Indigenous artwork superimposed over an aerial view photo of Nootka Island, B.C.

Artwork: nch7mut | One Heart, One Mind, One People
míkw’achi7m | Marissa Nahanee, sḵwx̱wú7mesh and nisga’a Nation
Photo Credit: Mason Mashon, Saddle Lake Cree Nation.

Indigenous Communities Fund


The TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund offers grants up to $50,000 for Indigenous-led social, health and community programs. Together, we can make the future friendly by supporting Indigenous leaders and community groups who know their communities best.

TELUS collaborated with Míkw’achi7m (Marissa Nahanee), Squamish and Nisga’a Nation, on the intent, context, and manner of the art used.
Photo: Mason Mashon, Saddle Lake Cree Nation.

Read about our commitment to artistic integrity
.

Our commitment to reconciliation

In partnership with Indigenous Peoples, TELUS is committed to progressing the path of reconciliation in a deeply meaningful way and is dedicated to fulfilling our role and responsibilities in this regard.

For more than a decade, TELUS has collaborated with Indigenous Peoples and organizations to enable connectivity and bridge digital, geographic and socio-economic divides.

Working together, we are helping create tangible outcomes that will impact generations to come.

2022 - Spring
2021

TELUS is proud to announce the first round of 2022 recipients of the Indigenous Communities Fund.

IndigeSTEAM logo


IndigeSTEAM

IndigeSTEAM
 designs programming that connects youth with Indigenous STEM role models, helps them develop a passion for STEM, and challenges the notion that science and traditional ways of knowing are incompatible. Programs like the Robot Pow Wow challenge Indigenous youth to design and build a task-solving robot. Grant funds will help expand existing programs and extend their reach through telepresence robots.

Ciclomanias.com logo


Eden Valley Stoney Nakoda Community Garden

Chief Jacob Bearspaw Memorial School
, in collaboration with 
Ciclomanias
, will use its grant to implement the Eden Valley Stoney Nakoda Community Garden in AB. Through interactive courses in agriculture, product procurement, consumption and household management, the project will provide practical skills in garden composting and traditional knowledge, encouraging participants to become earth keepers and promote a sustainable community lifestyle.

Enoch Cree Nation logo


Enoch Cree Nation’s mâmawinitowin mîyowâyâwin

Enoch Cree Nation
 in AB will apply its funding toward a new wellness gathering place called mâmawinitowin mîyowâyâwin. The centre will directly support Indigenous youth by building capacity for leadership, sport, culture, recreation and outdoor learning. Programming will include peer mentoring to develop positive relationships and increase social connections to help foster community unity and engagement.

Gitmaxmak’ay Nisga’a Prince Rupert logo


Gitmaxmak’ay Nisg̱a’a Prince Rupert/Port Edward Society

Funding will support the

Connecting Urban Nisg̱a’a Language Through Tech
project in B.C. Designed to replace obsolete technology, the initiative will incorporate updated ways to deliver advanced virtual language and culture revitalization programs to the 1600+ Nisg̱a’a citizens living in Prince Rupert and Port Edward.

Musqueam Indian Band Ground Penetrating Radar logo


xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation Ground Penetrating Radar

Musqueam First Nation
in B.C.will apply its funding towards developing Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) resources, including policies and online training tools. GPR is being used nationwide to assess lands around former residential school sites, enabling users to see below ground without excavating. Findings will be shared with community members, industry professionals, media and the public, contributing to enhanced understanding and cultural awareness.

An Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre Treaty Resource Kit


Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre

Funding for the

Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre
, owned and operated by First Nations of Treaty 6, 7, and 8, will go towards producing additional Treaty Resource Kits. Inspired from oral treaty history accounts, the Treaty Resource Kits are designed to provide an accurate education on the history of Indigenous Peoples in Alberta and introduce concepts from an Indigenous perspective for educators, students, administrators, community members, and parents.

A Kamloopa Powwow Society dancer


Kamloopa Powwow Society

Funding for the non-profit

Kamloopa Powwow Society
will help support its 2022 Powwow this July. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Powwow promotes goodwill, multiculturalism and cross-cultural understanding through song, dance and art.

A Workforce Warriors trainee


Workforce Warriors

Funding for the

Workforce Warriors
, an Indigenous-led non-profit, will help expand its STEM training program for Indigenous people in rural Ontario. Partnering with TELUS, the program participants will engage in hands-on training to build careers in telecommunications.

A performance on the Unamen Shipu Band Council’s outdoor stage


Unamen Shipu Band Council

Funding for the

Unamen Shipu Band Council
(Conseil des Montagnais de Unamen Shipu) in QC, will contribute to the expansion of their community hall. The project, called Mamuk Nakamutau, which in English means, “a shelter for the outdoor stage”, will be used for celebrations, concerts, band council meetings and community gatherings.

Funding Indigenous-led solutions

The TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund provides flexible grant funding to Indigenous-led programs supporting Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Funding is available for projects focused on, but not limited to:

  • Health, mental health and well-being

  • Access to education and resources

  • Community building and enhancement

  • Language and cultural revitalization

  • Inter-community sharing of cultural stories

Funding guidelines

We provide flexible grants to Indigenous organizations, not-for-profits and community groups. Grants are available up to $50,000 and are to support Indigenous-led initiatives that support tangible positive outcomes.

Requests eligible for funding: 

  • Your organization, community group or project supports Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) within Canada

  • You clearly address a pressing social or well-being need and create measurable community outcomes

Requests ineligible for funding: 

  • Retroactive funding

  • Religious focused projects or organizations

  • Projects that operate outside of Canada

  • Go-Fund-Me campaigns or individual fundraising initiatives



Application deadlines

Applications are reviewed two times per year. Please allow 12 weeks following the application deadline to receive a response regarding your application status. Applications are due by midnight (your local time) on the following dates:  

  • March 4, 2022 – Closed

  • October 14, 2022 - Now open

TELUS’ commitment to artistic integrity

We are committed to supporting the artistic practices of Indigenous Peoples, while being mindful of the historic role organizations have played in the misappropriation of Indigenous art and culture. We have an obligation and responsibility to ensure that TELUS’ use of Indigenous art in our digital and physical spaces is respectful of Indigenous artists. TELUS works with each artist to ensure that they retain full intellectual property and control over their work.

Contact us

If you have a question or a funding request that falls outside of the application deadlines, please contact us at 

IndigenousCommunitiesFund@telus.com