Updated: August 28, 2023

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve increased the TISF funding commitment from $3 million to $6 million. Additionally, we’re increasing the grant amount to $100,000 per year for three years of funding.

Overview

Vancouver Foundation is excited to introduce the Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund (TISF) to provide flexible, multi-year grants to land-based First Nations, and Indigenous-led organizations serving land-based Nations* in the territories now known as British Columbia (BC).  

Funding up to $100,000 per year, over three years is available for Indigenous-led initiatives focused on healing, land, rights, and culture. The TISF will support work that creates the conditions for systemic transformation by preserving, evolving, and transforming the social, political, and cultural systems of Indigenous communities in BC.  

* Indigenous-led organizations that serve land-based Nations deliver programming and initiatives that directly impact and benefit one or more First Nation communities in BC.  These organizations and/or initiatives use Indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and solutions to address issues impacting First Nation communities and their territories.  

Our commitment to be in right relations

Last year, we convened and listened to grantees, past applicants, Indigenous-led systems change experts, community members, and Indigenous leaders. We learned that the most critical way we can support Indigenous-led work is to honour the self-determination of the communities we serve, allowing Nations and organizations to define their own version of success and support their work in diverse ways.   

During this time of reconciliation, Vancouver Foundation continues to learn and receive guidance from Indigenous people to adapt programs to best serve their needs. The Indigenous Priorities Program will directly support and walk alongside Indigenous communities by: 

• Upholding their right to self-determination by listening to and honouring traditional protocols and practices,  
• Celebrating Indigenous innovation, joy, wisdom, and brilliance, and, 
• Supporting thriving kinship systems now and for the next 7 generations, 
• Dedicating resources that support Indigenous-led solutions to issues identified as priority by Indigenous communities. 

As a community foundation, we have committed to examining how charitable models of philanthropy have contributed to systemic barriers that limit Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations from accessing reliable and flexible funding. We commit to advocating for systemic change and increased funding to ensure Indigenous systems thrive.   

We recognize that colonization is a root cause for many of the systemic issues that Indigenous communities face. TISF will focus on land-based Nations (and the Indigenous-led organizations that serve them) to address the impacts of colonization from a Nation-to-Nation perspective. Vancouver Foundation has a responsibility to fund this work as part of our commitment to be in right relations with the rights holders— the first peoples of the territories we serve. We also recognize that Métis and Indigenous-led groups serving urban populations are also addressing the impacts of colonization and we are actively developing grants that include these communities for future funding opportunities. 

Eligibility

1. Applicant Organizations must be either land-based First Nations or Indigenous-led not-for-profit organizations serving land-based First Nations* and be a registered qualified donee by the Canada Revenue Agency.   
   • If you are a land-based First Nation and unsure if you are a qualified donee, please search the CRA list of other qualified donees.  
   • If you are an Indigenous-led not-for-profit organization and unsure if you are a qualified done, please search the CRA list of registered qualified donees. 
2. Land-based First Nations and Indigenous-led organizations that are not listed as qualified donees can still apply for funding but must enter into an Intermediary relationship with a qualified donee. It is the responsibility of the two organizations to choose to do this, and to determine whether they meet the CRA’s definition and requirements for intermediary relationships.  
   The Applicant Organization (qualified donee) and/or Intermediary Organization (non-qualified donee), must still be either a land-based Nation or an Indigenous-led organization serving land-based Nations. This includes hereditary groups.
3. Land-based First Nations must be in the lands now known as BC and Indigenous-led organizations must be serving First Nations located in BC. 

Defining Indigenous-led organizations

To be eligible for this grant, organizations identifying as “Indigenous-led” must ensure the following criteria is met:  

• Have at least two thirds senior leadership, and/or Board of Directors identify as First Nations, Métis and or Inuit*, 
• The ability to define how you verify Indigenous ancestry, 
• Have agreements in place with the land-based Nations your organization is serving, 
• Engage the Nations you serve in a way that honours their self-determination, 
• Be rooted in Indigenous history and values, 
• Have programs that are delivered by Indigenous people and, 
• Follow formal protocols with Indigenous communities. 

