Artwork:
nch7mut | One Heart, One Mind, One People
míkw’achi7m | Marissa Nahanee, sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Nisg̱a'a Nation
Photo Credit: Muncho Lake, British Columbia, Ryan Dickie, Fort Nelson First Nation
míkw’achi7m | Marissa Nahanee, sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Nisg̱a'a Nation
Photo Credit: Muncho Lake, British Columbia, Ryan Dickie, Fort Nelson First Nation
Indigenous Communities Fund
The TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund (ICF) offers $5,000 - $25,000 grants 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.
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.
Funding Indigenous-led solutions
The TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund provides flexible grant funding to Indigenous-led programs supporting Indigenous Peoples in Canada across all provinces and territories.
Funding is available for projects focused on, but not limited to:
- Health, mental health and well-being
- Access to education and resources
- Preservation of the land and water
- Community building and enhancement
- Intergenerational language and cultural revitalization
Preference may be given to programs where technology is being used to advance reconciliation.
Application deadlines
Applications are reviewed two times per year. The application portal will remain open until either the first 200 applicants are received or the deadline is reached, whichever comes first. We encourage all applicants to apply early.
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:
- Spring: February 4 to March 4, 2025, or until the first 200 applicants are received.
- Fall: September 11 to October 9, 2025, or until the first 200 applicants are received.
Please note: Applying for the fund does not guarantee that an applicant will receive funding.
If you are an Indigenous-led registered charity or qualified donee supporting youth through health or education programs, apply for a
TELUS Friendly Future Foundation Community Board grant
.Funding guidelines
The ICF provides one-time grants to Indigenous-led organizations such as Band Councils, Indigenous Governments or representative groups, community groups and non-profits.
Non-Indigenous-led organizations can apply if they demonstrate a clear and tangible relationship with an Indigenous organization and have documented support from an Indigenous-led organization or community.
Eligible organizations can apply once per calendar year. $5,000 - $25,000 grants are available 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
- Your organization has not received funding from TELUS or the Indigenous Communities Fund in the last two years
- You clearly address a pressing social or well-being need and create measurable community outcomes such as, but not limited to:
- Accomplishing individual and community wellness and healing
- Reviving cultural strength, knowledge and skills
- Helping overcome geographical and economical barriers
- Increasing social connections to help foster community engagement.
Requests ineligible for funding:
- For-profit initiatives
- Retroactive funding
- Religious-focused projects or organizations
- Sponsorship requests
- Sole proprietorship/Individually-owned applicants
- Lobbying
- Projects that operate outside of Canada
- Go-Fund-Me campaigns or individual fundraising initiatives
Indigenous Communities Fund recipients
TELUS is proud to announce the first of 2025 recipients of the Indigenous Communities Fund.
Brandon Bear Clan is a Manitoba-based non-profit organization providing food, resources, and support to individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization serves as a community-based alternative to police intervention, offering essential services while promoting dignity and respect. This project will fund training for Bear Clan members to enhance crime prevention and community support services in Brandon.
Oshki-Giizhig, an Indigenous-led organization in Winnipeg, will provide traditional land-based experiences for 130 Indigenous adults with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges. By reconnecting participants with cultural practices, the project aims to foster self-determination, sustainability, and preserve Indigenous knowledge and identity.
The Southern Chiefs' Organization Reconciliation Foundation's Residential School Project aims to assist 960 First Nations Residential School Survivors in southern Manitoba Anishinaabe and Dakota Nations to access their personal records from complex colonial archival systems. Trained archivists will provide culturally appropriate support to help Survivors navigate and retrieve records strengthening reconciliation efforts by empowering Survivors to control how their information is shared.
The Gwichya Gwich'in in Tsiigehtchic will establish a year-round healing camp to address mental health needs of Indigenous men and youth through culturally appropriate practices. Through this initiative, the camp will help address generational trauma and improve mental health outcomes for boys, men, and Elders in the community who have been underserved by traditional western mental health services.
The Tłı̨chǫ Government will undertake a grave site restoration project in Xâelı̨ı̨, Gamètı̀ old village, and Old Fort Rae to locate and preserve unmarked graves that predate Canada's confederation. Using underground sensing equipment, the project will identify burial sites, restore grave infrastructure, install markers, and establish long-term maintenance protocols. This initiative will preserve crucial historical knowledge about community ancestors and ensure these sacred sites receive the respect and care they deserve for future generations.
Muskeg Lake Cree Nation is implementing a comprehensive dog management program. The project will provide infrastructure and personnel while supporting dog caregivers, particularly elders who rely on companion animals for emotional support. This initiative will create a safer environment for outdoor activities and strengthen community connections while ensuring dogs are valued and properly cared for within the community.
Sha Shäw is launching a traditional sewing skills initiative within the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Traditional Territory to provide hands-on workshops and mentorship for 500 community members. The project will foster economic reconciliation by revitalizing Indigenous sewing traditions and reconnecting cultural trade knowledge through intergenerational learning.
Past recipients
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
[email protected]