
United Way Grants
United Way British Columbia provides funding to non-profit organizations in the following areas: children and youth, food security, healthy aging, urgent response and more.


At United Way British Columbia, we strengthen vital connections that support people in need in local communities across our province. One way we do this is through our various grant streams. These United Way grants help build a strong social support network by providing programs and services for communities in need. Our intention is to be responsive during challenging and urgent times to ensure our friends and neighbours are cared for and connected. Our grant streams are available throughout the year. Updated information can be found on this page.
Working together, we can build inclusive, resilient communities.
Province Wide
The Community Services Recovery Fund is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profits as they build resilience by making investments in their people, organizations, and program innovation.
United Way British Columbia is proud to be taking part in the Community Services Recovery Fund, a collaboration between United Way Centraide Canada, Canadian Red Cross, and Community Foundations of Canada to provide funding to Community Service Organizations, including non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies, and Registered Charities located across Canada.
The Community Services Recovery Fund responds to what charities and non-profits need right now and supports organizations as they adapt to the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apply now.
Community Service Organizations can apply from January 6, 2023, until February 21.
Visit www.communityservicesrecoveryfund.ca to find out more about how to apply, explore resources for applicants, and sign up for upcoming webinars.
Watch this informative webinar or review this document to learn more about grant focus areas and how to apply.

Le Fonds de relance des services communautaires est un investissement de 400 millions de dollars du gouvernement du Canada pour aider les organismes de bienfaisance et les organismes à but non lucratif à bâtir leur résilience en
investissant dans leurs gens, leurs organisations et l’innovation de leu programmes.
United Way Colombie-Britannique est fier de participer au Fonds de relance des services communautaires, une collaboration entre Centraide United Way Canada, la Croix-Rouge canadienne et les Fondations communautaires du Canada pour fournir du financement aux organismes communautaires, incluant les organismes à but non lucratif, les corps dirigeants autochtones et les organismes de bienfaisance enregistrés situés partout au Canada.
Le Fonds de relance des services communautaires est une réponse aux besoins actuels des organismes de bienfaisance et organismes à but non lucratif. Il les aidera à s’adapter aux effets à long terme de la pandémie de COVID-19.
Soumettez votre demande des maintenant.
Les organismes de services communautaires peuvent soumettre leur demande entre le 6 janvier et le 21 février 2023.
Visitez www.fondsderelancedesservicescommunautaires.ca pour savoir comment présenter une demande, découvrir des ressources pour les demandeurs et s’inscrire à des webinaires.

