CFAs: Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund (Canada)

Deadline: 16-Sep-2026

The Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund (IRSCEF) supports Indigenous-led initiatives in Ontario addressing the legacy and ongoing impacts of Indian Residential Schools. The fund provides support for projects focused on commemoration, survivor engagement, public education, mental health and wellness, and research. Part of Ontario’s Support for Indian Residential School Burials program, the fund is designed around Indigenous-led, survivor-centred, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive approaches. Eligible applicants can receive up to $250,000 for the 2026–27 fiscal year to carry out eligible activities.

About the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund

The Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund is part of Ontario’s broader response to the legacy of Indian Residential Schools and their continuing impacts on Indigenous survivors, families, communities, and future generations. The program supports Indigenous-led initiatives that contribute to investigations, commemoration, education, survivor engagement, wellness, and research related to Indian Residential Schools. Its approach places Indigenous communities and survivors at the centre of activities while recognising the importance of culturally appropriate and trauma-informed support. What Is the Purpose of the Fund? The fund aims to support initiatives that advance one or more objectives of Ontario’s Support for Indian Residential School Burials Investigations program.

These objectives include:

- Investigating the deaths of Indigenous children who attended Indian Residential Schools. - Commemorating and memorializing lives lost. - Supporting the commemoration of final resting places. - Repatriating remains where appropriate. - Increasing public awareness and education. - Addressing misinformation and denialism related to Indian Residential Schools. - Providing trauma-informed mental health and wellness supports. - Supporting survivors, intergenerational survivors, families, and communities. - Connecting community members with ongoing investigations and related research. How Much Funding Is Available? Eligible applicants may receive up to $250,000 for the 2026–27 fiscal year. The funding is intended to support eligible activities that align with the objectives of the broader Support for Indian Residential School Burials Investigations program. Applicants should ensure that their proposed budgets are directly connected to eligible project activities and outcomes. What Activities Can the Fund Support? The IRSCEF supports a range of Indigenous-led community initiatives.

Eligible activities can include:

- Commemoration and legacy projects. - Survivor engagement activities. - Survivor gatherings. - Public education initiatives. - Public awareness campaigns. - Activities addressing residential school denialism. - Culturally appropriate mental health supports. - Wellness initiatives. - Research activities. - Activities connecting community members with ongoing investigations. Projects should demonstrate how the proposed activities contribute to addressing the legacy and impacts of Indian Residential Schools. Commemoration and Legacy Projects Funding can support projects that commemorate and memorialize Indigenous children and others affected by Indian Residential Schools. Commemoration initiatives may focus on remembering lives lost, recognising final resting places, and preserving community histories and knowledge. Such projects should be Indigenous-led and culturally sensitive, with meaningful consideration of survivors, families, and affected communities. Survivor Engagement and Gatherings The fund supports activities that provide opportunities for survivors and communities to participate in engagement activities and gatherings. Survivor engagement can help communities share experiences, strengthen connections, and contribute to broader efforts addressing the legacy of residential schools. Projects should use approaches that are respectful, culturally appropriate, and sensitive to the experiences of survivors and families. Public Education and Awareness Public education and awareness are another important area supported by the fund. Projects can help communities and the wider public understand the history and ongoing impacts of Indian Residential Schools. The fund also supports efforts to combat denialism, helping promote accurate information and greater public understanding of residential school experiences and their consequences. Mental Health and Wellness Supports The IRSCEF recognises the significant emotional and intergenerational impacts associated with Indian Residential Schools. Funding can therefore support culturally appropriate mental health and wellness initiatives. These activities can provide trauma-informed support for: - Residential school survivors. - Intergenerational survivors. - Indigenous families. - Indigenous communities. Projects should reflect culturally sensitive approaches appropriate to the communities they serve. Research and Community Investigations Research activities may also receive support where they connect community members to ongoing investigations. This can include activities that help communities participate in or understand research related to residential school deaths, burial sites, investigations, and associated historical information. The research component should contribute to the objectives of the broader Support for Indian Residential School Burials Investigations program. Connection to the Support for Indian Residential School Burials Program The IRSCEF forms part of Ontario’s Support for Indian Residential School Burials program. The broader program addresses issues connected to Indian Residential School burials and investigations, including the investigation of deaths, commemoration, memorialization, repatriation where appropriate, public education, and trauma-informed support. IRSCEF projects must advance one or more of these broad