all Language grants
The Language Vitality Program provides funding and support for community-led projects that revitalize First Nations languages in B.C. and support the creation of fluent speakers.
Note: While we are not currently accepting applications, program support is available throughout the year. If you would like to speak to someone about eligibility, project planning, or have any questions related to the program, please contact the program staff listed at the bottom of this page.
The Language Vitality Program recognizes the diversity of First Nations languages and acknowledges that every First Nations community will design and implement individual programs according to their unique needs and goals.
Funding is offered for project-based and plan implementation applications through four different funding categories. Project-based funding is available through the Rise, Roots and Grow funding categories for applicants who are in varying stages of language revitalization work. The project-based funding available ranges from $75,000 – $300,000. Plan implementation funding is available through the Flourish funding category. Flourish funding is available to those applicants who are implementing their approved long- term strategic language plan up to $600,000 per year.
Eligible Language Revitalization Strategies
In this section, you will find brief descriptions of the language revitalization strategies that are eligible for funding. Select the strategy below for more information.
Language Revitalization Plan Development
Language Revitalization Plan Development supports First Nations communities in B.C. to develop comprehensive, long-term plans for revitalizing and strengthening their languages. These plans are a way to capture the community’s vision for their language and map out the work for language revitalization into the future. The planning process also helps to build community awareness around language.
Developing a strategic language plan is an important step in accessing plan-based funding. Language teams wishing to apply for plan-based Flourish funding must have a completed strategic language plan. Those wishing to apply for Grow funding must either have started a strategic language plan or apply for funding to do so.
Language Immersion
This strategy includes several kinds of programs which were previously funded in the Pathways to Language Vitality Program. Language immersion programs include:
- Language immersion programs for school-age children (outside of accredited K-12 programs)
- Language immersion programs for adults
- Mentor-Apprentice type programs
- Other immersion programs
- *For language immersion programs for early childhood, please see more information below under “Language Programs for Early Childhood”.
Please note that activities like Language Camps and Language on the Land are often not delivered fully in immersion. Funding for these activities is available through the Community Engagement and Language through Culture strategy, below.
Language Programs for Early Childhood
Language programs for early childhood includes any program that has a goal of supporting young children from 0 – 5 years old to hear and learn their First Nations language. This may include language exposure, language instruction, or language immersion programming like language nests. It supports early care and learning programs such as daycares, preschools, Head Start or other programs.
Non-Immersion Language Strategies
These strategies reflect any kind of language learning or related support that is not delivered fully in immersion. This includes FPCC’s structured Reclaiming My Language: A Course for Silent Speakers (RML), as well as any Silent Speaker strategy that is different from RML.
Reclaiming My Language: A Course for Silent Speakers
Reclaiming My Language is a course to assist silent speakers to reclaim their language. Silent speakers are people who have a good understanding of their language but do not speak it. There are many kinds of silent speakers, including people who spoke their language before attending residential school or people who grew up hearing their language and understand it, but do not speak it.
FPCC provides training for program facilitators and ongoing support, as well as course materials, videos, workbooks and funding.
- Funding can be used to support travel. FPCC can assist with the identification and vetting of a mental health co-instructor and potentially a community co-instructor if needed
- Submissions must include 10 pre-course surveys from potential participants
- Several communities can come together to deliver this course if all participants speak the same language
Language Technology
Language technology strategies support language revitalization using technology. For FPCC’s Language Program, there are two eligible project types within language technology: FirstVoices site development and digitization.
- FirstVoices projects involve using FirstVoices.com to share your language and mobilize your language resources. These projects make languages more accessible and preserve knowledge for future generations
- Digitization projects involve converting analogue materials such as audio cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, VHS tapes and text documents to a digital format
Language Documentation and Resource Development
Language documentation and resource development work includes any work to record and document the language and to create resources for language learners and teachers. This strategy may include:
- Recording and transcription of speakers
- Language resource development (e.g. books, media, learning materials)
- Archive management
Some examples of possible projects under this strategy include curriculum development*, general resource creation (e.g., handbooks/videos/teaching materials), language website creation, database and other technology tool creation, recording of Elders/speakers on audio or video, digital language archive management and television/radio show/film.
*Curriculum development must be for community use outside of the school system. Curriculum development for K-12 accredited programming is funded by the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).
Community Engagement and Language Through Culture*
Some examples of possible projects under this strategy include:
- Language gathering and sharing projects (including hosting in-community language gatherings as well as travelling to meet with other communities/organizations for sharing and relationship building)
- Land-based and/or culture-focused language classes and camps that are not fully in immersion
- Other community language projects where immersion is not feasible.
