Grant Information

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2S+ (MMIWG2S+) Healing and Empowerment Endowment Fund

The MMIWG2S+ Healing and Empowerment Endowment Fund was established for the purpose of advancing the Calls for Justice and to fund activities that extend tangible, culturally responsive, trauma-informed support to children, families, survivors and communities of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, 2Spirit and gender-diverse relatives. Managed by the Winnipeg Foundation, the fund will continue in perpetuity, ensuring that MMIWG2S+ families and communities can access vital resources to support healing and empowerment.

This fund has two streams: direct support for families impacted by MMIWG2S+; and grants for Indigenous-led organizations. 

Grants for families impacted by MMIWG2S+:

Immediate family members of MMIWG2S+ are eligible to apply for grants through a designated organization to help to support costs to bring their loved one home, search for a loved one, memorials (vigils, funerals, sacred fires), attend ceremonies, attend court proceedings, and educational costs for children of MMIWG2S+ (tuition, books, equipment necessary for post-secondary education).

A total of five designated organizations have been identified to administer these funds to MMIWG2S+ family members. The five organizations were selected as they represent First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous peoples and have a wide geographical scope.

The five designated organizations are:

  1. Giganawenimaanaanig will provide support to urban MMIWG2S+ families in Winnipeg.
  2. Manitoba Keewatonowi Okimakanak (MKO) will provide support to northern First Nation MMIWG2S+ families in Manitoba.
  3. Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO) will provide support to southern First Nation MMIWG2S+ families in Manitoba.
  4. Infinity Women’s Secretariat will provide support to Métis MMIWG2S+ families in Manitoba.
  5. Tunngasugit Inuit Resource Centre will provide supports to Inuit MMIWG2S+ families in Manitoba.

Grants for Indigenous-Led Organizations

Indigenous-led organizations are eligible to apply to WAGE MB for funding to support projects or initiatives which help to honour MMIWG2S+ community members or raise awareness about MMIWG2S+.

A maximum of $25K per organization annually will be available for events and $50K per organization for other programs and initiatives.

How to apply:

To apply for these grants, submit a proposal along with a budget to wagemb@gov.mb.ca.

National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence continues to impact all Manitobans and that is why we must all work together to address gender-based violence to support survivors and prevent violence against women, girls, Indigenous women, girls and 2Spirit, gender-diverse folks, refugees and immigrants in Manitoba.

Our approach in Manitoba is to provide funding directly to community organizations who are on the frontlines and supporting this work.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence is a 10-year national strategy aimed at supporting survivors of gender-based violence, preventing violence before it starts, and ending gender-based violence for good.

Funding may be available for organizations that work in the gender-based violence sector and help to advance the pillars outlined within the National Action Plan to End Gender- Based Violence.

The pillars are:

  1. Support for Victims, Survivors and their Families
  2. Prevention
  3. Responsive Justice System
  4. Implementing Indigenous Approaches
  5. Social Infrastructure and Enabling Environment

Read more information about the five pillars.

To apply for this grant funding, submit a proposal along with a budget to wagemb@gov.mb.ca.

Community Grants

Community grants are available to organizations that help to advance gender equity in Manitoba and align with WAGE ’s mandate, namely to promote gender equality and the full participation of all women and gender-diverse people in society and to end gender-based violence. These grants can support one-time projects, print materials, workshops, conferences, meetings and gatherings, and are not intended to support the operational costs of an organization. Organizations can apply for funding up to $7.5K per fiscal year.

How to apply:

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year.  We require a letter of request with a description of the organization and its objectives, an overview of what the funds will be used for, and the target group of women that will benefit from the funding.

To apply for these grants, submit a proposal along with a budget to wagemb@gov.mb.ca.

Women in Underrepresented Areas Grants

The Women in Underrepresented Areas Grants are targeted to projects that support the recruitment and retention of women in underrepresented occupations in Manitoba.  Underrepresented occupations for women are primarily the building trades, as well as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations. 

How to apply:

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year.  WAGE MB requires a detailed proposal describing the project and its objectives, the target group of women and occupation(s) that will benefit from the project, and the identified need for promoting the occupation(s) in the Manitoba context.  As available funds are limited, not all qualified projects will receive funding.

To apply for these grants, submit a proposal along with a budget to wagemb@gov.mb.ca.