The Recovery and Resiliency Fund is a new fund made possible through a partnership between Government of BC, Vancouver Foundation, and United Way British Columbia to distribute $30 million to charities and non-profit organizations across the province. The fund will be disbursed over three years.
This Fund provides multi-year, unrestricted grants to eligible organizations that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. A portion of the Fund – the Indigenous Resilience and Recovery Grant (IRR Grant) – will go to New Relationship Trust to provide funding directly to organizations that are led by or serve Indigenous Peoples in their post-pandemic recovery.
United Way British Columbia has released an open call for proposals for a one-time grant of up to $25,000 to Community-Based Seniors’ Services organizations and communities across BC for the 2022-23 year. This grant is intended to support organizations, local governments, and First Nations communities in their efforts to plan for – and respond to – extreme weather emergencies through practical, innovative, and/or low-barrier solutions that support the health and safety of isolated and vulnerable seniors, including partnership development, mobilizing and coordinating efforts, and increasing volunteer capacity.
Emergency Preparedness and Response grants are awarded on a one-year term to be expended by August 31, 2023.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning July 4, 2022, and will be awarded based on available funds and to accommodate seasonal needs.
If you require technical support, please contact Calum Petersen, at calump@uwbc.ca.
United Way of British Columbia (UWBC) is inviting Indigenous Nations and eligible Indigenous-led organizations in the province to apply for funding through its Indigenous Healing Grants and Indigenous Capacity Grants program.
Program focus areas
- Healing: The Indigenous Healing Grants aim to support organizations in their efforts to further reconciliation in their communities through the promotion of local healing initiatives.
- Capacity: The Indigenous Capacity Grants aim to help organizations enhance their operations and increase their impact by supporting them in building their capacity.
United Way British Columbia encourages applicants to approach their applications according to their own understanding of Healing and Capacity. We are open to supporting community-defined defined projects that address a wide range of innovative and creative approaches to these issues.
Applications for this grant are available through our online portal; eligible organizations include First Nations communities, and Indigenous-led organizations (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit).
The regions this grant is available for include:
- Central & Northern Vancouver Island
- Lower Mainland
- Fraser Valley
- Thompson Nicola Cariboo
- Southern Interior
- Sunshine Coast
**Please note these grant funds are unavailable to organizations that fall within:
- Northern BC
- Southern Vancouver Island (Victoria & Surrounding Area)
Both streams will apply through our online granting portal.
Indigenous Nations and eligible Indigenous-led organizations can apply January 23 – February 20, 2023.
Want to learn more?
Click here to view our information session and here to view our presentation to learn more about grant focus areas and how to apply.
Questions
For more information on this grant, please contact Veronika Murray, Indigenous Relations Lead with United Way British Columbia at VeronikaM@uwbc.ca or 877-557-1953 ext. 250.
Lower Mainland
Through our work in the child and youth space, United Way British Columbia (UWBC) has learned that our fastest growing middle years populations – Indigenous, Black, newcomer, and refugee children – face disproportionate barriers to accessing quality programming. They have far fewer opportunities to access the kind of support that would allow them to be all that they can be. This is why United Way British Columbia is pleased to open the 2023 call for applications for the School’s Out Summer (SOS) Grant summer camp programs in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley regions. This funding will prioritize children from priority populations aged 6-12 and will support access to programming during a time of the year when services are reduced or unaffordable.
Funding Criteria:
- Eligible organizations include registered charitable agencies, First Nations communities, and Indigenous organizations (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) whose summer camp programs are based in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley
- Applying agencies are encouraged to work in partnership with a non-profit/community organization that is BIPOC or Indigenous-led.
- Program serves children aged 6-12 from priority populations
- This may include Indigenous, newcomers, racialized, low-income, or neuro-diverse populations
- Programming is free or highly subsidized for children to attend
- Preference for full-day camps
- Programs are strongly embedded in and with community and demonstrate collaboration
- Programs are in an accessible community location or transportation is organized
- Agencies must commit to two monthly reports and one final report in addition to administering participant evaluations to children
- Programs identify alignment to five Outcome Domains:
- Social and Emotional Development
- Connectedness
- Interests and competencies
- Physical Health and Well-Being
- Service to community
- Programs demonstrate:
- Learning loss recovery and increasing protective factors,
- Family engagement
- Support for grade-to-grade transition and the return to the classroom in September.
This grant will have two streams for:
- Indigenous-led agencies (Land-based nations, bands, and governing bodies, and Indigenous organizations (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit)
- Non-Indigenous-led agencies (Community Organizations with a registered charitable number or a registered non-profit/ incorporated society in BC
Preference will be given to Community Organizations who:
- Demonstrate United Way British Columbia’s goal of addressing the inequity experienced by Indigenous, Black, newcomer, and refugee organizations and communities by investing in their leadership capacity and supporting their work on issues that affect them.
- Are led by an individual who is a member of the BIPOC community they support (e.g., Executive Director)
- Are managed by a board, council or executive committee predominantly consisting of individuals who reflect the community they support
United Way British Columbia is seeking to create systems change and create more meaningful spaces in child engagement spaces. Because of this, our grant programs will look a bit different in 2023 than in previous years and we encourage applicants and their partners to be mindful of the limited capacity available for funding.
Both streams will apply through our online granting portal.
Community Organizations can apply from January 27 until February 16.
Grant amount available: $25,000 – $50,000 (one application per agency)
Funding Period: June 1 – August 31
Want to learn more?
Watch this informative webinar to learn more about grant focus areas and how to apply.
Questions?
For program details, contact: Trisha Dulku, trishad@uwbc.ca.
For application portal support, contact: Maya Graves-Bacchus, mayag@uwbc.ca.
For over a decade, United Way British Columbia (UWBC) has been funding high quality after-school programs that enable children to be happy, healthy and resilient. United Way’s School’s Out programs ensure that children (aged 6-12) are safe and protected in the critical hours of 3pm-6pm after school, while participating in activities that support them to reach their full potential.
Through our work in the child and youth space, United Way British Columbia has learned that our fastest growing middle years populations – Indigenous, Black, newcomer, and refugee children – face disproportionate barriers to accessing quality programming. They have far fewer opportunities to access the kind of support that would allow them to be all that they can be. This is why United Way British Columbia is pleased to open the 2023-23 call for applications to our School’s Out Grant.
Funding Criteria:
- Eligible organizations include registered charitable agencies, First Nations communities, and Indigenous organizations (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) whose programs are based in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley
- Applying agencies are encouraged to work in partnership with a non-profit/community organization that is BIPOC or Indigenous-led.
- Program serves children aged 6-12 from priority populations
- This may include Indigenous, newcomers, racialized, low-income, or neuro-diverse populations
- Programming is free or highly subsidized for children to attend
- Programs must occur at least twice a week
- Programs require registration
- Programs are strongly embedded in and with community and demonstrate collaboration
- Programs are in an accessible community location or transportation is organized
- Agencies must commit to submitting quarterly reports in addition to administering participant evaluations to children
- Programs identify alignment to five Outcome Domains:
- Social and Emotional Development
- Connectedness
- Interests and competencies
- Physical Health and Well-Being
- Service to community
This grant will have two streams for:
- Indigenous-led agencies (Land-based nations, bands, and governing bodies, and Indigenous organizations (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit)
- Non-Indigenous-led agencies (Community Organizations with a registered charitable number or a registered non-profit/ incorporated society in BC
Preference will be given to Community Organizations who:
- Demonstrate United Way British Columbia’s goal of addressing the inequity experienced by Indigenous, Black, newcomer, and refugee organizations and communities by investing in their leadership capacity and supporting their work on issues that affect them.
- Are led by an individual who is a member of the BIPOC community they support (e.g., Executive Director)
- Are managed by a board, council or executive committee predominantly consisting of individuals who reflect the community they support
United Way British Columbia is seeking to create systems change and create more meaningful spaces in child engagement spaces. Because of this, our grant programs will look a bit different in 2023 than in previous years and we encourage applicants and their partners to be mindful of the limited capacity available for funding.
Both streams will apply through our online granting portal.
Community Organizations can apply from February 21 until April 3.
Grant amount available: $30,000 – $70,000
Funding Period: September 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
Want to learn more?
Attend our information session on Monday, February 13 from 10-11:30AM via Zoom. Register now.
Questions?
For program details, contact: Trisha Dulku, trishad@uwbc.ca.
For application portal support, contact: Maya Graves-Bacchus, mayag@uwbc.ca.