First Nations Stewardship Fund

Eligible initiative expenditures may include:

• Salary and wages directly tied to the Guardians initiative, specifically salary and wages of Guardians and Guardian Co-ordinators;

• Operations costs of the project, up to a MAX of 25% of project budget (e.g., travel for Guardian operations, fuel, material and equipment, PPE, uniforms, equipment rental);

• Capacity Building and Engagement costs, up to a MAX of 25% of project budget (e.g., meeting costs, Elder honoraria for this application, Guardians training, knowledge exchange activities with youth and knowledge holders);

• Overhead costs, up to a MAX of 10% of the project budget (e.g., office equipment, office space, insurance, phone, internet, communications). 

The First Nations Stewardship Fund focuses on stabilizing and sustaining existing capacity. As a result, the following activities–while valuable–are not eligible for this financing opportunity: 

• Capital asset purchases (individual items of $10,000 or more);

• Management and professional services, such as cost for auditors, consulting services, legal services, etc.;

• Contractors. Exception is training for Guardians which would be identified under Capacity Building and Engagement category.

The maximum funding is up to a maximum of $100,000 CAD.

Projects funded through this opportunity can take place from the date of the Letter of Offer, which is expected to be issued between early and mid-October 2026, through to February 29, 2028.

Eligible project activities and expenses can take place throughout this period. Applicants should plan their project timelines and budgets with these dates in mind.

Selected programs will receive a Letter of Offer between early and mid-October 2026.

Applications will be assessed based on:

·       Leadership support

·       Organizational readiness and capacity

·       Demonstrated need

·       Eligibility

·       Budget and funding compliance

·       Ability to complete activities during the funding period

Successful applicants will sign a Contribution Agreement outlining reporting requirements.

Final reporting is expected to include:

·       A final project summary (written, video, and/or storytelling format)

·       Financial reporting

·       Description of activities completed

·       Area of influence or community impact

·       Employment results (full-time, part-time, seasonal)

·       Highlighting youth such as employment or engagement.

Yes. ILI encourages applicants to include the following opportunities, where appropriate within existing Guardians initiatives: 

·       Youth employment

·       Mentorship

·       Cultural learning

·       Knowledge transfer

·       Stewardship training

No. This fund is intended to support existing Guardians initiatives. To be eligible, your initiative must already have Indigenous Guardians employed and carrying out work on their territories. 

The funding is designed to support Guardian salaries and the important work Guardians are already doing in their communities and on the land.

Yes! You can apply even if your Indigenous Guardians initiative receives, or is applying for, funding from other private or public (government) funding sources.

However, you cannot receive funding from more than one source for the same activities or. Funding from this program must support activities that are not already being paid for by another funder.

Having funding from multiple sources can strengthen your Indigenous Guardians initiative by supporting different aspects of the program. In your application, you should identify any current or pending funding and describe, in general terms, how the different funding sources will support your overall initiative.

The number of selected initiatives will depend on the funding available and the amount requested from each applicant.

The number of initiatives funded will depend on the funding available and the funding requested from each applicant.

This is a competitive funding process. All eligible applications will be assessed and ranked based on the program's assessment criteria. Funding will be offered to the highest-ranked applications until the available funding has been allocated.

If not selected for the initial round of funds applicants may indicate if they wish their application to remain under consideration in case additional funding becomes available. However, additional funding is not guaranteed, and being kept under consideration does not guarantee that an application will receive funding. Additionally, applicants may agree to ILI sharing their application with other funding partners should additional resources be identified.

Only one application can be submitted per First Nation, including applications submitted by organizations representing the First Nation.

If more than one organization from the same First Nation is interested in applying, the organizations will need to coordinate and submit one application on behalf of the First Nation. All applications must be submitted by September 22, 2026.

The deadline will not be extended to give organizations more time to coordinate or combine applications. This will allow the assessment process to start on time and help get funding to communities as quickly as possible.

No. To ensure a fair and objective application review, applicants are asked not to modify the budget template.

No. All documents must be submitted by the deadline and any documentation sent will not be considered with the application.

If you have questions or need help with your application, please contact applications@ilinationhood.ca.

 If you have questions or need help with your application, please contact: applications@ilinationhood.ca.

There will be one opportunity to meet virtually with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative Director of Operations, Linda Dwyer, to ask questions about the application process. Details about the virtual session, including the date and registration information, will be shared on the ILI-ISF website. Please watch the website for updates.

This FAQ document may be updated during the application period with answers to questions that are deemed relevant to all applicants. Applicants are encouraged to check regularly for updates.

No. All project activities and expenses must be completed by February 29, 2028, and all required reporting must be submitted by that date.

However, you may finish your project and submit your final report earlier if your activities and budget are completed ahead of schedule. For example, if everything is completed by summer 2027, you may submit your final report at that time rather than waiting until February 29, 2028.

Yes. Applicants may submit the BCR, TCR, or LOS submitted with their ECCC First Nations Guardians Initiatives application if the documentation demonstrates that leadership understands and supports the role and value of Guardians in decision-making, governance, and Nationhood and their role in essential stewardship activities.

LOS must be signed by an authorized leader, such as a Chief, Council member, CEO, or Director.

Regional Guardian networks and applicants not operating under a Tribal Council must provide documentation from each represented First Nation confirming authorization and support.

Your budget timelines should match the timeline of the project and its activities you are requesting funding for. The project can start when the funding offer is made and can run up to February 29, 2028.

You only need to provide one budget for the project. You do not need to split the budget based on your organization’s fiscal year or fiscal year-end.

If the project will finish before February 29, 2028, your budget and activity dates should reflect the project’s actual end date. For example, if the project ends on December 31, 2027, the budget should cover the project only through December 31, 2027.