Each month, we provide an update on UBCM funding programs and information on other programs, events, and resources that may be of interest to local governments and First Nations.
Local Government Program Services
Applications are currently being accepted for the following funding programs. A complete and chronological listing (by intake deadline) of currently offered Local Government Program Services grants is also available on the UBCM website.
Urban Communities Partnering for Reconciliation – The intent of the UCPR program is to support events and activities that provide a time and place for dialogue to build on opportunities, support reconciliation efforts, resolve issues of common responsibility, interest or concern, and/or to advance tangible outcomes. Funding is available to eligible Indigenous organizations and local governments who want to create opportunities for in-person dialogue and relationship building which can help advance collaborative reconciliation plans, protocols, agreements or future projects. The 2024/25 intake will accept applications between September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2025, or until funding is exhausted.
Regional Community to Community program – The intent of the Regional C2C program is to support the advancement of First Nation and local government reconciliation and relationship building. With two categories, the total eligible grant amount is $20,000. The program supports forums with funding of up to $10,000, and an additional $10,000 is available for the development of agreements (e.g., protocols, MOUs, service agreements, joint plans and/or strategies, etc.). Applications can be submitted at any time, however funding permitting, applications will only be reviewed three times in 2024. The remaining 2024 application deadline is December 6, 2024.
2025 FireSmart Community Funding and Supports – The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program provides funding to local governments and First Nations in BC to increase community resiliency by undertaking community-based FireSmart planning and activities that reduce the community’s risk from wildfire. The 2025 program materials are available now, with applications being accepted from October 1, 2024 to September 31, 2025
FireSmart Pilot Program for Regional District Cooperative Community Wildfire Response Organizations – The FireSmart Pilot Program for Regional District Cooperative Community Wildfire Response Organizations provides funding to regional districts in BC to increase community resiliency and to help build a cooperative pathway for wildfire response by undertaking training and purchasing Personal Protective Equipment for local community members in areas that do not fall within a structural fire protection jurisdiction area. The program will have an open intake. Funding permitting, eligible applicants can submit applications between October 1, 2024 and May 30, 2025.
Next Generation 911 – Application-Based Intake and Webinar – The intent of the Next Generation 911 program is to support local preparedness for the implementation of NG911, and to provide funding to eligible recipients to support the transition and operational readiness of existing 911 services to NG911, in compliance with the CRTC Mandate. The second phase of funding is the 2025 application-based intake. Program material is available now. Applications will be accepted from November 1, 2024 – February 14, 2025. Register here for a webinar about the application-based intake on October 23, 2024, 1:30 - 3:30pm.
Volunteer and Composite Fire Departments Equipment and Training – The intent of this funding stream is to build the resiliency of volunteer and composite fire departments in preparing and responding to emergencies through the purchase of new or replacement equipment and to facilitate the delivery of training. The 2024 program material is now available on our website with an intake deadline of October 18, 2024.
Indigenous Cultural Safety and Cultural Humility Training – The intent of this funding stream is to support the enhancement of cultural safety and cultural humility in the delivery of local emergency management programs and services. Activities include cultural safety and humility training, adapting emergency management tools to be inclusive of Indigenous peoples, and activities related to partnering with, or providing assistance to, Indigenous communities during emergency mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The 2024 program material is now available on our website with an intake deadline of November 1, 2024.
Community Emergency Preparedness Fund: Webinar – A CEPF webinar on November 20, 2024 (1:30 – 3:00 PM) will review the upcoming 2025 intakes: ESS, EOC, and Public Notification and Evacuation Route Planning. Register here for this webinar.
Emergency Support Services Equipment and Training – The intent of this funding stream is to support ESS through volunteer recruitment, retention and training, including in-house training, and the purchase of ESS equipment. The 2025 program material is now available on our website with an intake deadline of January 31, 2025.
Emergency Operations Centres Equipment and Training – The intent of this funding stream is to support the building of local capacity through the purchase of equipment required to maintain or improve an EOC and to enhance EOC capacity through training and exercises. The 2025 program material is now available on our website with an intake deadline of February 28, 2025.
Public Notification and Evacuation Route Planning – The intent of this funding stream is to develop Evacuation Route Plans and/or Public Notification Plans that provide information for First Nations, local governments, and community members in the event of an emergency. The 2025 program material is now available on our website with an intake deadline of April 25, 2025.
Other Funding
Grants and Funding from the Government of Canada
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada: Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program – The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) Program is a national merit-based program with the objective of improving the availability and condition of community buildings in Canadian communities experiencing higher needs and who are currently underserved.
Natural Resources Canada: Clean Fuels Awareness – Funding for Indigenous-led awareness and education projects for cleaner transportation and clean fuels. Support for projects that increase knowledge and understanding about the opportunities, benefits, and considerations related to adopting clean fuels in industrial operations, across the economy, and for consumers. Clean fuels can include clean hydrogen and renewable natural gas, biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol, renewable diesel, and synthetic fuels and sustainable aviation fuels.
