Reaching Home

Applications Open July 15th, 2026

Applications for the 2026–2027 funding intake open on July 15, 2026. In the meantime, applicants are encouraged to review the new application forms, begin planning their projects, and gather the required supporting documents to be ready for submission when the intake opens.

Overhead view of a group of people working on a project with whiteboards, sticky notes, and markers on a table, and a silver laptop nearby.

Who Can Apply?

  • This funding is available to serve both on-reserve and off-reserve First Nations members and is rooted in community-driven, culturally safe approaches.

  • First Nations governments or bands, including Tribal Councils that are supporting Indigenous Peoples living on- or off-reserve.

  • Projects must be directly tied to preventing and reducing homelessness among individuals or families who:

    1. Are currently experiencing homelessness, or

    2. Are at imminent risk of homelessness.

The Reaching Home initiative offers three distinct but complementary funding streams to support First Nations governments in British Columbia in addressing homelessness and housing insecurity within their communities. Each stream is tailored to meet different aspects of housing needs, from infrastructure development to direct support services and strategic planning.

Funding Streams

  • A living room with a white dog laying on a white dog bed, a French bulldog with a brindle and white coat, in the foreground. Behind, an olive tree in a pot, a beige sofa with pillows, a wooden side table with drawers, and a bookshelf with magazines. A window with blinds is in the background, allowing natural light to illuminate the room.

    Housing Supports

    Up to $200,000 - Focused on non-capital initiatives, like rental assistance, housing placement, and wraparound supports to help Indigenous individuals and families secure and maintain stable housing.

    Application
  • Person wearing a red and blue plaid shirt gesturing with their hands during a discussion, with a woman in a gray jacket sitting nearby, open laptop, notebook, and smartphone on the wooden table.

    Research and Planning

    Up to $80,000 - This stream funds research, planning, and coordination activities that inform and strengthen homelessness prevention strategies.

    Application

  • Capital Projects

    Up to $250,000 - Apply for funding to acquire, construct, renovate, or repair facilities that create or improve transitional, supportive, and culturally appropriate housing for First Nations people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

    Application

How to Apply

Top-down view of a person's hands typing on a silver laptop with a black keyboard on a wooden table. Nearby, there is a smartphone, a black wallet, and a camera with a large lens.

  • Gather basic project information, including your organization details, project description, location, budget, and supporting documents like approvals and plans.

    If you have questions, please contact:

    reaching.home@fnhic.ca

  • You can apply through our application portal or by completing the fillable PDF application and submitting it with your supporting documents to:

    rh.applications@fnhic.ca

    When uploading your application, please ensure your PDF is created as a text-based PDF (not a scanned image). Text-based PDFs allow us to review your full answers, while scanned or “locked image” PDFs cut off paragraphs and cannot be read properly.

    To create a text-based PDF: 

    • Use the “Save as PDF” or “Export to PDF” function in your word processor (Word, Google Docs, etc.). 

    • Avoid printing and scanning your document into a PDF. 

    If you’re unsure, try selecting text in your PDF. If you can highlight it, it’s text-based and good to go. 

  • Our Program Coordinators will review your submission for completeness and eligibility and contact you if anything is missing. We are here to help if needed!

  • Once complete, your application will be scored and then reviewed by the Decision-Making Committee. You’ll be notified of funding decisions, which can always be reviewed if technical assistance is needed and provided to improve the score of the application.

Funding Details 

  • Capital Projects: Up to $250,000 per application

  • Housing Supports: Up to $200,000 per application

  • Research & Planning: Up to $80,000 per application

  • Priority is given to projects that are community-led, culturally safe, and focused on those most in need 

Need Help?

If you have questions or need assistance with your application, please contact us:

Email:

reaching.home@fnhic.ca – for general inquiries

rh.applications@fnhic.ca– for application submissions

What We Fund

Housing Services

Activities that help people find, secure, and maintain housing:

  • Working with individuals/families to identify their housing needs, search for housing, and secure units.

  • Providing short-term rental subsidies (usually 3–6 months) to help people quickly exit homelessness

  • Mediation between tenants and landlords, education on rights and responsibilities.