*Please note that applications focusing on immersion strategies & documentation will receive priority for funding.
Funding Categories
FPCC’s Language Vitality Program offers four different funding categories: Rise, Roots, Grow and Flourish. Indigenous languages are deeply tied to the land; these funding models reflects cycles of growth and the flourishing potential of language revitalization work within communities. These funding categories are responsive to the varying levels of experience and capacity that exist across language teams in the province.
Rise Funding change to: Rise Project Funding (up to $75,000 – April 1, 2027 – March 31, 2028): funding is offered for a single year. This funding is suitable for smaller teams that are just getting started on their language revitalization journey and have just one or two project areas, or for smaller teams.
Roots Funding change to: Roots Project Funding (up to $150,000 per year for up to 2 years – April 1, 2027 – March 31, 2029): Roots funding is offered for up to two years and can include multiple strategies. This funding is suitable for smaller teams that have experience working on language revitalization and are starting to expand into new areas.
Grow Funding change to: Grow Project Funding (up to $300,000 per year for up to 2 years – April 1, 2027 – March 31, 2029): Grow funding is offered for up to two years and may include multiple strategies. Grow applications must include strategic long-term language revitalization planning strategies. This funding is suitable for groups that have begun or are about to begin the process of developing a strategic language plan with their community.
Flourish Funding: Change to Flourish Plan Implementation Funding (up to $600,000 per year for 3 years – April 1, 2027 – March 31, 2030): Flourish funding is offered for three years and includes a minimum of three strategies. This funding is suitable for well-established teams that have an approved long term strategic language revitalization plan in place and are actively implementing multiple language revitalization strategies across domains in the community.
Funding for all categories subject to availability
For detailed timeline information, please refer to the 2027-28 Language Vitality Program Guidelines posted below.
Eligibility
The following are eligible to apply:
- Recognized First Nations governments, bands or tribal councils located in B.C.
- Projects supporting one of the 36 B.C. First Nations languages.
- Not-for-profit societies registered in B.C., in good standing and governed by B.C. First Nations individuals (at least 65% of an organization’s board members/directors are members of a recognized B.C. First Nation.)
- Urban and off-reserve B.C. First Nations organizations (at least 65% of an organization’s board members/directors are members of a recognized B.C. First Nation.)
- B.C. First Nations–led museums and cultural spaces (at least 65% of an organization’s board members/directors be individuals who are members of or have ancestral connections to a B.C. First Nation.)
- B.C. First Nations schools and adult education centres operating in B.C. on First Nations lands (Please note that applications from First Nations schools that serve one community must be submitted through their respective Nation/Band Office)
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted starting late September 2026.
All grants currently open are listed here. To receive updates on grants and when they open, please sign up for our newsletter.
Prior to submitting an application, please read the guidelines below. The guidelines are optimized for accessibility purposes. If you are unsure if your community or language organization is eligible or you have questions about accessing Language Program funding, please contact us at languagegrant@fpcc.ca . Applications are received through the FPCC Grant Portal.
Applications may be submitted until 4:30 p.m. PT December 2, 2026.
Information Session Recording
When the program is open for applications information will be posted about the online information session. You may sign up to receive email notification here.
Please help raise awareness about this opportunity by sharing our poster. – Coming soon!
This program is made possible with funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage as a result of the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Languages Act, and the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation through the Province of British Columbia.
Additional Resources
Tools and Resources
Language Status Assessment (LSA)
The Language Status Assessment (LSA) is a survey on the status of First Nations
languages. The Language Status Assessment is not a grant application but it is
required for communities who are applying for language funding from the First
Peoples’ Cultural Council.
For more details and information on how to submit an LSA survey, click here.
We are here to support!
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your grant application please contact the language team at languagegrant@fpcc.ca. FPCC staff are available to answer questions about grant eligibility, project proposal ideas, which program or grant may be best for your project and more.
FPCC Staff Contact:
The Language Vitality Program Coordinators, Sydney Moore, James Thompson and Tara Jankovic, are available to support you and can be reached at languagegrant@fpcc.ca.
Funding Process
We are here to ensure that the funding application process is as easy as possible and offer a convenient online portal so applicants can more easily apply for programs and submit reports. For additional information please visit the Funding Process page.
Click the image to enlarge
Page Image: Udzistalis John Speck, Hereditary Chief, Tlowitsis and
Hiʔliqilaʔgelis Natasha Green, Mentor Apprentice
Program, Campbell River B.C.
Program Contact
Language Team
Our program staff are here to support you through the application process. If you have any questions or need support, please contact us at the email below.