CREation Community Grants Program

CREation is a multi-level funding program that will support strengths-based, community-focused and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Funding is dispersed through themed streams, which focus on specific funding gaps and needs in communities. 

The Youth Empowerment Stream – Blossom will provide small grants of up to $5,000 to youth-led projects happening in urban, rural and remote communities across Canada. The focus of this stream is to give funds to support emerging micro-projects that focus on increasing the resilience, engagement and wellness of youth.
There are two ways to enter the Blossom stream:

Pathway One: Applicants who have received funding in either the Youth Empowerment – Sprout stream, the general Youth Empowerment Stream or through the Community Support Fund, can apply to expand and grow their project. Your group fits this criteria if they have received funding from CRE before, but the total amount of funding received was less than $10,000. 

Pathway Two: Applicants who do not meet the Pathway One criteria can apply as long as they meet the following criteria:

1. Group has not received any funding from CRE;
2. Group has an annual operating budget of $50,000 or less; and
3. Group and/or project is a new and emerging initiative. 

CRE strongly encourages applicants to start in the Spout phase with a new idea and then grow into the Blossom phase. CRE will only fund new and emerging groups in Youth Empowerment Streams. Projects must be led by 2+ Indigenous youth (ages 15-29). Grantees and youth will receive innovative mentorship, training and capacity-building opportunities throughout the project.

Project Focus Areas

Projects should focus on providing programming, training or capacity-building opportunities for Indigenous youth. Below are some possible examples of eligible projects. These examples do not include every type of project that we would fund. 

• Programs for youth to participate in recreational, wellness and/or arts-based programming
• Cultural programming, including ceremonies, teaching circles and land-based activities
• Peer-led circles where youth can build relationships and participate in online activities
• Intergenerational programs, that provide youth opportunities to work with Elders, parents, families, children, etc
• Programs that increase youth leadership skills
• Professional development programs for members of a youth council/organization to increase their knowledge about organizational governance
• Projects that target making resources (such as mental health services) safer and more accessible

All funded projects engage more youth other than just project leaders. 

Eligibility

CREation will only fund grassroots Indigenous youth groups consisting of a minimum of 2 youth. 

Please note: for the purpose of this program, CRE defines Indigenous as status and non-status First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, living both on and off reserve.

Eligible groups and projects include:

• Unincorporated/grassroots youth groups/collectives/councils comprised primarily of Indigenous youth 
• Emerging, incorporated youth groups (note: CRE defines “emerging” as groups that have an operating budget of less than $50,000)
• Projects must serve primarily serve Indigenous youth

Ineligible groups and projects:

• Individuals and/or projects that are not led by 2+ Indigenous youth
• Projects that are not youth-led (or where the majority of leadership is 30+)
• Non-Indigenous groups and organizations
• Groups that have received more than $10,000 in funding from CRE over the past 12 months
• Projects taking place outside of Canada
• For profit corporations

Ineligible Expenses

CRE will NOT fund projects that are political in nature, or that involve distributing substances (i.e. alcohol, non-traditional tobacco, marijuana, illicit substances, etc).

Project leaders cannot receive honorariums of more than $500.

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by a Grants Committee that includes community members, program staff and CRE staff. All members will have experience running programs and initiatives, overseeing projects and offering community supports. A minimum of 75% of the review committee will be Indigenous, and 50% will be youth.

Capacity Building

Youth will be invited to participate in CRE’s Capacity Building Program. This program is geared towards strengthening skillsets around program administration, facilitation, evaluation as well as providing opportunities to learn about program design, organizational governance and growth, personal development and youth leadership. Youth will have the opportunity to work toward a certificate in the program.

Reporting and Evaluation

Grantees will be asked to submit one report: 

Final Report (2 months after project completion): Grantees will submit a budget report and an evaluation report. Grantees will receive a copy of the evaluation report within the first month of their project start date.

Financial Oversight and Trusteeship

Groups/councils/collectives with members who are over the age of 18 do not require an external funding administrator and, if successful, will receive the grant funds directly.

Successful applicant groups (with leaders aged 15-17) will require a local non-profit or trusted community member over age 18 to serve as their grant trustee. This trustee may be someone the applicants are already familiar with or CRE can support in connecting them with a willing organization or community member as well as with creating a trustee agreement that ensures youth will be supported. 

