Community Justice Grants Call

– NOTICE –
GRANT CALL CLOSED ON MARCH 8, 2024

Table of Contents

PURPOSE

The Law Foundation of British Columbia recognizes the profound impact of the legal system’s role in causing harm to Indigenous communities, families, languages and legal orders. As a legal institution, the Foundation shares collective culpability for the impact and legacy of that harm. Truth- telling and accountability are essential in the pursuit of building just relationships on these lands. Given this reality, the Foundation is committed to supporting Indigenous-Led solutions, the revitalization of Indigenous Justice systems and justice system transformation.

Through consultation with the Foundation’s Indigenous Advisory Circle and with Indigenous peer organizations and communities, the Foundation has identified Indigenous-Led Community Justice programming as a funding priority. Long-term, well supported community-based justice alternatives are critical to building thriving communities and remedying harms caused as a result of systemic discrimination, colonialism and conflict with the Canadian legal system.

FUNDING AVAILABLE

The Law Foundation of British Columbia has made $5 million available through the Community Justice Grants Call. The Community Justice Grants Call provides financial support for Indigenous-Led organizations and Nations to build transformative systems of community justice that are healing  based, trauma- informed and culturally grounded.

While every program is unique, community justice programs are community-led alternatives to the processes of the Canadian justice system. Community justice programs often address harms caused as a result of criminalization and harmful activity while working toward improving community- level outcomes by addressing the needs of all of those impacted by criminal and/or potentially criminal matters. These programs address problematic behaviour while validating community and survivor needs, with an aim to restore wellness and healing for all involved – including those who have caused harm. In the context of Indigenous communities, community justice programming may also play a role in advancing the development of traditional Indigenous legal processes, systems and institutions.

The Foundation has developed this Fund to support community justice initiatives that are Indigenous-Led and are part of a community’s strategy to transform systems of law and justice in ways that are informed by Indigenous protocols, practices, values and ceremonies. Funding is available to improve Indigenous peoples’ experiences of the Canadian criminal justice and child apprehension systems in ways that heal and uplift. The funding is available to Indigenous-Led organizations for all types of community justice programs. While the priorities within this opportunity name specific justice-focused activities, the Community Justice Grants Call welcomes applications to support unique and holistic approaches that foster healing and justice, recognizing rights to Indigenous self-determination. The Fund is also available to support programs focused on benefitting Indigenous communities that support traditional ways of dealing with systemic criminal justice and child apprehension issues.

This opportunity is available to Indigenous-Led applicants, with Indigenous Partnerships also being considered.

WHO CAN APPLY

We welcome applications from:

  • Indigenous communities and/or Nations, tribal councils, treaty organizations, Indigenous leadership organizations;
  • Existing non profit organizations;
  • Collaborative entities or groups, and
  • People who are seeking to establish new organizations, collaboratives or groups.

Applicants are only eligible if they operate (or intend to operate) in BC and/or for the benefit of people living in BC.

Grantseekers do not need to be registered charities or nonprofit societies. Grantseekers do not need to identify as specifically law-focused groups or organizations as long as the proposed work relates to Canadian law or Indigenous law, or the impact of laws and policies on the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples.

Only Indigenous-Led organizations/entities or Indigenous Partnerships are eligible to apply for this opportunity. Indigenous-Led applications will be prioritized.

The Foundation is benefitting from the Circle on Philanthropy’s work to define the terms “Indigenous-Led” and “Indigenous Partnerships”, which is laid out in the following resource, linked HERE. More information on the Foundation’s understanding of these terms is included in our FAQ.

Share with your network

Please share this funding call with your network! You can share the link to this page: www.lawfoundationbc.org/IJGC or we also have prepared graphics for various social media platforms available for download HERE.

GRANTING PRIORITIES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Funding Priorities

The  Community Justice Grants Call is available for support of transformative, Indigenous-Led community justice initiatives.

Funding is available to support new programs or the strategic expansion of existing programs whose focus may include:

  • Improving Experience: Programs focused on improving the experience of Indigenous people in conflict with the criminal and child apprehension systems falling at any point in the justice continuum, including prevention, pre-charge, post-charge and reintegration, including supportive programming tailored to the needs of victims of crime
  • Reviving Indigenous Systems: Programs that focus on reclaiming, developing, and improving Indigenous, community-based justice systems and interventions that align with traditional practices of conflict resolution, peacemaking, healing and/or restorative justice
  • Reducing Harm: Programs focused on stigma and lateral violence reduction on a community or systemic level, including those focused on revitalizing traditional Indigenous family and community values, relationships, and sense of community

For more information on potential activities, please see our FAQ.

Guiding Principles:

These guiding principles are the values that build and inform the work of the Community Justice Grants Call, and are the basis on which applications will be evaluated by the Foundation. Strong applications will communicate an alignment with these principles and values:

Transformation

    • The proposed project is transformative in its intent – that it aims to improve systems and restore power in ways that are prioritized by the specific Indigenous community/communities.

Indigenous Values

    • The proposed work upholds the right to self- determination and an alignment with traditional protocols, practices, values and/or ceremonies as prioritized by the Indigenous communities and Nations the work is intended to serve.

Community Accountability

    • The application communicates an understanding and relationship with rights- holding Nations on whose territories the work will be carried out, particularly where the community’s governing body or Nation is not the project applicant.
    • Community-based applications will be prioritized. Those seeking to support named Indigenous communities need to have support and continuous engagement or consultation with that specific community. The proposal communicates a plan for continuous engagement, and where appropriate, consent.
    • Where applicants are intending to serve a specific community and the Foundation has further questions, Foundation staff will communicate this and a support letter may be required.

All applications must be related to Canadian law or Indigenous laws, or the impact of laws and policies on the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples. All applications must be based in the lands known as British Columbia and/or for the benefit of people living in British Columbia.

FUNDING AVAILABLE

Applicants can apply for up to $250,000 per year for four years, with a total grant amount per application maximum of $1,000,000.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Stage 1: Grant-seekers will complete an application using the Law Foundation’s SmartSimple online grant submission and management system. The application form can be accessed HERE.
  • Stage 2: If you have been invited to Stage 2, please refer to the Stage 2 guide sent to you by email for more information on this part of the process.

KEY DATES

December 15th, 2023Funding Notice Posted
February 8th, 2024Informational webinar and opportunity to respond to any questions at 12:00pm and 6:00pm.
March 8th, 2024Applications due at 11:59pm.

By July 12th, 2024

Invitations to proceed with Stage 2 will be communicated to applicants.
July – August 2024Stage 2 of the application process will take place. Please see the FAQ for more information.
December, 2024Final decisions will be communicated to applicants.