Grants for First Nations, Métis Nation BC Chartered Communities, Indigenous-led organizations, and organizations serving Indigenous populations to support food sovereignty and security in Indigenous populations throughout BC. 

The new funding cycle will be open from May 25, 2026, to June 15, 2026. 

Introduction 

The Food Systems Program (FSP) supports Indigenous communities in reaching their food security and food sovereignty goals. The Food Systems Program distributes grants and provides support with capacity building, technical training, networking, and cultural sharing through in-person gatherings, online events, and resource sharing. 

A core component of the Food Systems Program (FSP) is to provide project and program support through grants to First Nations, Métis Chartered Communities, and Indigenous-serving organizations who are leading food work in their respective communities. The program follows a community-driven approach, and these grants are intended to support a wide variety of projects and be inclusive of Indigenous food systems and food relations. 

Grant Specifics: 

  • BC-based Indigenous communities and organizations are eligible to apply and receive up to $5,000
  • The Food Systems Program grant supports food-related activities and can be applied towards wages or honoraria, planning work, the purchase of tools, equipment, materials, and the building of food-related infrastructure
  • Successful applicants will be eligible to access additional funding to support community-driven capacity building, mentorship, and training through the Learning Together, Growing Together Grant
  • The goal of this program is to contribute to long-term capacity building. As such, we do not support projects focused solely on immediate food access, such as purchasing food for banks, hampers, or snack programs, unless there is a significant skill-building or knowledge-sharing component integrated into the project

Eligibility 

Eligible applicants must be BC-based: 

  • First Nations and First Nation communities 
  • MNBC Chartered Communities 
  • Indigenous-led organizations 
  • Organizations serving Indigenous populations in BC 

Please note: Individuals are not eligible to apply. 

Eligible Projects

  • Projects must serve and benefit B.C. Indigenous populations, including First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban or away-from-home populations
  • Please note that at least 75% of the population served by this specific project must be Indigenous
  • Projects must include and benefit larger groups within the population/community and cannot serve only one family, a business, or a small fraction of the population
  • Projects should focus on capacity-building and knowledge sharing, connecting directly to a longer-term community vision
  • Organizations that are not Indigenous-led but serve Indigenous populations must demonstrate that projects are led or guided by Indigenous peoples

Key Considerations 

  • Funding may only be utilized for the direct delivery of the specific program, activity, event, or expense applied for within this fiscal year
  • I·SPARC will only approve one application per organization and cannot provide multi-year funding 
  • Funded projects or programs must complete all activities and provide a final report by March 31, 2027
  • Past program applicants must be in good standing to apply for funding in the 2026–27 fiscal year. This means all past activities have been completed and a final report was submitted, OR an extension was approved with an updated plan for activities and allocation of funds
  • If an extension was approved, all activities must be completed and funds spent from the previous granting cycle prior to the application deadline to be eligible for the new cycle
  • If you are unsure if you are in good standing, please contact the Provincial Coordinator 

Application Process 

  • Initial Intake: May 25, 2026 
  • Deadline: June 15, 2026 
  • Only complete applications submitted prior to the deadline will be considered for funding
  • Initial screening of all applications will be conducted by the Food Systems Program Provincial Coordinator
  • Funding decisions will be made by a review panel
  • All applicants will be notified of decisions within 4 weeks of the deadline
  • Instructions on next steps and grant obligations will be conveyed to successful recipients upon notification or provided separately
  • Funds will be received within 2 weeks of submitting all required information and financial documents

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & Resources 

To see if your project fits the criteria of this grant, please ensure you read all information provided here thoroughly. 

1. General Grant Information

What is the Food Systems Program (FSP) Grant? 

The FSP Grant supports BC-based Indigenous communities and organizations in reaching their self-determined food security and food sovereignty goals. The program funds projects that align with a community-driven approach and are inclusive of Indigenous food systems and food relations.

How much funding can my organization apply for? 

Eligible applicants can apply for up to $5,000 through the main Food Systems Program Grant. If approved, you will have the optional opportunity to apply for up to an additional $3,000 top-up through the Learning Together, Growing Together Grant.

What are the key dates for this intake cycle? 

