a session for land-based First Nations and Hereditary Groups:

  • Tuesday April 29th from 10am-11am
  • Thursday May 8th from 3:30pm-4:30pm

How to Apply

  1. Review the application guide.

  2. Confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria on page 7 of the application guide.

  3. Set up an account or log into the online grant management system to submit your application by May 21, 2025, at 5pm PT.
  4. Complete your online Stage 1 application.
    • You can download the application questions to prepare your answers offline and copy and paste them into the online grant management system.

  5. Wait to hear Stage 1 decisions, communicated via email in July.

To see steps for Stage 2 of the application process, please review page 10 of the application guide.

Selection Process

All TISF applications will be reviewed and adjudicated by Vancouver Foundation staff and the Indigenous Priorities Advisory Council (IPAC) to confirm eligibility and alignment to TISF funding priorities.  

After Stage 1 closes on May 21, all TISF applicants will be notified via email by the end of July whether or not they’ve been invited to Stage 2. Final funding decisions will be communicated via email by the end of October 2025. 

Resources