myAIRDRIE sign in

Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant

The Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant supports Indigenous-led initiatives that help Airdrie residents learn about Indigenous histories, rights, cultures and world views. The grant program is one step in building respectful, ongoing relationships with Indigenous communities and advancing Airdrie’s commitment to reconciliation.

Funding focuses on initiatives connected to National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with flexibility to support related Indigenous-led activities around those dates.

Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant funded activities are Indigenous-led in planning and delivery. The City’s role is to provide funding and support, respecting Indigenous Communities’ rights to lead their own initiatives. Indigenous-led opportunities help the broader community learn and connect by creating space for authentic perspectives, dialogue, storytelling and cultural expression, while strengthening relationships in our community.

Applications for National Indigenous Peoples Day activities are open until May 6.

Applications for activities for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are open until July 31.

Applicants may submit combined or separate applications for National Indigenous Peoples Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation activities. Combined applications should be submitted by May 6.

Submit a Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant application

Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant details and eligibility

Details	eligibility	Fund use
Grants up to $15,000 are available in 2026*	To be eligible, the not-for-profit organization must: Be an Indigenous-led not-for-profit organization Have at least 50 per cent of its leadership who are First Nations, Métis or Inuit Demonstrate relationships or prior collaboration with Indigenous Community Leaders or organizations within Treaty 7 First Nations or the Otipemisiwak Métis Government District 4	National Indigenous Peoples Day National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Other Indigenous-led initiatives that take place leading up to or around these two days

Eligible use of grant funds includes:

Costs for educational activities, events, workshops, teachings and cultural activities
Cultural protocol items, including Elders' honoraria
Marketing and promotion materials
Event supplies
Talent fees
Administrative costs related to the implementation of the initiative

Funding will not be provided for:

Any cost that does not relate to the implementation of an approved initiative, including National Indigenous Peoples Day or for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Costs related to any initiatives that are fully funded through other sources
Capital expenditures and asset costs
Payment for services that are normally free
Operating costs including salaries, utilities or rent, bookkeeping, accounting and clerical support
Prize money

*The total available grant amount is approved by Council through the budget process each year.

How to apply

To apply, complete the Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant application form.

Applicants will be informed of results within two to three weeks of submission deadlines. All decisions are final and we thank all who apply.

For questions related to applying, or for applicants needing accessibility accommodations such as digital access assistance, please contact the Community Liaison at 403.948.8800 or culture.heritage@airdrie.ca.

How applications are evaluated

The City reviews program grant applications and decides which ones to approve. The program’s purpose is to support eligible not-for-profit organizations in their planning and delivery of initiatives related to National Indigenous Peoples Day and/or the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The program is guided by the Reconciliation Community Initiatives Grant Program Policy, which includes the following guidance:

Alignment with the City’s Indigenous Framework and Action Plan (in development), which outlines that the City will partner with Indigenous groups to promote and raise awareness of Indigenous cultures, ceremonies and events;
The City’s commitment to advancing respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples and supporting initiatives that contribute to cultural revitalization and safety, self-determination, inclusion and reconciliation;
The City’s commitment to ensuring fairness, transparency and consistency with clear granting criteria and process-based evaluation; and
Indigenous-led initiatives involve a unique relationship with the City that addresses the historical gaps in funding and system barriers for such initiatives, prioritizing equity in grant distribution.

The City considers the following criteria when they review a grant application:

A National Indigenous Peoples Day initiative must occur on or about June 21 of the year it is approved
A National Truth and Reconciliation Day initiative must occur on or about Sept. 30 of the year it is approved
The grant applicant must explain how the initiative will:

Increase Airdrie residents’ awareness of Indigenous cultures;
Promotion inclusion by engaging with Urban Indigenous Airdrie residents, or First Nations, Métis or Inuit individuals who reside in Airdrie, in the planning and delivery of the initiative; and
Involve Elders and Knowledge Keepers developing content for initiatives, including materials, if applicable;

The applicant must promote the event in the city of Airdrie, aiming to achieve at least 50 per cent of the event attendees who are Airdrie residents; and
The initiative must be open to the public and be publicly advertised

Respectful use of grant funding: alignment with community and cultural values

The City is committed to advancing respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples and supporting initiatives that contribute to cultural revitalization, inclusion, and reconciliation. In assessing funding applications, the City Manager considers alignment with municipal priorities and community well-being, while honouring the distinct cultural, spiritual and governance traditions of Indigenous Nations.

Funding will not be provided for initiatives that fall outside the spirit of this commitment or that: (1) involve partisan political campaigning or religious preaching (note: spiritual or governance-related Indigenous practices are not excluded); (2) contravene City bylaws or established municipal policies; (3) are submitted by individuals or organizations with no connection to Airdrie or the traditional territories on which Airdrie is located; or (4) are designed primarily for private financial profit, with no clear reinvestment into community or cultural benefits.

Final reporting for successful recipients

If the grant recipient does not meet all of the reporting requirements outlined in the grant agreement, the City may: (1) cancel the grant; (2) require repayment of unspent or improperly used grant funds to the City; or (3) decide that the recipient is ineligible to apply for and receive future Program grants.

At the not-for-profit organization’s fiscal year-end, any uncommitted grant funds must be returned to the City by that not-for-profit organization, based on the deadline in the grant agreement.