  • Application Window Open: May 25, 2026
  • Application Deadline: June 15, 2026
  • Funding Decisions Communicated: Within 4 weeks of the deadline
  • Project Completion & Final Report Deadline: March 31, 2027

2. Eligibility

Who is eligible to apply? 

Applications are open to BC-based entities, including: 

  • First Nations and First Nation communities  
  • Métis Nation BC (MNBC) Chartered Communities  
  • Indigenous-led organizations  
  • Organizations serving Indigenous populations in BC  

Please note: Individual community members are not eligible to apply for this grant. Only one application per organization will be approved.

What are the project requirements regarding the population served? 

Projects must serve and directly benefit BC Indigenous populations, including First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban or away-from-home populations. At least 75% of the population served by the project must be Indigenous. Furthermore, projects must benefit larger groups or the broader community; they cannot serve a single family, a private business, or a small fraction of the community.

Our organization is not Indigenous-led, but we serve Indigenous community members. Can we apply? 

Yes, but you must clearly demonstrate that the project is directly led or guided by Indigenous peoples and that the population you serve is a minimum of 75% Indigenous. 
 

3. Eligible Expenses & Project Scope

What types of activities does the main $5,000 FSP Grant cover? 

The main grant covers a wide range of food-related activities, including: 

  • Wages or honoraria for project staff/contributors
  • Planning and community visioning work
  • Purchasing tools, equipment, and materials
  • Building or expanding food-related infrastructure (e.g., community gardens, smokehouses, storage facilities) 

Can we use this grant to buy food for emergency food hampers or local food banks? 

The primary goal of this grant program is long-term capacity building. As such, we do not support projects focused solely on immediate food access (such as purchasing food for hampers, food banks, or school snack programs) unless there is a significant skill-building or traditional knowledge-sharing component closely integrated into the project.

4. Learning Together, Growing Together (LTGT) Top-Up Grant

What is the Learning Together, Growing Together Grant? 

This is an optional, complimentary top-up grant of up to $3,000 available exclusively to successful applicants of the main FSP Grant. It focuses strictly on capacity building through education, workshops, training, mentorship, and knowledge sharing related to Indigenous food systems.

What are examples of eligible expenses under the LTGT Grant? 

Because this grant is more restrictive than the main grant, funds must be used for direct educational or capacity-building delivery, such as: 

  • Hiring Elders or Knowledge Holders for mentorship and training 
  • Hosting virtual or in-person workshops, including facilitator fees and honoraria
  • Materials specifically required to deliver a workshop or knowledge-sharing session
  • Creating educational resources (e.g., resource libraries, info flyers, video series, or webinars)
  • Covering registration fees and transportation costs to send community members to agricultural or land-based training (e.g., the Master Gardener program) 

What is ineligible under the LTGT Grant? 

LTGT funds cannot be used for: 

  • Regular day-to-day operational costs or general labor (e.g., standard gardener or food security coordinator wages)  
  • General day-to-day materials, tools, infrastructure, or maintenance costs  
  • Wages or honoraria for staff just to attend classes or training  
  • Organizational administrative fees
  • Catering or space rentals, unless it is directly for a knowledge-sharing session and alternative funding covers all other related costs (evaluated on a case-by-case basis) 

5. Application & Reporting Logistics

I received a grant in the previous fiscal cycle. Can I apply again? 

Yes, provided your organization is in “good standing”. This means you have completed all previous project activities and submitted your final report. If you received an approved project extension, all past activities must be fully completed and funds entirely spent prior to the June 15, 2026 deadline to be eligible for this new cycle. If you are unsure of your status, contact the Provincial Coordinator. 

How will we receive the funds if we are successful? 

Funds are distributed via direct deposit after we receive a signed funding agreement and your required financial documents. We highly recommend completing and uploading I·SPARC’s Direct Deposit Enrollment Form along with a void cheque at the time of your application to significantly speed up the payment process. Once all documentation is finalized, funds are typically received within 2 weeks. 

What will the reporting requirements be? 

Approved recipients must submit a final report by March 31, 2027. The FSP team will provide a template and clear instructions by February 26, 2027. Please note that we are currently reviewing and simplifying our processes to ensure our reporting remains a supportive, low-barrier system for communities. 

Need Help or Want to Pitch an Idea? 

