Youth and Community Wellness Grants, Supported by Manulife

Youth and Community Wellness Grants, Supported by Manulife is sponsored by Indigenous Youth Roots. This funding stream provides small grants to Indigenous youth-led initiatives. The focus is on projects that engage youth in programming centered on wellness, health, and the land.

Youth and Community Wellness Grants, Supported by Manulife - Indigenous Youth Roots Youth and Community Wellness Grants, Supported by Manulife This stream will next open for applications in Spring 2026. Please check back here for more information, and review previous funding guides (at the bottom of the page!)

The Youth and Community Wellness Grants, supported by Manulife funding Stream will provide small grants of $4500 to Indigenous youth-led initiatives. The focus of this stream is to fund projects that center around engaging youth in programming that focuses on wellness, health and the land. Projects must be led by two or more Indigenous youth aged 15-29.

Youth leaders (grantees) will receive innovative mentorship, training, and capacity-building opportunities throughout the project.

Project must take place on one of the following communities: Vancouver, British Columbia Kitchener and/or Waterloo Region, Ontario There is a priority in this stream to support: Projects that are focused on land, health and wellness New and emerging Indigenous youth-led grassroots groups and collectives New groups who have never run a project before Groups who have never received funding from Creation before This stream was made possible through the support of: Download Youth & Community Wellness Funding Guide Télécharger Youth & Community Wellness Funding Guide FR We’re looking to fund projects that focus on one or more of the following areas: Community Gardens and Food Knowledge Programming Projects that focus on increasing Indigenous youth’s access to foods, knowledge about traditional and healthy foods and building skills around planting, growing and harvesting.

Projects in this focus area can include: community gardens, initiatives to start family gardens, workshops about cooking, harvesting and preserving etc. Climate Action and Land Advocacy Projects will engage youth in initiatives related to climate action and justice, as well as to increase their knowledge of environmental protection, advocacy, and our responsibilities as Indigenous people to the land.

Projects in this focus area could include climate action workshops, teaching circles, sessions on how to support environmental initiatives, water walks, advocacy initiatives, and other activities. Projects will engage youth in participating in programming on the land. These can include overnight camps or workshop series.

Projects will work to increase youth’s connection to the land and knowledge of food and land teachings. Projects in this focus area can include: medicine walks, ceremony, foraging activities, water-based projects (such as water walks), recreational land-based recreation activities (e.g., canoeing), language camps, traditional hunting and fishing and other activities.

Funding in this stream will only fund grassroots Indigenous youth groups consisting of a minimum of 2 youth. Please note: for the purpose of this program, IYR defines Indigenous as status and non-status First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, living both on and off reserve.

Examples of Funded Projects Finding Our Power Together, Mushkiki Aki (Ontario) F inding Our Power Together (FOPT) will host a traditional sweat lodge and individual healing sessions for Indigenous youth. These sessions will offer a holistic, culturally-sensitive approach to mental health and well-being that is rooted in traditional Indigenous practices, teachings, and knowledge. This project will reach 12 youth and 6 community members.

Wabanaki Two Spirit Alliance, Two Spirit Youth Summer Camp (Nova Scotia) Wabanaki Two Spirit Youth Council will host a 3 day summer camp for Two-Spirit youth from Wabanaki communities. Participants will engage in cultural events and ceremonies. This project will provide a safer space for 2S youth to access community and connect with Elders/Knowledge Keepers on the land, in a space that promotes and teaches cultural aspects and skills.

This project will reach 1 5 youth and 10 community members. Kahnawake Collective Impact, Kahnawake Youth Agriculture Club (Quebec) Kahnawake Collective Impact addresses the need for youth-led initiatives that promote sustainable practices and community engagement in Kahnawake.

With a focus on gardening, our project provides a platform for young individuals to develop valuable skills, connect with nature, and contribute to the well-being of the community. Their focus will be Garden Planning and Design Workshops, Planting Sessions, Maintenance and Care Workshops, Harvesting, Food preservation workshops and Community Engagement. This project will reach 12 youth and 70 community members.

See the general FAQ here. What if my project isn’t taking place in Halifax, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or Kitchener/Waterloo? Unfortunately this stream can only fund projects happening in and around those communities!

If you have a project happening elsewhere, consider applying for a Youth Empowerment Stream grant! Why is this stream funded by Manulife? We’ve been working with Manulife as a funding partner over the past several years.

Both Manulife and IYR really believe in empowering Indigenous youth as leaders, mobilizers and change-makers in their communities! Previously, we offered Manulife funding to projects in the Y outh Empowerment Stream if they were running in one of Manulife’s 5 priority communities (Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal and Kitchener/Waterloo).

With our new two year funding agreement, we’re able to fund a lot more pr ojects and it made sense to separate the funding into its own stream.

Past Youth and Community Wellness Funding Guides March View English Guide | View French Guide April View English Guide | View French Guide Grant Contact Name and Pronouns Arizona Commanda-Boissoneau Reach Out for More Information IYR is a registered charity that provides Indigenous youth led leadership, learning and experiences to every youth that participates in our programs.

We provide programming, grants, and opportunities that are grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Website by Design de Plume Inc.