This program is currently between intakes. Two intakes per year (Spring and Fall). Fall 2026: September 10 to October 7, 2026 (or first 200 applicants). Confirm on the official site ↗
Updated July 2026 · Verified against TELUS guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly Lump Sum
Grant Private Between Intakes

TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund (ICF)

TELUS
Maximum Funding
$5,000 to $25,000
Reviewed twice yearly. Fall intake: September 10 to October 7, 2026 (or until...
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Lump Sum
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
Varies
TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund (ICF) provides up to $5,000 to $25,000. The TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund (ICF) offers $5,000 to $25,000 one-time grants to Indigenous-led organizations, including Band Councils, Indigenous Governments or representative groups, community groups and non-profits, for social, health and community programs supporting Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) across Canada. Reviewed twice yearly. Fall intake: September 10 to October 7, 2026 (or until the first 200 applicants).. (As of July 2026, verified against TELUS program guidelines)
Eligibility check

Can you win this grant?

Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.

Takes about 20 seconds. We use this program’s real eligibility rules.

Want your full match picture across 650+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

Program Description

The TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund (ICF) offers $5,000 to $25,000 one-time grants to Indigenous-led organizations, including Band Councils, Indigenous Governments or representative groups, community groups and non-profits, for social, health and community programs supporting Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) across Canada. Non-Indigenous-led organizations may apply if they have documented support from an Indigenous-led organization or community. Funding areas include health and mental wellness, access to education, preservation of land and water, community building, and intergenerational language and cultural revitalization. Applications are reviewed twice yearly (Spring and Fall).

Eligibility Requirements

  • Indigenous-led organizations: Band Councils, Indigenous Governments or representative groups, community groups, and non-profits
  • Non-Indigenous-led organizations may apply with documented support from an Indigenous-led organization or community
  • Program must support Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) within Canada
  • Must address a pressing social or well-being need with measurable community outcomes
  • Must not have received TELUS or Indigenous Communities Fund funding in the last two years
  • Eligible organizations may apply once per calendar year
Provinces
All Provinces
Industries
All
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
$5,000 to $25,000
Type
Grant
Level
Private
Deadline
Reviewed twice yearly. Fall intake: September 10 to October 7, 2026 (or until the first 200 applicants).

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Hybrid
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Oct 7, 2026
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
Premium See your real odds on this program — and exactly what it takes to win it.
Know if this grant is yours to win — before you start
Approval likelihood, realistic amounts, competition level, and what winners look like
A consultant charges $2,000–$5,000 for one application. Premium is $39/mo — every program.
Get Premium — $39/mo Every program · Application workspace · 30-day money-back
or just this Playbook — $19 one-time
What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win ICF

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

$19 covers this one program. $39/mo covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
Get Premium — $39/mo or just this Playbook — $19 one-time

Applying for ICF? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →

How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

Premium
Insider Tip

Apply early: the portal closes once 200 applicants are received, often before the published deadline. TELUS gives preference to programs that use technology to advance reconciliation, and weights measurable community outcomes (wellness and healing, cultural revitalization, overcoming geographic and economic barriers). Out-of-cycle requests can be emailed to [email protected].

Premium See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.

Success Profile

A registered Indigenous friendship centre or urban Indigenous service organization in a mid-sized Canadian city that delivers a digitally enabled youth education program. The organization has an established track record serving Indigenous youth, a clear technology component (e.g., online tutoring, digital literacy training), and audited financials demonstrating stewardship.

Premium See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are evaluated on strategic alignment with the foundation's three pillars (health, education, and innovative technology use), demonstrated community impact, and organizational governance. Technology integration is an explicit differentiator. Applicants must show measurable outcomes for Indigenous beneficiaries and evidence of financial health. Indigenous community organizations with lived-experience leadership are viewed favourably.

Premium See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t lose this one to a preventable rejection
Common rejection pitfalls, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
Paid grant writers quote $2,000–$5,000 per program. Premium covers all 650+ for $39/mo.
Get Premium — $39/mo Every program · Application workspace · 30-day money-back
or just this Playbook — $19 one-time

Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 5 steps 3 docs

Application Steps

1 Confirm eligibility Verify you are an Indigenous-led organization (Band Council, Indigenous Government or representative group, community group, or non-profit), or a non-Indigenous-led organization with documented support from an Indigenous-led organization. Your program must support Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and you must not have received TELUS/ICF funding in the last two years. For-profit initiatives and sole proprietorships are not eligible.
2 Prepare your application Assemble a clear program description, budget, and the measurable community outcomes you will achieve (e.g. wellness and healing, cultural revitalization, overcoming geographic or economic barriers). Align your project with ICF priorities: health and mental wellness, education, preservation of land and water, community building, or intergenerational language and cultural revitalization.
3 Apply online during the open intake window Submit through the TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund portal during an open window. Fall 2026: September 10 to October 7, 2026. The portal closes at the deadline or once the first 200 applicants are received, whichever comes first, so apply early.
4 Application review TELUS reviews applications for eligibility and community impact. Allow approximately 12 weeks following the application deadline to receive a response on your status.
5 Award and disbursement Successful applicants receive a one-time grant of $5,000 to $25,000 to support their Indigenous-led initiative. Applying does not guarantee funding.