Release of Funds

CRE does not issue cheques. Funding will be sent to grantees via a Plooto bank transfer/direct deposit. Grantees will receive funds within two weeks of submitting a signed funding agreement.

Timelines

Stages	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Applications Open	June 1, 2021	October 4, 2021	December 1 2021
Application Deadline	June 30, 2021	November 1, 2021	January 6, 2022
Decisions Released	August 11, 2021	December 17 , 2021	February 17, 2022
Project Start Date	August 11, 2021	January 10, 2021	February 17, 2022
Project End Date	Nov 11, 2021	May 11, 2022	June 17, 2022
Final Report Due	January 11, 2022	July 11, 2022	August 17th, 2022

Unless otherwise noted, all deadlines are 6:00pm CST

Questions

CRE encourages applicants to reach out if they have any questions. Please email creation@canadianroots.ca to speak to a member of the team. 

CREation is a multi-level funding program that will support strengths-based, community-focused and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Funding is dispersed through themed streams, which focus on specific funding gaps and needs in communities. 

The Youth Empowerment Stream – Sprout will provide small grants of up to $2,500 to youth-led projects happening in urban, rural and remote communities across Canada. The focus of this stream is to fund new and emerging micro-projects that focus on increasing the resilience, engagement and wellness of youth. Projects must be led by 2+ Indigenous youth (ages 15-29). Grantees and youth will receive innovative mentorship, training and capacity-building opportunities throughout the project. The Youth Empowerment Stream Sprout can be used as a stepping stone to implementing a new idea or start your work with a project idea.  Grantees that receive funding from the Youth Empowerment Stream Sprout are encouraged to apply to the Youth Empowerment Stream Blossom ($5,000 grants) to continue to grow their projects and impact. 

Project Focus Areas

Projects should focus on providing programming, training or capacity building opportunities for Indigenous youth. Below are some possible examples of eligible projects. These examples do not include every type of project that we would fund. 

• Programs for youth to participate in recreational, wellness and/or arts-based programming
• Cultural programming, including ceremonies, teaching circles and land-based activities
• Peer-led circles where youth can build relationships and participate in online activities
• Intergenerational programs, that provide youth opportunities to work with Elders, parents, families, children, etc
• Programs that increase youth leadership skills
• Professional development programs for members of a youth council/organization to increase their knowledge about organizational governance
• Projects that target making resources (such as mental health services) safer and more accessible

All funded projects engage more youth other than just project leaders. 

Eligibility

CREation will only fund grassroots Indigenous youth groups consisting of a minimum of 2 youth. 

Please note: for the purpose of this program, CRE defines Indigenous as status and non-status First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, living both on and off reserve.

Eligible groups and projects include:

• Unincorporated/grassroots youth groups/collectives/councils comprised primarily of Indigenous youth 
• Emerging, incorporated youth groups (note: CRE defines “emerging” as groups that have an operating budget of less than $50,000)
• Projects must serve primarily serve Indigenous youth

Ineligible groups and projects:

• Individuals and/or projects that are not led by 2+ Indigenous youth
• Projects that are not youth-led (or where the majority of leadership is 30+)
• Non-Indigenous groups and organizations
• Groups that have received more than $10,000 in funding from CRE over the past 12 months
• Projects taking place outside of Canada
• For profit corporations

Ineligible Expenses

CRE will NOT fund projects that are political in nature, or that involve distributing substances (i.e. alcohol, non-traditional tobacco, marijuana, illicit substances, etc).

Project leaders cannot receive honorariums of more than $500. 

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by a Community Grants Committee that includes community members, program staff and CRE staff. All members will have experience running programs and initiatives, overseeing projects and offering community supports. A minimum of 75% of the review committee will be Indigenous, and 50% will be youth.

Capacity Building

Youth will be invited to participate in CRE’s Capacity Building Program. This program is geared towards strengthening skillsets around program administration, facilitation, evaluation as well as providing opportunities to learn about program design, organizational governance and growth, personal development and youth leadership. Youth will have the opportunity to work toward a certificate in the program.