*Indigenous leadership composition is defined by those who are in positions of leadership, whose titles might include: CEO, Executive Director, and/or Manager roles who identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. The size and type of organization will determine what titles describe leadership positions; however, the expectation is that Indigenous employees have influence in decision making.   

TISF Funding Priorities

Based on the learnings from our year of engagement with community, and through research with the Indigenous Priorities Advisory Council, TISF grant applications will be assessed, and prioritized for funding, based on their alignment to the following five attributes: 

1- Initiatives that centre at least 1 of the 4 focus areas of Healing, Land, Rights & Responsibilities and Culture: 

Focus areas

Healing

• Repairing, restoring, and nurturing kinship systems 
• Addressing inequities in the social determinants of health in Indigenous communities 
• Healing and reconnection to culture, community, and all our relations 
• Internal staff or group healing, and conflict resolution including addressing lateral violence using Indigenous methods and perspectives 

Land

• Community connection to land 
• Protecting sacred homelands 
• Climate change adaptation & mitigation 
• Environmental protection  
• Indigenous sovereignty over lands and resources 
• Food security and sovereignty 
• Sustainable economic development 

Rights & responsibilities

• Asserting inherent and human rights
• Strengthening our ancestral roles and responsibilities
• Policy change
• Advocacy
• Traditional governance
• Governance capacity through research
• Policy development and staffing

Culture

• Language and cultural revitalization programs as the foundation for Indigenous solution building
• Revitalizing cultural practices that are inclusive of all community members who identify as:
  • LGTBQIA+ and/or two spirit
  • Gender–diverse
  • Disabled
  • Neurodiverse
  • On-reserve or off-reserve

2- Work that uses or is revitalizing culturally specific Indigenous governance systems and/or implementing Indigenous-led, decolonial practices.

3- Work that has historically been denied and continues to experience barriers to reliable funding.

4- Initiatives that identify, influence and/or disrupt the barriers, behaviors and systems rooted in colonization, to heal the injustices of, including but not limited to:

• The overrepresentation of Indigenous children in foster care, Indigenous people in the
  justice system
• Social determinants of health
• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)
• Underfunding of infrastructure and programming in land-based communities
• The separation of funding for on-reserve and off-reserve populations that impact community services and engagement

5- Communities or organizations that can clearly define the work they’re doing, their markers of success, and the values that guide their work.

Steps to Apply  

1. Download and read the TISF Application Guide
2. Complete the online eligibility quiz.
3. If you have successfully answered the eligibility quiz, then register or log into the online Grant Management System
4. Complete and submit the Stage 1 online application (open Sept. 6th, 2023)
5. Wait for either an invitation to complete a Stage 2 online application or a decline decision, both communicated via email (Nov. 9th, 2023) 
6. Stage 2: Choose oral or written online application
   – If you choose to complete an oral application, you will be contacted via email with further instructions on how to schedule a time to meet with us. 
   – Please note: Zoom meetings for oral applications will be scheduled between Nov. 13th -Dec. 4th, 2023. Final approvals of oral transcripts will be Dec. 11th, 2023. 
7. Complete and submit Stage 2 oral or written online application (December 11th, 2023) 
8. Wait for the Final Decision Email (early March 2024)

Community-building conversations

We will not require any formal final report for the Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund. Instead, we’ve created an optional opportunity for grantees to connect with us and have conversations about their work. We want to learn how we can walk alongside community to advance their priorities and hear about your experience to discuss any outcomes, challenges, and learnings. These conversations will help inform long-term granting strategies and determine how Vancouver Foundation can intentionally support and uplift your organization and community.

We’re also exploring what data is most useful to advance your work as funded communities and organizations. In future years, Indigenous Priorities hopes to offer research support to contribute to systems level work, including advocacy.