Funding Programs

New Relationship Trust offers a range of funding initiatives supporting First Nation communities, organizations, and individuals through their journey towards greater self-sufficiency.

The feature program is Nation Building which focuses on providing funding to First Nation communities on almost any project/activity that supports their unique path towards their own version of nationhood.

Nation Building

  • Focuses on providing funding to First Nation communities to support nation building activities according to their self-determined priorities
  • Up to $120,000 in grant funding over 2 years
  • Eligible Applicant: B.C. First Nations; Tribal Councils

Declaration Act Engagement Grant

  • Focuses on providing funding to First Nation communities to support their involvement in the implementation of the Declaration Act Action Plan
  • Up to $1,040,000 funding over 4 years
  • Eligible Applicant: B.C. First Nations

BC Indigenous Clean Energy

  • Focuses on providing funding to First Nation communities for clean energy initiatives related to feasibility, environmental review, project design, demand side management, and small scale installation.
  • Up to $500,000 per project
  • Eligible Applicant: BC First Nations

Community Energy Diesel Reduction

  • Focuses on providing funding to remote communities with diesel generating stations
  • Funding will be project specific
  • Eligible Applicant: Remote communities with diesel generating stations that supply BC First Nations with diesel.

Youth

  • Focuses on providing funding to youth groups in First Nation communities
  • Up to $8,000 in grant funding per year
  • Eligible Applicant: B.C. First Nations; BC First Nation associated organizations

Elder

  • Focuses on providing funding to Elder groups in First Nation communities
  • Up to $8,000 in grant funding per year
  • Eligible Applicant: BC First Nations; BC First Nation associated organizations

Language

  • Focuses on providing funding to elder groups in First Nation communities
  • Up to $8,000 in grant funding per year
  • Eligible Applicant: BC First Nations; BC First Nation associated organizations

Education (K-12)

  • Focuses on providing funding to kindergarten to grade 12 indigenous student classrooms
  • Up to $8,000 in grant funding per year
  • Eligible Applicant: B.C. First Nation Schools; BC Schools with classes with majority indigenous students

Economic Development – Equity Matching

  • Focuses on providing funding to First Nation individual entrepreneurs and community businesses up to $5,000 equity match for entrepreneurs
  • Up to $25,000 equity match for businesses
  • Eligible Applicant: BC First Nation entrepreneurs; BC First Nation businesses

BC Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund

  • Focuses on providing funding to BC First Nation communities, businesses, and entrepreneurs to support economic development in the regulated cannabis industry.
  • Up to $250,000 of capital contribution
  • Eligible Applicant: BC First Nations, BC First Nation Businesses, and Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) entrepreneurs & businesses

Education (Students)

  • Focuses on providing bursaries and scholarships to First Nation students to support post-secondary success
  • Awards range year to year
  • Eligible Applicant: First Nation member of a BC First Nation Community