Indigenous
Reconciliation Fund

A Catholic Commitment
to Healing and Reconciliation

Our Commitment

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund was established to accept donations from 73 Catholic entities across the country, and to advance healing and reconciliation initiatives, fulfilling the $30 million financial commitment made by Canada’s Bishops in September, 2021.

The fund seeks to support projects that are determined locally, in collaboration with First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners. The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund has established the following criteria for grant applications:

- Healing and reconciliation for communities and families;
- Culture and language revitalization;
- Education and community building; and
- Dialogues for promoting indigenous spirituality and culture.

The fund has been designed to meet the highest standards of transparency and good governance and is overseen by a Board of Directors made up of Indigenous leaders.

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The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund has raised $12,774,780 to date, putting the fund on schedule to exceed its five-year $30 million commitment.

Join Canada’s Bishops in supporting a more hopeful future for Indigenous Peoples of the land.

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Apply for funding

The goal of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund is for local dioceses to identify the priority, meaningful reconciliation work as determined by local Indigenous groups and organizations. To that end, project leads seeking funding are encouraged to reach out to the Catholic diocese or Regional Reconciliation Committee in their area.

For questions about the most appropriate diocese or Regional Reconciliation Committee, please reach out to admin@irfund.ca.

Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Governance

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Board Directors have been appointed to oversee the fund’s management and approve disbursement of money to successful applicants. These directors bring a range of governance experience, as well as a history of advocating for Indigenous Peoples.

Rosella Kinoshameg is an Odawa/Ojibway woman and residential school survivor from the Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation Territory, with over 50 years of nursing experience, mostly working with First Nations communities on community health care.

She has an honourary doctorate in Sacred Letters from Regis College at the University of Toronto.

Giselle Marion is a Tłı̨chǫ Citizen, born and raised in Behchokǫ̀, Northwest Territories. She is the Director of Client Services with the Tłı̨chǫ Government, which represents the Dene people of Northwest Territories.

She holds a law degree from the University of British Columbia.

Graydon Nicholas has a lengthy history of working for justice for First Nations and other people. He was the first Indigenous person in Atlantic Canada to earn a law degree, the first Indigenous judge in New Brunswick, and was Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 2009 to 2014, also a first for an Indigenous person. Presently, he is the Chancellor of St. Thomas University, where he is the Endowed Chair of Native Studies.

Accompanying these Board Directors, the following members of the corporation have been appointed to approve new directors, revise bylaws and contribute to the transparent, effective governance of the fund:

Nat Gallo, a former Supreme Director of the Knights of Columbus, who has represented Canada on the foundation’s International Board of Directors.
Barbara Dowding, Former National President of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund is currently recruiting Directors and Grant Reviewers through a succession planning process.

Information on the guidelines for the succession planning process will be made available.

Please contact admin@IRFund.ca for more information.

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