Indigenous Priorities Granting Program (IPGP)

Geographic Scope: British Columbia

Focus Areas:

• Indigenous-led initiatives that support community inclusiveness, belonging, and healing
• Cultural healing and ceremonial practices
• Elder and knowledge-keeper support
• Food sovereignty and energy independence
• Environmental stewardship and land-based initiatives
• Arts, culture, and language revitalization
• Community resilience initiatives addressing impacts of colonization

Eligibility:

• Must be Indigenous-led organizations
• Initiatives must be for Indigenous peoples
• Broad definitions of wellness (cultural healing, ceremony, knowledge-keeper support, food sovereignty, energy independence, etc.)

Special Priorities:

• Rural and remote land-based nations
• Communities and organizations from Musqueeum, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations (whose ancestral and unceded lands Vancouver Foundation is situated on)

Funding Commitment:

• Originally $750,000
• Increased to approximately $5 million after receiving over 240 applications
• Multi-year awards (grants awarded in 2021 and 2022)

Program Leadership:

• Indigenous-led program team
• Indigenous community panel assessing applications
• Strategic Indigenous Advisory Committee
• Indigenous-led consultants engaged for analysis

Application Process

Application Status: Applications closed December 9, 2021

Timeline (from 2021):

• December 20, 2021: Notification of approval, decline, or consideration for 2022
• February 2022: Final approval/decline notifications for applications moved forward
• No action required from applicants to move forward; done automatically

Assessment Criteria:

• Indigenous Community Panel assessment of urgency
• Prioritization of rural and remote land-based nations
• Prioritization of Musqueeum, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations

Note: This program is no longer accepting applications as of the provided information (April 3, 2026). It was a time-limited initiative that closed in December 2021.