BC Inclusive Communities Grants Program

The Province of British Columbia is pleased to introduce the BC Inclusive Communities Grants (BC‑ICG) Program, previously known as the BC Multiculturalism and Anti‑Racism Grants program. This refreshed program recentres community‑led projects that advance racial equity and meaningful participation for all British Columbians.

The BC‑ICG Program reinforces the Province’s commitment to fostering inclusive and connected communities, in line with the goals of the Multiculturalism Act and Anti‑Racism Act.

Under the BC Multiculturalism Act and the Anti‑Racism Act, the BC Inclusive Communities Grants (BC‑ICG) Program provides annual funding to support community‑led initiatives that advance multicultural understanding, strengthen racial equity efforts, and foster equitable participation across British Columbia.

On this page

How the program works

The BC‑ICG Program supports projects that promote multiculturalism and racial equity, address discrimination, and strengthen inclusion across British Columbia.

The program includes two funding streams:

Stream 1: Urban community grants

• for organizations and projects in cities such as Metro Vancouver, Surrey, and Greater Victoria

Stream 2: Rural community grants

• for organizations and projects in rural and remote regions such as Interior BC, Northern BC, the Kootenays, and coastal communities

Program funding

Eligible organizations may apply for grants of up to $5,000.

Determine your eligibility

Core eligibility (applies to both streams)

To be eligible organizations must meet all of the following criteria:   

• Be a registered non-profit incorporated and in good standing under the Societies Act, or a British Columbia-based federally registered charity in good standing
• Be a non-profit society serving Indigenous and/or racialized communities or faith-based communities that experience racialization as a result of their faith
• Be operational at the time of application
• Have a British Columbia address
• Have an annual budget under $1 million

Eligible project activities

Stream 1: Urban community grants

Intercultural understanding and exchange

• Community events or dialogues fostering cross‑cultural interaction
• Storytelling sessions, cultural sharing workshops, or collaborative arts projects

Racial equity education and advocacy

• Workshops addressing systemic racism in employment, housing, education, or public services

Community resilience building

• Neighbourhood alliances or racial equity‑focused planning sessions
• Programs supporting participation of underrepresented groups in local decision‑making

Stream 2: Rural community grants

Localized intercultural programs

• Adapted cultural exchange activities in remote settings
• Resource‑sharing initiatives connecting isolated groups with multicultural networks

Racial equity capacity building

• Training on recognizing and responding to racism or hate incidents in smaller communities.
• Awareness sessions on reporting and bystander intervention

Resilience and inclusion initiatives

• Community‑led activities addressing isolation
• Programs fostering trust and racial equity in under‑resourced areas, including Indigenous‑local partnerships

Eligible grant expenses

To be eligible for the grant, the expense must be a direct cost associated with administering the project. Grant recipients ​may spend funding in one or more of the following categories:

Equipment rental, such as:

• Lighting, sound and audio-visual
• Sports equipment

Technology-related costs, such as: 

• Online hosting fees
• Digital content creation
• Virtual technology requirements

​​Event or workshop materials, such as: 

• Pens, paper and other tools

Fees, such as: 

• Project coordinator’s fees
• Facilitators’, artists’, or coaches’ fees
• Workshop fees
• Training/educational fees
• Performance fees

Food and beverage, such as: 

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages for participants and volunteers

Honorariums, fees, and contract agreements, for: 

• Indigenous or other cultural elders
• Facilitators, speakers, artists, coaches, and cultural workers
• Technicians

Marketing and communications, such as:

• Newspaper ads
• Graphic design fees

Transportation costs where transportation is a barrier to participation

Venue rental, such as:

• Any identified programming space

Volunteer expenses, such as:

• T-shirts (for identification purposes only)
• Refreshments

Ineligible grant expenses 

Applications seeking funding to cover expenses in one or more of the following categories are not eligible:

• Salaries and fees not directly related to delivering the project
• Fundraising beyond project cost-recovery
• Capital projects
• Major equipment purchases
• Alcohol
• Recurring business expenses, such as:
  • Rental of office space
  • Utility, telephone, and other recurring expenses

Performance standards (applies to both streams)

Funded organizations must:

• Ensure all persons delivering the project are qualified and properly trained
• Deliver services with the level of care and skill expected of community‑based programs in BC
• Apply racial equity and intersectional lenses (including GBA+)

Grant recipients will be required to report briefly on how these standards were met.

Project services and deliverables (applies to both streams)

Once funded, organizations must:

• Participate in two check‑ins (mid‑term and pre‑reporting) with government staff
• Provide interim and final reports including metrics and outcomes

Application requirements

To apply for the BC Inclusive Communities Grants (BC ICG) Program, organizations must sign in using a verified provincial login:

• Organizations must use a Business BCeID

If an organization does not have a Business BCeID, they can register for one by visiting: BCeID – Business BCeID: Getting Started.

Apply online

If you have any questions or are experiencing problems with the application, contact multiculturalism@gov.bc.ca.

The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch is committed to improving the accessibility of the BC-ICG Program for people with disabilities. Arrangements for verbal applications and ASL translation services are available. To learn more about these services, please contact  multiculturalism@gov.bc.ca.

Reporting requirements

Submit your final report online

This section is applicable to 2026-2027 grant recipients only. You are required to submit a report on how you used the funds and what outcomes were achieved.

The final report asks grant recipients to:

• Provide a summary of the project, why it was undertaken and what it accomplished (max 700 words)
• Provide a brief explanation of how the project met the 2026-2027 Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Grant program objectives (max 700 words)
• Provide 2 to 4 bullet points to highlight any significant outcomes that resulted from the project
• If there were changes to the proposed budget, provide 2 to 4 bullet points about these changes

Submit your final report in 2027/28

If you have any questions or are experiencing problems with this report, please contact multiculturalism@gov.bc.ca.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)