Required Documents 3

✓ Program description including the Indigenous community/population served and intended outcomes
✓ Project budget with a line-item breakdown
✓ Documentation of Indigenous leadership (Band Council, Indigenous Government, community group or non-profit) OR, for non-Indigenous-led organizations, documented support from an Indigenous-led organization or community

Eligible Expenses 6

  • Program staff wages for Indigenous-serving program delivery
  • Technology infrastructure for program digitization
  • Online curriculum development costs
  • Sensory-friendly environment modifications
  • Training and capacity building materials
  • Contractor fees for program facilitators

Ineligible Expenses 5

  • Retroactive funding (costs already incurred)
  • Sponsorship requests
  • Lobbying
  • Projects operating outside Canada
  • GoFundMe or individual fundraising campaigns

Intake Periods

Two intakes per year (Spring and Fall). Fall 2026: September 10 to October 7, 2026 (or first 200 applicants). Spring 2026 intake closed.

Deadline Notes

Applications reviewed two times per year (Spring and Fall). The portal closes at the published deadline OR once the first 200 applicants are received, whichever comes first, so apply early. Spring 2026 intake is closed. Fall 2026: September 10 to October 7, 2026. Allow approximately 12 weeks after the deadline for a decision. Eligible organizations may apply once per calendar year.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

  • For-profit businesses and initiatives
  • Sole proprietorships / individually-owned applicants
  • Religious-focused organizations or projects
  • Organizations that received TELUS/ICF funding in the last two years
Premium Get the step-by-step application guide — documents, timeline, and what to prepare.

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium 2 partners

Compatible Programs

Indigenous Services Canada Community Programs Provincial Indigenous community grants (e.g., Ontario First Nations programs)
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

No formal clawback mechanism identified. Standard expectation that funds are used for the stated program purpose; misuse could result in ineligibility for future grants.

Premium See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
Stack this with 2 compatible programs to multiply your funding
Stacking amounts, clawback details, government stacking limits, and tax implications
One avoided clawback typically pays for years of Premium.
Get Premium — $39/mo Every program · Application workspace · 30-day money-back
or just this Playbook — $19 one-time

How ICF Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund (ICF) $5,000 to $25,000 Easy Lump Sum Reviewed twice yearly....
Industrial Research Assistance Progra... Up to $1M Moderate Reimbursement Ongoing
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Applications accepted...
Youth Employment and Skills Program Up to $25K Hard Advance Payment Between intakes —...
Innovative Solutions Canada up to $150,000 Hard Milestone-Based Challenge-specific — new...

Related Programs

Other programs you might be eligible for

Free
Grant

Yukon Staffing UP — Wage & Training Subsidy

Up to 60% of base wage (max 1 year) + training subsidies · Territorial
 Loan

Yukon Venture Loan Guarantee Program

Government guarantees 65% of loan principal, guarantee... · Territorial
 Grant

Aboriginal Business Investment Fund (ABIF)

$150,000 to $750,000 · Provincial

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about ICF

Free
Can for-profit businesses or sole proprietors apply?
No. For-profit initiatives and sole proprietorship / individually-owned applicants are ineligible. The ICF funds Indigenous-led organizations (Band Councils, Indigenous Governments, community groups and non-profits), and non-Indigenous-led organizations that have documented support from an Indigenous-led organization or community.
How much funding is available?
The ICF provides one-time grants of $5,000 to $25,000 to support Indigenous-led initiatives with tangible positive outcomes.
When is the next application deadline?
Applications are reviewed twice a year. The Spring 2026 intake is closed. The Fall 2026 window runs September 10 to October 7, 2026, or until the first 200 applicants are received, whichever comes first. Allow about 12 weeks after the deadline for a response.
Who is eligible to apply?
Indigenous-led organizations supporting Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) in Canada, and non-Indigenous-led organizations with documented support from an Indigenous-led organization. Organizations may apply once per calendar year and must not have received TELUS/ICF funding in the last two years.
What types of projects does the fund support?
Indigenous-led social, health and community programs, including health and mental wellness, access to education and resources, preservation of land and water, community building, and intergenerational language and cultural revitalization. Preference may be given to programs that use technology to advance reconciliation.

Browse More Funding

Federal Grants Explore All Programs Take the Quiz