Backgrounder : Black Canadian Communities Program

Black-led, Black-serving and Black-focused organizations still face barriers to getting the resources and infrastructure they need to maintain and grow their work. The Government of Canada continues to take action to help these organizations increase their impact. 

The Black Canadian Communities Program will include three streams, supported by grants and contributions, to help in the following areas: 
 

• Programming for Black children and families – provide funding to organizations leading on projects aiming to improve the outcomes of Black children, youth, families and caregivers such as addressing systemic barriers and discrimination. 

• Building the skills, tools, and resources Black community organizations need to grow and remain sustainable over the long-term – help Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused organizations build the skills and resources they need to access funding, be more sustainable, and scale-up their activities. 

• Reducing barriers by creating more opportunities for Black communities – address the emerging priorities of Black communities in Canada by funding activities and projects, led by Black community stakeholders, that meet specific needs they have identified.  

Through an investment of $135.7 million over five years, beginning in 2026-27, and $27.1 million per year ongoing, the Government of Canada is reinforcing its commitment to helping build stronger Black communities and a more inclusive and prosperous Canada for everyone. Information on grants and contributions funding will be available in the coming months.

The program builds on the successes of the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, which was created in recognition of the first United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent. It introduced new approaches to support community-led solutions, strengthen organizations, and remain responsive to the evolving needs of Black communities.

United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent

On January 30, 2018, the Government of Canada endorsed the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (the Decade), a global call to action to address issues impacting people of African descent in the areas of recognition, justice, and development. 

In December 2024, the Government of Canada co-sponsored the second United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, which spans from January 2025 to December 2034. The second Decade serves as an opportunity to further Canada's efforts to empower people of African descent, combat anti-Black racism, and continue addressing longstanding and systemic barriers to the social and economic inclusion of Black communities.

Since 2018, the Government of Canada has committed more than $1 billion to empower Black communities, improve their physical and mental health and socio-economic welfare, and build a country where they can succeed, including commitments such as the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative. 

Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative

In recognition of the first Decade, the Government of Canada invested more than $200 million through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative to celebrate, share knowledge and build the organizational capacity needed for long-term success in Canada’s vibrant Black communities since 2019. As a result, more than 3,000 projects have been funded. Approximately 1,500 organizations received funding through the initiative to build their capacity to deliver services to their communities. 

In addition, the Government of Canada directly funded projects focusing on youth, health, and mental health in Black communities; supported the Michaëlle Jean Foundation’s Power of Youth Initiative, which provided grants to youth-led organizations to benefit their local communities; and helped fund foundational infrastructure, such as an investment in the Montréal Afro-Canadian Cultural Centre project and funding for Kinney Place, an accessible community hub for the African Nova Scotian community. 

To expand the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, the Government of Canada created the Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund, which is creating a sustainable source of funding for Black-led, Black-serving and Black-focused non-profit organizations and registered charities. Through this Fund, the Government of Canada has provided the Foundation for Black Communities with an endowment of $200 million. The Foundation is responsible for managing the assets of the funds contributed. To date, the organization has concluded three calls for proposals and supported 400 Black-led organizations. 

As part of the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, the Government of Canada also created the Canadian Institute for People of Afrikan Ancestry. The institute’s primary function is to inform and influence policy and program development at all levels of government from a Black-centric perspective through applied research, knowledge development, information sharing, stakeholder engagement and network building.