Financial support program to foster community-based action for First Nation and Inuit families in the northern territory

This financial support program has been implemented to foster and support the development of community initiatives tailored to the needs of First Nations and Inuit families in the North.

What is community-based family action?

Within the framework of this program, community-based family action aims to promote social development, improve living conditions for families, and actualize the potential of each of its members. It provides services related to assistance, mutual aid, problem-solving, welcoming, listening, guidance, support, and accompaniment for families. It is not intended for therapeutic, adaptation, or rehabilitation purposes.

Community-based family action is embodied in:

• support for a living environment for families, a physical (rather than virtual) place of welcome where informal activities play an important role;
• open and free community-based family activities, which can be formal or informal.

The program supports projects that fall into one of the following categories:

• Segment 1 - Support the establishment of a new Indigenous family organization
  • This segment provides financial support throughout the process of establishing and implementing a new Indigenous family organization, including the opening of a community-based social pediatrics centre.
• Segment 2 - Develop culturally adapted interventions for families
  • This segment helps develop or culturally adapt interventions that foster community-based action such as:
    • Programs (e.g., parenting skills development program, stimulation program);
    • Practices (e.g., community speech therapy, intervention with fathers);
    • Workshops (e.g., coffee hours, conferences, awareness groups);
    • Tools (e.g., intervention guide, reference framework).
  • This segment also supports the implementation and dissemination of culturally adapted interventions.
• Segment 3 - Enhance the community-based family activities offering
  • This segment provides financial support for the development of community-based family activities outside an Indigenous family organization, as well as for the implementation of a process aimed at identifying family needs (e.g.: consultation, mobilization process, etc.), with a view to implement appropriate activities. 

To be eligible, you must be a non-profit organization such as:

• Indigenous nation communities recognized by the National Assembly of Québec;
• Indigenous non-profit organizations located in a northern village or community;
• Indigenous community-based action organizations located in a northern village or community;
• Indigenous community groups such as the Cree Nation Government and the Kativik Regional Government.

To be eligible, applicants must be located in the North, i.e. north of the 49th parallel, then north of the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

To be eligible, your project must:

• Endeavour to develop community activities in response to family needs in the community or northern village;
• Put families and their community at the heart of all related approaches and decisions;
• Be structuring and sustainable over time;
• Take place on the territory.

The call for projects is ongoing. The deadline to submit a project is December 31, 2026.

Depending on the availability of funds, a maximum of $150,000 in non-recurring financial support per project may be granted to each selected project.

A minimum financial contribution of 10% is required from the applicant or the community.

If you would like to submit a project for this program, we encourage you to:

• Familiarize yourself with the regulatory framework (PDF 515 Kb);
• Contact an advisor from the Ministère to obtain the call for projects form at psf.famille@mfa.gouv.qc.ca.