  • Helping individuals/families secure new housing if a placement ends.

  • Short-term help covering housing costs while waiting for longer-term supports.

  • Costs to move in, such as deposits, furniture, basic groceries, and insurance.

Prevention and Shelter Diversion

Activities to prevent people from losing their housing or entering shelters:

  • Supporting people leaving institutions (hospital, corrections) so they don’t become homeless.

  • Negotiating with landlords to prevent evictions.

  • Help with managing finances to maintain housing.

  • Advocacy or representation to avoid eviction.

  • Food, clothing, or repairs needed to prevent eviction.

  • Support to relocate to stable housing.

  • Covering rent, arrears, or utilities to prevent homelessness.

Client Support Services

Services that improve stability, well-being, and community connection:

    • Emergency shelter beds and facilities (laundry, showers).

    • Food banks, soup kitchens, and drop-in centres.

    • Life skills programs (cooking, budgeting).

    • Culturally relevant supports (ceremonies, Elder involvement).

    • Personal needs (groceries, clothing, hygiene, storage, ID, transit).

    • Disability supports (mobility aids, glasses).

    • Technology access (phones, computers).

    • Transportation to home communities.

    • Help accessing health and treatment services.

    • Harm reduction services (safe supplies, managed alcohol).

    • Supports to access traditional healing (sweat lodges, medicines).

    • Professional fees for Elders and traditional healers.

    • Income assistance navigation (benefits, pensions).

    • Employment readiness and support (interview prep, job search).

    • Education and training access (skills development, program support).

    • Recreation and sports activities.

    • Cultural connection (language classes, traditional food gathering).

Capital Investments

Creating or improving facilities for homelessness services:

  • Upgrading shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing, and non-residential facilities (community hubs).

  • Building new transitional or supportive housing, shelters (only in Indigenous, Territorial, and Rural/Remote streams), or non-residential facilities.

  • Buying buildings or land for eligible facilities.

  • Converting existing properties into housing or service spaces.

  • Fixing damage caused by clients in housing placements.

  • Furniture, appliances, tools, outreach vehicles for operations.

Coordination of Resources and Data Collection

    • Developing coordinated access systems.

    • Mapping services and needs.

    • Governance and privacy tools (policies, data agreements).

    • Training and change management for coordinated access.

    • HIFIS setup or customization.

    • System improvement projects (best practices, integration).

    • Point-in-time counts or surveys.

    • Technical support and equipment for data collection.

    • Staff salaries and benefits.

    • Office costs (rent, supplies, utilities).

    • Professional services (audit, legal, IT).

    • Travel for staff and volunteers (per Treasury Board rates).

    • Cultural competency training.

    • Hosting meetings and engagement sessions.

    • Equipment for administration (furniture, computers).

Administration Expenses

What We Do Not Fund

    • Emergency Housing funding for individuals/families who already get welfare or rent supplements from another government program.

    • Level of funding for Emergency Housing funding exceeding the amount provided by government rent supplements.

    • Provision/payment for student housing if students are not at imminent risk.

    • Supports for low-income individuals/families not at imminent risk.

    • Purchase of alcoholic beverages.

    • Employment activities normally delivered by federal/provincial/territorial labour programs.

    • Job wages for participants in education/training/pre-employment programs.

    • Salary for a full-time teacher replacing provincial/territorial education.

    • Tuition fees.

    • Workplace skills development.

    • Apprenticeship grants.

    • Construction/renovation of housing units funded through the bilateral Housing Partnership Framework.

    • Repairs to social housing units.

    • Renovation of social housing units.

    • Creation of new social housing units.

    • Software/hardware purchases that duplicate HIFIS functions.

    • Administrative costs incurred by the recipient to deliver/manage contribution funds to third parties.

    • Local research activities other than the specified eligible data collection activities.

    • Information collection primarily for advocacy, public education, or awareness.

    • International travel costs.

    • Purchase of alcoholic beverages.

    • Payments to Community Advisory Board members for time attending meetings.

    • Traffic fines and penalties.

Cover of a progress report titled 'Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy (URN) & Reaching Home' with a logo of a house containing a heart, set against a background of stylized houses and a hand.