NIDMAR: Disability Management Assessment and Subsidy – A Government of Canada grant that provides free workplace disability management assessments, and up to $7,500 through an improvement subsidy to enhance processes to significantly reduce costs and liabilities resulting from employee illness and injury; retain and engage skilled employees experiencing illness, injury, and longer-term disabilities; subsidize workplace improvements; and/or meet provincial requirements for Accessibility Plans.
Natural Resources Canada: Codes Acceleration Fund – This program is providing $100 million to help provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous governments, and stakeholders decarbonize the buildings sector to support the achievement of net-zero emissions. The codes provide a series of performance tiers that lead towards making all new buildings net-zero energy-ready. Only Indigenous applicants may submit applications up until March 31, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.
Natural Resources Canada: Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities – This funding program supports project proposals that contribute to Indigenous-led climate action through biomass heating, district heating, combined heat and power systems, and research, development and demonstration projects. The program is working to reduce the use of fossil fuels for heating and electricity by increasing the use of local renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. Intakes are open until the funding is fully committed or the program closes in 2027.
Government of Canada: Local Festivals, Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Program – This funding stream provides funding to local groups (including local non-profit groups, band councils, tribal councils, or Indigenous governments) for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, artisans, or heritage performers. This includes the celebration of LGBTQ2+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations. Applicants may request up to 100% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $200,000. Applications are accepted throughout the year, depending on the anticipated festival date.
Grants and Funding from the BC Government
Mass Timber Demonstration Program – The Province of BC and Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) are seeking Expressions of Interest as part of the fourth call for the Mass Timber Demonstration Program. MTDP provides funding for incremental costs in the design and construction of buildings that demonstrate emerging or new mass timber or mass timber hybrid building systems and construction processes. These investments will help BC become a province that is more inclusive, resilient, and innovative in the design, engineering, construction, and product manufacturing sectors. Successful applicants may be eligible to receive up to $500,000 in funding. The application deadline is October 21, 2024.
Work BC: BC Employer Training Grant – The BC Employer Training Grant is a cost-sharing grant program that provides employers throughout BC with skills training funding for their workforces, including prospective new hires. The grant funding helps employers respond to their changing labour needs and helps develop a skilled workforce with the right mix of skills. Employers can apply as often as they need and receive 80% of the cost of training up to $10,000 per employee, with a maximum annual amount per employer of $300,000.
BC Government: Infrastructure Planning Grant – Municipalities and regional districts can apply for grants up to $10,000 that support projects related to the development of sustainable community infrastructure through the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program. The program is open for applications year-round with regular processing deadlines.
For Indigenous Recipients:
Indigenous Youth Roots: Creation Grants – Creation is a multi-level funding program that supports strengths-based, community-focused, and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Grassroot youth groups/collectives (comprised of 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 will be provided to projects/groups that seek to create impactful community change and increase the wellness, resiliency, and engagement of Indigenous youth. The October intake will accept submissions from October 1 – 31, 2024.
New Relationship Trust: Declaration Act Engagement Fund – The Declaration Act Engagement Fund (DAEF) provides multi-year non-repayable funding contributions to First Nations to support their capacity to engage with the Province on the implementation of the Declaration Act Action Plan and alignment of Provincial laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The total funding cap over four years per Nation is $1,040,000. One application per Nation. The DAEF will accept new applications between May and December each year. Applicants will only have to apply once to the program.
Government of Canada: Indigenous Leadership Fund – The Indigenous Leadership Fund is a program under the Low Carbon Economy Fund. It provides up to $180 million by 2029 to support climate action by Indigenous peoples. The program funds Indigenous-owned and led renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low-carbon heating projects. The call for proposals for the First Nations funding stream is open until March 31, 2027. There is no deadline to apply. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis until available funding is allocated.
Government of Canada: Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund – Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada will fund the locating, documenting, maintaining, and commemorating of burial sites associated with former residential schools, and responding to family wishes to commemorate or memorialize their losses and the children's final resting places. Proposals are welcome from Indigenous governments, councils or tribal councils, Indigenous not-for-profit groups, and organizations, including survivors’ groups, demonstrating a close working partnership with and directed by Indigenous-governed organizations.
BC Government: BC Residential School Response Fund – Provincial funding is available for First Nations-led strategies to identify, investigate, protect, and commemorate the sites of former residential schools and hospitals in BC and for the mental health, wellness, and cultural supports required to do this work. Lead communities may apply to develop and implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration, and protection of residential school cemeteries or other sites at which residential school children were buried. Up to $475,000 is available for each site.
BC Hydro: Programs for Indigenous Communities – The Indigenous Communities Conservation Program (ICCP) provides funding and support for energy efficiency upgrades in Indigenous communities. All Indigenous communities within BC Hydro’s service area are eligible to participate in the program. Funding is currently ongoing.
ICI Society: AddressBC First Nations Grant Program – Funding available to ICI Society First Nations Members who are looking to develop a GIS dataset of civic addresses or to improve their existing civic address dataset. Grant amounts will be awarded based on the project’s scope, impact, and alignment with the program’s objectives with applications being accepted on an ongoing basis.