If you have any questions or want to discuss a project concept before applying, please reach out to the Food Systems Program team: 

Cynthia Rofuli – Provincial Coordinator, Food Systems Program | Food@isparc.ca 

Grant Distribution 

  • A funding decision will be made within four (4) weeks of the application deadline. 
  • Applicants will be notified via the Good Grants platform and will receive emails from the Provincial Coordinator, Cynthia Rofuli. Please check your junk mail folder frequently to avoid missing important communications. 
  • Funds will be distributed to successful applicants via direct deposit after a signed funding agreement and required financial documents are received. 
  • We highly recommend enrolling in the Direct Deposit System with I·SPARC at the time of submitting your application to speed up this process. The template can be found within the application; once completed, it can be attached to your submission or emailed directly to the Provincial Coordinator. 

Grant Reporting 

  • Approved applicants will be required to provide a final report by March 31, 2027 
  • A template with instructions will be provided by the FSP team by February 26, 2027 
  • I·SPARC is committed to keeping reporting low-barrier. Reporting for the previous granting cycle was more onerous than usual as we required extra statistics to demonstrate the impact of the Food Systems Program to our partners. The FSP reporting requirements are currently being reviewed to simplify the process and return to a low-barrier system
  • Successful applicants may be asked to share stories and pictures with the team for promotion on the I·SPARC website, social media platforms, or official program reports

Optional Add-on: Learning Together, Growing Together Grant 

If your organization is approved for funding in the 2026–27 fiscal year, you are eligible to apply for a top-up via the Learning Together, Growing Together Grant.

This optional grant is integrated into the main Food Systems Program application and focuses strictly on capacity building through education, workshops, training, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. Funding in any amount up to $3,000 can be requested as a complimentary top-up. 

Eligible Expenses (LTGT Grant) 

  • Hiring Elders or Knowledge Holders for training, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing events 
  • Materials necessary to deliver a workshop or knowledge-sharing session 
  • Hosting workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions (in person or virtual) 
  • Creating educational content (e.g., interpretive materials, info flyers, resource libraries, video series, webinars) 
  • Sending community members to training programs (e.g., Master Gardener program, farm training, or land-based mentorship with a Knowledge Holder) 
  • Workshop facilitator fees and honoraria 
  • Travel and registration costs associated with attending workshops or training sessions
  • Planning and hosting costs for a workshop/knowledge-sharing series

Ineligible Expenses (LTGT Grant) 

  • Any expenses for activities or purchases occurring after March 31, 2027
  • Material expenses associated with day-to-day operations (e.g., garden equipment, basic tools)
  • General labor costs associated with day-to-day operations (e.g., standard wages for a gardener or food security coordinator) 
  • Wages or honoraria for staff just to attend classes, training, or knowledge-sharing sessions 
  • Standard day-to-day operational or maintenance costs of the main project
  • Infrastructure costs
  • Catering and space rentals, unless specifically for a knowledge-sharing session where all other costs are covered by alternate, restrictive funding sources (evaluated on a case-by-case basis) 
  • General administrative fees of the community or organization

Application Instructions 

  1. Click the link below to log in or create an I·SPARC Grant Platform account. All applications must be submitted through the portal. 
  2. Contact the Food Systems Program at food@isparc.ca if you experience any account creation issues. 
  3. TIP: We highly recommend using a generic organizational email address (e.g., grants@communitynation.ca) to create your account. Because applications and reports are stored on the platform for years, a shared email login ensures smooth program continuity during staff transitions or leaves. 
  4. Click on the Food Systems Program Grant Application on the Grant Platform landing page. 
  5. Complete all sections. You can save your progress and return to finish it over multiple sittings. 
  6. You will receive an automated confirmation email once submitted. Contact us immediately if you do not receive it.  TIP: We highly recommend submitting your application prior to the deadline to avoid technical difficulties preventing your submission at the last minute when the FSP Team is unable to help before the cutoff time. 
  7. All successful applicants are required to enroll with I·SPARC‘s payment system via direct deposit. Please ensure you submit I·SPARC’s Direct Deposit Enrollment Form  along with a void cheque either as part of the application or upon notification of success. 

Application Deadline: June 15, 2026 at 11:59pm