Reporting and Evaluation

Grantees will be asked to submit one report: 

Final Report (2 months after project completion): Grantees will submit a budget report and an evaluation report. Grantees will receive a copy of the evaluation report within the first month of their project start date.

Financial Oversight and Trusteeship

Groups/councils/collectives with members who are over the age of 18 do not require an external funding administrator and, if successful, will receive the grant funds directly.

Successful applicant groups (with leaders aged 15-17) will require a local non-profit or trusted community member over age 18 to serve as their grant trustee. This trustee may be someone the applicants are already familiar with or CRE can support in connecting them with a willing organization or community member as well as with creating a trustee agreement that ensures youth will be supported. 

Release of Funds

CRE does not issue cheques. Funding will be sent to grantees via a Plooto bank transfer/direct deposit. Grantees will receive funds within two weeks of submitting a signed funding agreement.

Timelines

Stages	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Applications Open	June 1, 2021	October 4, 2021	December 1, 2021
Application Deadline	June 30, 2021	November 1, 2021	January 6, 2022
Decisions Released	August 11, 2021	December 17 , 2021	February 17, 2022
Project Start Date	August 11, 2021	January 10, 2021	February 17, 2022
Project End Date	Nov 11, 2021	May 11, 2022	June 17, 2022
Final Report Due	January 11, 2022	July 11, 2022	August 17th, 2022

Unless otherwise noted, all deadlines are 6:00pm CST

Questions

CRE encourages applicants to reach out if they have any questions. Please email creation@canadianroots.ca to speak to a member of the team. 

CREation is a multi-level funding program that will support strengths-based, community-focused and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Grassroot youth groups/collectives (comprised of 2+ Indigenous youth ages 15-29) are eligible to apply for funding to support community programs and projects, while receiving innovative mentorship, training and capacity-building opportunities. Funding of up to $15,000 will be provided to projects/groups that seek to empower Indigenous artists and art-based programs.

The Art Funding Stream aims to increase opportunities for artists to create and share art, for youth to participate in art-based programming and to support youth-run art-based businesses. Projects in this stream need to be Indigenous-led and youth-focused, although community-focused and intergenerational activities can be run. Projects can be up to 9 months in length.

Project Focus Areas

Successful projects will fall within the following areas. Please note that CRE uses a wide definition of art, including but not limited to: traditional art practices, visual art, theatre, traditional tattooing, dance, music, media arts, writing, filmmaking, etc.

Making Art: Creating and Collaborating (Youth Leads)

Projects must have 2+ Indigenous youth leading, and include an element of collaborating and sharing. Projects in this category will centre on giving youth leads an opportunity to work with other artists to produce pieces and work. Please note, projects funded in this category must outline a plan to share knowledge or expertise with young emerging artists (e.g. two youth leads collaborate to create an album and host a community event with youth to share skills).

Making Art: Creating and Collaborating (Youth Collectives)

Projects must have 2+ Indigenous youth leading, and include an element of collaborating and sharing. Projects in this category will centre on bringing together youth collectives and groups to create artistic pieces. While “Youth Leads” focuses on youth leaders producing artwork, “Youth Collectives” aims to bring together more artists than just the project leads. Please note, projects funded in this category must outline a plan to share knowledge or expertise with young emerging artists (e.g. youth collective collaborates on a mural and engages youth community members in the project). 

Promoting Art: Entrepreneurship

Projects in this category must support Indigenous businesses run by Indigenous youth artists. Projects will support 2+ Indigenous youth in exploring building a business around their artwork. This could include creating products (i.e. making prints or clothing) or scaling up elements of their business (i.e. making a business plan, redeveloping a website, etc). Please note, projects funded in this category must outline a plan to share knowledge or expertise with young emerging artists (e.g. running a workshop with youth on how to market yourself and your business). 

Promoting Art: Artist-in-Residence

Projects will support Artist-in-Residence programs at community organizations, schools, libraries and other institutions. Funding will support professional artists and collectives working in any artistic discipline to participate in community-engaged artist residencies. Resident artists can work on collaborating and creating art, but also should deliver art programming/workshops to Indigenous youth. Projects must be led by Indigenous youth who have a meaningful role in working alongside the Artist-in-Residence. 