Other
Vision Zero BC: Road Safety Grant Program – The BC Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program provides microgrants to BC communities to improve local road infrastructure and support innovative initiatives that protect people who walk, cycle or roll. Funding is open to local governments, Indigenous communities and NGOs. Applicants can apply to one of two funding streams: Stream 1 – General projects and Stream 2 – Indigenous-led projects. The deadline to apply is November 29, 2024.
Economic Trust of the Southern Interior: Fall Funding – ETSI’s Fall 2024 funding intake will provide up to $625,000 for economic development projects. Non-profit organizations like local governments, First Nations, economic development organizations, and industry groups in the Southern Interior of British Columbia are eligible. ETSI-BC supports strategic investments in economic development projects that will have long-lasting and measurable benefits to the Southern Interior region of BC. Applications will be received from September 10 – October 10, 2024.
FCM: Green Municipal Fund – Offered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, this program will fund capital projects that allow a community to remove 60% of total suspended solids (TSS) or a significant amount of other contaminants (e.g., e.coli, salt, grease) from its stormwater runoff. This funding helps Canadian cities and communities of all sizes protect local bodies of water through stormwater treatment. This funding has a two-stage application process. Potential applicants may submit initial review forms at any time. Application forms will be provided to eligible recipients.
FCM: Community Buildings Retrofit Initiative – This Federation of Canadian Municipalities initiative is intended to help fund energy efficiency upgrades for existing community facilities. The Government of Canada, through the Green Municipal Fund, is funding this $167 million initiative to help Canadian municipalities of all sizes retrofit existing community facilities, such as arenas, pools, and libraries, to significantly reduce GHG emissions, while reviving important community assets.
Forest Enhancement Society of BC: Wildfire Risk Reduction Funding – FESCB is accepting applications to fund projects to reduce wildfire risk on provincial crown land and increase community resiliency to wildfire across BC. Eligible activities include WRR planning and treatment prescription development, WRR treatments, and the recovery and utilization of uneconomical residual fibre resulting from wildfire risk reduction treatment funding by FESBC. Please visit their website for funding eligibility, selection criteria, application information requirements, the submission and review process, and project implementation.
Forest Enhancement Society of BC: Fibre Utilization Projects – FESBC is accepting applications to fund projects that encourage diversity and innovation by the forest sector to utilize uneconomical residual fibre located on provincial crown land. Eligible activities include delivery of uneconomic residual fibre to non-sawlog processing facilities, or the overstorey removal and/or the delivery of uneconomic fibre to a non-sawlog facility, from fire or insect damaged stands or other stands acceptable to FESCBC and Ministry of Forests. Please visit their website for funding eligibility, selection criteria, application information requirements, the submission and review process, and project implementation.
SparcBC: Local Community Accessibility Grant Program – Under the Accessible BC Act, local governments are required to develop a feedback mechanism, Accessibility Committee and Accessibility Plan. The Province of BC has allocated $5 million in one-time funding for eligible BC municipalities and regional districts, up to $25,000, to support the implementation of projects or priorities identified in their Accessibility Plan. Applications will be received and approved on a rolling basis until March 2026 through the Social Planning and Research Council of BC. Contact: Louise O’Shea, 604-718-7748, accessibility@sparc.bc.ca.
Events & Resources
Administrative Professionals Conference – Developed by LGMA, the 2024 Administrative Professionals’ Conference will be in Victoria from October 23-25, 2024. Opportunities to network with peers, discuss important issues of common concern, and develop strategies to address them for Executive Assistant, Office Coordinator, Supervisor, Clerk, or Front-line staff working in BC local or First Nations government organizations. Register online before September 6 to receive early bird rates.
Asset Management BC Conference – The annual Asset Management BC Conference is AMBC's signature event of the year, comprised of presentations, plenaries, social functions, and a mini trade show of exhibitors. Advance your asset management practice with the knowledge, information, and data necessary to transform difficult decisions into sustainable service delivery. This year’s event will be in Richmond from November 6-7, 2024.
Principles for Responsible Conduct – This online course, developed by UBCM, LGMA, and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, introduces the principles that support responsible conduct by local elected officials in BC. The interactive course is based on real-life scenarios in which learners are part of the story. The code to access the course is VV81-5TFM.
Virtual Reconciliation Engagements – Interested in raising awareness about reconciliation for your community, organization, or business? In light of the COVID-19 crisis, Reconciliation Canada is currently providing all engagements online. They can provide a virtual gathering with an inspiring speaker to help engage reconciliation in a meaningful way.
BC Rural Centre – The Centre provides a wealth of links to assets, news, videos, services, and resources of value to rural British Columbians.
CivicInfo BC – British Columbia's local government information hub offers comprehensive organizational and grant directories, events listings, tools for training, research and career development, bids & tenders, and other resources.
Indigenous Services Canada – ISC works collaboratively with partners to improve access to high quality services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. They provide information on social programs, emergency management, health, infrastructure, governance, education, economic development, funding programs, and other resources
FireSmart – This website introduces the FireSmart program and its seven disciplines and is intended as a one-stop shop for all things FireSmart. The site includes links to training, education, an events calendar, resource library, and downloadable content. It also features a short video inviting everyone to become involved in prevention and to learn about the benefits of the program.