In 2015, Indigenous Health and the First Nations Health Authority partnered to offer Northern Indigenous Community Wellness Funding Awards for the first time. These provide a maximum of $5,000 to support Indigenous communities and organizations working to improve health and wellness in Northern BC.
To be eligible for these funding awards, applicants must be:
-
Located within Northern BC (Northern Health and First Nations Health Authority Northern Region)
-
A First Nations Band, Indigenous community organization and/or Health Centre
Projects must support community-based initiatives that focus on holistic health and wellness and one or more of the following priorities:
-
Cultural safety
-
Primary care
-
Mental wellness and substance use
-
Population and public health: community wellness activities for Indigenous youth and Elders
Preference will be given to projects that:
-
Support collaboration by encouraging different groups to work together towards a common goal such as community members (youth, families, Elders, etc.), health staff (Band, NH, FNHA), physicians, Aboriginal Health Improvement Committees (AHICs), other communities.
-
Support health and well-being by combining Indigenous Wellness approaches with current health care approaches.
-
Build healthy relationships and enhance how people connect with each other, their families and their community (e.g. community holiday gatherings).
-
Capacity building and training of local First Nations and Indigenous staff.
-
COVID-19: To protect those most vulnerable, and to make sure that our health system is able to care for those who become severely ill, we ask that all projects follow COVID-19 BCCDC guidelines.
Applications for this grant are currently open and submissions will be accepted until January 19, 2021. Information on the 2020/2021 Award process can be found on this poster. For more information, email Indigenous.Health@northernhealth.ca or phone 250-649-7226.
IMAGINE Grants support communities that are committed to staying healthy, preventing injury and improving the well-being of residents in the Northern Health region. Indigenous Health is one of several partners within Northern Health who provide the funds for IMAGINE grants.
Criteria:
Projects must support community-based initiatives that focus on one or more of the following chronic disease prevention or health promotion priorities:
-
Healthy Eating and Food Security
-
Physical Activity/ Active Living
-
Injury Prevention
-
Tobacco-Free Communities
-
Positive Mental Health
-
Prevention of Substance Harms
-
Healthy Early Childhood Development
-
Healthy Aging
Preference will be given to projects that:
-
Support partnerships and build relationships - will encourage different groups to work together, connecting people to each other and their community
-
Identify a community need - will address something that is missing that could benefit the community and its residents to improve health and well-being
-
Promote healthy outcomes - will include activities that reduce the risks and impacts of chronic disease and injury through education, awareness and collective action
-
Reduce health inequities - will help those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable to improve their access to supports and resources for better health
-
Build capacity - will develop and strengthen skills and resources within the community
-
Endure - will have a good chance of living on after the funding ends