Squamish, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory. Photo: Stephen Hui
REFBC Grants Support Indigenous Land Use Plans and Affordable Housing Solutions
At their June 2024 meeting, the Real Estate Foundation of BC’s Board of Governors approved 45 grants totalling $4,947,958.
REFBC grants support law and policy reform, applied research, community engagement, and professional and public education to advance sustainability, equity, and social justice in land use and real estate across BC.
In our work, we are committed to upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). We prioritize grants to Indigenous-led organizations and projects that support justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Since 1988, REFBC has awarded more than $100 million to non-profit organizations working to strengthen BC communities and protect our shared land and water. Our grants support projects led by First Nations, charities and societies, non-governmental organizations, universities and colleges, trade associations, and local and regional governments.
The Summer 2024 grants are listed alphabetically by recipient organization below.
Summer 2024 Grants
Aboriginal Housing Management Association
Resilient Indigenous Affordable Housing Capacity Project
$300,000
ʔaq̓am
Wetland (ʔakaq̓ⱡaʔhaⱡ) Restoration
$100,000
BC Indigenous Housing Society
Our Connection — teməxʷ (Earth)
$32,909
BC Institute of Technology (Zero Energy/Emissions Buildings Learning Centre)
Remote Upskilling for Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Buildings With Indigenous, Rural, and Remote Communities
$100,000
Bonaparte Watershed Stewardship Society
Cache Creek and Bonaparte Watersheds Restoration and Stewardship Initiative
$150,000
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – BC
Metro Vancouver’s Colour-Coded Housing Market
$150,000
Carnegie Community Centre Association
Carnegie Housing Project
$39,500
City in Colour Cooperative (Solid State Community Society)
Growing Roots: Refugee-centric Housing Solutions in Metro Vancouver
$50,000
City of Surrey
Skookum Surrey
$50,000
CityHive Youth Engagement Society
Urban ReVision: BIPOC Mentorship Studio
$225,000
Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative
Coastal Stewardship Network: Training Capacity Growth
$50,000
Coastal Indigenous Leadership Alliance Society
The Archive Project
$50,000
Create Climate Equity Association
Engaging Newcomers in Community-Driven Electrification of Homes and Transport
$110,000
Douglas First Nation (Xa’xtsa) & TTQ Economic Development Corp.
Douglas First Nation Territory IPCA
$250,000
Ethọ́s Lab Educational Society
Youth Empowerment for Equitable and Sustainable Cities Project
$50,000
Gitksan Watershed Authorities
Learning From Lamprey: Water and Food Security in Gitxsan Laxyip
$75,000
The Gitksan Watershed Authorities will assess the distribution of Pacific lamprey (a Gitksan food source) and monitor water quality in the Kispiox (Anspayaxw) River.
Xsi’yeen, Gitksan territory. Photo: Stephen Hui
Gitsegukla Huwilp (Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition)
The Sustainability Project (Gwelx Ye’enst)
$50,000
Grizzly Bear Foundation
Indigenous Roundtable: Progressive Engagement on Land Relationship Planning
$200,000
Haisla Nation Council
Official Community Plan
$50,000
Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation
Community Land Use/Infrastructure Plan for Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation
$49,995
Lytton First Nation (Tl’kemtsin)
Lytton First Nation Agriculture Development
$50,000
Metro Vancouver Zero Emissions Innovation Centre
Housing ACE (Affordability, Carbon, and Economy) Card Offsite Construction Market Transformation Project
$225,000
Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council
Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council Food Sovereignty and Climate Resilience
$150,000
Neskonlith Indian Band
Secwépemc Stewardship and Sustainability — Knucwetwecw Tellqelmucw/Helping Each Other for the People
$240,000
Osoyoos Indian Band
Preserving the Past by Strengthening the Future of Dog Lake IR No. 2
$120,000
Qqs (Eyes) Projects Society
Youth Leading on the Land
$100,000
Resilient Waters (MakeWay Charitable Society)
Catalyzing Flood Resilience for the Lower Mainland
$50,000
Sik-E-Dakh (Glen Vowell) First Nation
Sik-E-Dakh Food Security Plan
$49,000
Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition
Strengthening Stewardship in the Skeena Watershed
$300,000
Skidegate Band Council
Skidegate Band Youth Mentorship
$50,000
Skuppah Indian Band
Skuppah Land Use Plan
$50,000
Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw
Skwlāx Cultural Heritage Policy
$50,000
Southern Gulf Islands Community Resource Centre Society
ṮEṮÁĆES Restoration Initiative
$60,000
Squamish Environment Society (Squamish Environmental Conservation Society)
Wildlife Connectivity Project
$50,000
Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw)
UNDRIP-Compliant Official Community Plan: Exploratory Workshops With District of Squamish
$48,000
The Squamish Nation will collaborate with the District of Squamish to define the parameters and process needed for the development of an UNDRIP-compliant official community plan for the municipality.
Squamish, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory. Photo: Stephen Hui
Stqeeye’ Learning Society
Q’shintul (Walking Together): Building a Path Forward
$100,000
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
Building Capacity to Protect and Restore Cultural Landscapes
$49,600
Tŝilhqot’in Nen Gwa Nits’inʔin – Chiefs for the People (Coastal Foodways Society)
Advancing Tŝilhqot’in Leadership on the Land and Water, and in Language and Governance
$150,000
Tŝilhqot’in Nen Gwa Nits’inʔin (Chiefs for the People) will expand youth mentorship opportunities, undertake food sovereignty initiatives, support reconnection to the land through equine therapy, and host workshops to strengthen territorial governance.
Chilcotin River, Tŝilhqot’in territory. Photo: Stephen Hui
Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Urban Indigenous Gathering
$75,000
VIDEA
Roots of Resilience
$49,864
Wahkohtowin NFP Inc.
RAD Network BC Hub
$300,000
Waterlution
Working Together on Water Security: An UNDRIP Approach
$50,000
We Wai Kai Nation
We Wai Kai Nation Freshwater Protection and Drought Preparation
$49,090
Wilps ’Wii K’aax (Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition)
Wilps ’Wii K’aax Territorial Stewardship Initiative
$300,000
Wuikinuxv Nation
Wuikinuxv Culture Camps
$100,000
Funding Opportunities
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