Teaching Art: Mentorships

Projects will provide opportunities for Indigenous youth artists to work alongside skilled artists in mentorships roles. A minimum of 2+ Indigenous youth artists must be leading the project, and have opportunities to learn, grow and develop their skills/knowledge around artistic practices and mediums. As with all projects in this stream, there must be an element of community sharing, and this could include running an exhibition of developed artwork, running a community workshop aimed at inspiring other emerging artists, creating a video about the impact of the program on youth artists, etc.

Teaching Art: Programming and Education

Projects will engage youth in workshops and programming around art and artistic practices. The intention in this focus area is to create space for new and emerging youth artists to strengthen their knowledge, skills and opportunities to engage with art. This can include running workshops that bring together youth to learn new artforms, running after-school programs, hosting gatherings and panels, etc. 

Eligibility

CREation will only fund grassroots Indigenous youth groups consisting of a minimum of 2 youth. 

Please note: for the purpose of this program, CRE defines Indigenous as status and non-status First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, living both on and off-reserve.

Eligible groups and projects include:

• Unincorporated/grassroots youth groups/collectives/councils comprised primarily of Indigenous youth 
• Small, incorporated youth groups (note: CRE defines a small organization as groups that have 1-8 full-time employees and an operating budget of less than $500,000)
• Projects must primarily serve Indigenous youth
• All projects must include an element of community knowledge sharing or workshops

Ineligible groups and projects:

• Individuals
• Projects where the leadership is not Indigenous
• Projects that are not youth-led (or where the majority of leadership is 30+)
• Non-Indigenous organizations
• Projects taking place outside of Canada
• Projects where there is no element of collaboration or community knowledge sharing. While CRE wants to support Indigenous artists creating art, we do prioritize projects that have a clear community impact.

Ineligible Expenses

CRE will NOT fund projects that are political in nature, or that involve distributing substances (i.e. alcohol, non-traditional tobacco, marijuana, illicit substances, etc).

Eligible Expenses

CRE considers all other expenses eligible, including but not limited to: exhibitions, living expenses for artists, program supplies, art materials, equipment and technology, capital purchases, land purchases, food and transportation expenses, etc. Expenses should make sense for your project. 

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by a Community Grants Committee that includes community members, program staff and CRE staff. All members will have experience running programs and initiatives, overseeing projects and offering community supports. A minimum of 75% of the review committee will be Indigenous, and 50% will be youth.

Capacity Building

All funded groups will be required to take part in online training/skills development workshops on managing, facilitating, evaluating, and reporting on programs. There will be orientation sessions for all new grantees. All grantees will be assigned a CRE staff member and will have individual meetings with this staff member throughout the project. 

Reporting and Evaluation

Grantees will be asked to report twice on their projects. 

Midterm Check-In (4 months into project): Grantees will meet digitally with a CREation staff to talk through challenges and successes. Grantees will share updates on budget spending, completed activities and youth reach. 

Final Report (2 months after project completion): Grantees will submit a budget report and an evaluation report. Grantees will receive a copy of the evaluation report within the first month of their project start date. 

Grantees will have to collect data as a part of their reporting.

Financial Oversight and Trusteeship

Groups/councils/collectives with members who are over the age of 18 do not require an external funding administrator and, if successful, will receive the grant funds directly.

Successful applicant groups (with leaders aged 15-17) will require a local non-profit or trusted community member over age 18 to serve as their grant trustee. This trustee may be someone the applicants are already familiar with or CRE can support in connecting them with a willing organization or community member as well as with creating a trustee agreement that ensures youth will be supported.

Release of Funds

CRE does not issue cheques. Funding will be sent to grantees via a Plooto bank transfer/direct deposit. 

Timelines

Stages	Application Period
Applications Open	September 6th, 2021
Application Deadline	October 7th, 2021
Decisions Released	November 22nd, 2021
Project Start Date	December 15th, 2021
Project End Date	September 15, 2022
Final Report Due	December 15, 2022

Questions

CRE encourages applicants to reach out if they have any questions. Please email creation@canadianroots.ca to speak to a member of the team.

CREation is a multi-level funding program that will support strengths-based, community-focused and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Groups are eligible to apply for funding to support community programs and projects, while receiving innovative mentorship, training and capacity-building opportunities. 

