Apply for a VCH Health Promotion Grant

The majority of funding is currently committed to providing stable, long-term, core operational and/or program funding through Sharon Martin (SMART) Health Promotion Program Grants and Community Food Action Initiative (CFAI) Grants. Given the long-term commitment of this funding, there is no general call for applications anticipated for SMART and CFAI grant programs in the foreseeable future. 

Each year, VCH Community Investments accepts applications in response to current and emerging health promotion priorities and regional health needs through our one-time-only (OTO) and multi-year project grants for health promotion activities.

One-time-Only Health Promotion and Capacity Building Project Grants

The One-time-Only Health Promotion and Capacity Building Project Grants provide funding opportunities for projects that are one-time-only in nature and intent, and that lead to greater equity in wellness by building on a community's social, environmental, cultural and economic foundations. OTO grants support organizations to respond to time-limited (rather than an ongoing) community and/or programmatic needs, and OCB grants increase the capacity of a health promotion program or organization and its staff in their work.

Applications are now open until November 24, 2023. For information on funding priorities and criteria, and to complete the application form, please download the VCH OTO Health Promotion Project Grant Guidelines and Application.

OTO ACTION Mini-Grants

Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) Trauma Services and VCH Community Investments jointly provide funding opportunities for innovative community-driven projects, partnerships and initiatives that promote the prevention of injuries in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. ACTION Mini-Grants range from $500 to $2,500 in value.   

Applications are now open for 2023. Visit the VGH Trauma website for information on how to apply.

While the full list of criteria is available on each application form, the core criteria typically includes:

• Projects must consist of or support activities that empower participants to increase control over and improve their health through addressing upstream social and/or environmental factors.
• Projects must not provide direct professional or charitable supports. Some examples of direct supports include providing individuals with home supports, food services, counselling, and medical and other therapeutic care.
• Projects must build the capacity of peer groups and/or communities. Projects must not focus solely on building the knowledge and skills of individuals to improve their own health.
• Projects must be based within, and primarily serve, residents of the VCH region.
• Applicants must be a registered non-profit organization, First Nation, school board, or local government with an independent, active governing body (e.g., Board of Directors, Council, etc.), and be in good fiscal, operational and administrative standing.
• Project expenses must be reasonable in relation to proposed activities, and estimates well supported.

Please see application form for full list and eligibility for grants.

• Applicants may submit more than one application for a One-Time-Only Health Promotion Project Grant for different one-time-only projects in the same or in different rounds of that grant program.
• Proposals must indicate how a project will be successful and what the anticipated impacts will be.
• Project expenses must be reasonable in relation to proposed activities, and estimates well supported. Funding is very limited; please only ask for what you need.
• Applicants must indicate how they will sustain the activities, if any activities and/or impacts are intended to continue beyond the one-time-only funding period. This means providing assurance that any financial and other resources needed for the future have been reasonably secured and/or planned for.
• Pilot projects must clearly indicate why the pilot is needed (i.e., what specifically needs to be tested through a pilot), how success will be measured, along with a strong and reasonably secured plan to implement the project should the pilot be successful. Pilot projects are not eligible for consideration without these elements.
• Applicants are not notified prior to the deadline if their project is not eligible. Please carefully review the guidelines for the grant you are applying for before submitting your application.
• An adjudication panel makes the funding decisions. Please allow for up to 6 weeks following the application deadline to be notified of decisions. Please consider this timeframe when developing your project.
• All funded applicants must complete and submit a final evaluation report once a project has been completed.