Cultural Practices Grant

The Cultural Practices Grant (CPG) supports B.C. First Nations in planning, carrying out and documenting community-based cultural practices and events that affirm identities, foster a sense of belonging, and celebrate the roles, relationships and responsibilities within a community.  

This grant was made possible because of the advocacy and leadership of an Indigenous matriarch, knowledge keeper and leader in B.C. who provided recommendations for funding to support this important work in B.C. First Nation communities.   

Activities and practices supported through this grant may include: 

• Celebrations honouring children and youth 
• Celebrations honouring people who hold important roles within their communities 
• Events that bring community members together to affirm and strengthen relationships, cultural identities and responsibilities 
• Seasonal and celestial activities and events 
• Knowledge gathering and transfer, including documenting cultural practices and events 
• Reawakening of cultural places and the traditions associated with them, and other culturally important practices that are held by communities. 

These may be cultural practices continuously carried out over generations, as well as “sleeping” practices that a community wants to reawaken. The reawakening of these traditions is one way that B.C. First Nations are taking action against the gender-based violence that disproportionately affects Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people. 

Note: Projects funded through the CPG must include a training and/or mentorship component. This supports the grant objectives of revitalizing and strengthening cultural practices and facilitating intergenerational knowledge transfer. 

Eligibility

The FPCC Heritage Program supports projects by B.C. First Nations and B.C. First Nations-led organizations as per our legislated mandate. FPCC requires at least 75% of an organization’s board members/directors to include individuals from B.C. First Nations as they are the rightful stewards of their cultural heritage and are best equipped to lead the important work of protecting, sharing and revitalizing B.C. First Nations Heritage on these lands.

Additional heritage funding may be accessed through Heritage BC, Department of Canadian Heritage, Vancouver Foundation, Telus Foundation and the Mastercard Foundation. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please contact the program contact listed at the bottom of this page.

If you have questions about registering your organization as a society please see this resource with information on how to form a society in B.C. (Please note: This document is for reference only, FPCC is unable to provide advice on setting up a society.)

FPCC’s Cultural Practices Grant has been made possible with funding from the Government of British Columbia’s Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation through the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation. 

Program Contact

Gretchen Fox

Gretchen is an anthropologist with FPCC’s Heritage Program. Her work focuses on supporting First Nations in planning and carrying out activities that revitalize and celebrate cultural places, practices and knowledge.

Email Gretchen