The Medium Funding Stream will provide funding of up to $30,000 to Indigenous non-profits and charities that seek to create impactful community change and increase the wellness, resiliency and engagement of Indigenous youth. Projects must be led by 3+ Indigenous youth (ages 15-29) who are meaningfully involved in project guidance, planning, implementation and/or evaluation

Project Focus Areas

Successful projects will fall within the following areas:

Assessment and Feasibility Studies

Projects will focus on assessing community and youth needs, doing feasibility projects and engaging community in consultation.

Arts and Culture

Projects that increase access to arts, art-based workshops, cultural knowledge, traditions and ceremony

Innovation and Change

Projects will support youth groups in accessing capacity-building, knowledge mobilization and funding resources. Projects will focus on innovating healthcare systems, developing solutions to infrastructure and resource challenges (such as access to clean water and sustainable food sources) and increasing access to technology.

Intergenerational Relationship Building

Projects will engage multiple age groups and should help to enhance the sense of community (i.e. projects where youth participate in programs with Elders, families, adults, etc).

Resiliency Building

Projects will focus on organizational development in Indigenous agencies. The intention of this focus area is to increase leadership, governance, capacity and opportunity for Indigenous organizations to impact communities and systems. Projects can include organizational enhancements (i.e. training, website development, strategic plan development, consulting projects, purchase of supplies, etc).

Youth and Community Wellness

Projects will focus on enhancing community wellness and can include one-off events or long-term programs and any type of programming related to wellness (i.e. workshops, teachings, gatherings).

Eligibility

CREation will prioritize funding grassroots youth groups consisting of a minimum of 3 Indigenous youth. 

Please note: for the purpose of this program CRE defines Indigenous as status and non-status First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, living both on and off reserve.

Eligible groups and projects include:

• Unincorporated/grassroots youth groups and collectives
• Small, incorporated youth groups (note: CRE defines a small organization as groups that have 1-8 full time employees and an operating budget of less than $500,000)
• Youth Councils

Ineligible groups and projects:

• Individuals
• Projects that are not youth-led (or where the majority of leadership is 30+)
• Non-Indigenous organizations
• Projects taking place outside of Canada
• For profit corporations and businesses

Ineligible Expenses

CRE will NOT fund projects that are political in nature, or that involve distributing substances (i.e. alcohol, non-traditional tobacco, marijuana, illicit substances, etc).

Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by a Community Grants Committee that includes community members, program staff and CRE staff. All members will have experience running programs and initiatives, overseeing projects and offering community supports. A minimum of 75% of the review committee will be Indigenous, and 50% will be youth.

Capacity Building

All funded groups will be required to take part in online training/skills development workshops on managing, facilitating, evaluating, and reporting on programs. There will be orientation sessions for all new grantees. All grantees will be assigned a CRE staff member and will have individual meetings with this staff member throughout the project.

Reporting and Evaluation

Grantees will be asked to report twice on their projects. 

Midterm Check In (4-5 months into project): Grantees will meet digitally with a CREation staff to talk through challenges and successes. Grantees will share updates on budget spending, completed activities and youth reach. 

Final Report (2 months after project completion): Grantees will submit a budget report and an evaluation report. Grantees will receive a copy of the evaluation report within the first month of their project start date.

Financial Oversight and Trusteeship

Successful applicants over age 18 do not require an external funding administrator and, if successful, will receive the grant funds directly.

Successful applicants aged 15-17 will require a local non-profit or trusted community member over age 18 to serve as their grant trustee. This trustee may be someone the applicants are already familiar with or CRE can support in connecting them with a willing organization or community member as well as with creating a trustee agreement that ensures youth will be supported.

Release of Funds

CRE does not issue cheques. Funding will be sent to grantees via a Plooto bank transfer/direct deposit. Grantees will receive funds within two weeks of submitting a signed funding agreement.

Timelines

Stages	Summer Application Period
Applications Open	June 30, 2021
Application Deadline	August 2, 2021
Decisions Released	September 13, 2021
Project Start Date	October 13, 2021
Project End Date	October 13, 2022
Final Report Due	December 14, 2022

Unless otherwise noted, all deadlines are 6:00pm CST

Questions

CRE encourages applicants to reach out if they have any questions. Please email creation@canadianroots.ca to speak to a member of the team.