First Nations and Inuit Cultural Education Centres Program – Canada

The First Nations and Inuit Cultural Education Centres Program (FNICECP) provides funding for First Nations and Inuit cultural education centres on or off reserves or Inuit settlement regions to support the development and promotion of First Nations and Inuit cultural heritage. The program also helps make relevant cultural programming and services available to First Nations and Inuit students.

Goal

• The goal of the program is to:
  • revive traditional cultural skills among First Nations and Inuit people
  • develop contemporary cultural skills among First Nations and Inuit people
  • develop First Nations and Inuit peoples’ knowledge and use of their traditional languages
  • promote cross-cultural awareness in mainstream educational programs and institutions.

Objectives

• The objective of the FNICECP is to:
  • Support First Nations and Inuit communities in expressing, preserving, developing, revitalizing and promoting their cultural heritage, through the establishment and operation of First Nations and Inuit cultural education centres on or off reserve
  • Ensure that culturally relevant programming and services are available to First Nations and Inuit students through cultural education centres
  • Contribute to an enhanced cultural environment and understanding within communities.

Expected Outcomes

• The expected outcomes for the program are:
  • revival in traditional cultural skills among First Nations and Inuit people
  • increase in the development of contemporary cultural skills among First Nations and Inuit people
  • increase in knowledge and use of traditional languages among First Nations and Inuit people
  • increase in promotion of cross-cultural awareness in mainstream educational programs and institutions.

Eligible Activities

• Key activities supported by the program include:
  • conducting or facilitating research into First Nations and Inuit heritage and culture
  • developing or expanding on First Nations or Inuit linguistic learning resources
  • developing or expanding on First Nations or Inuit learning resources other than linguistic learning resources, such as land-based learning
  • developing or testing culturally oriented educational curricula, methods and materials for use by established and other programs in schools.

Ineligible Activities

• Capital construction and renovation
• Purchase of land or buildings
• Stipends, allowances, honoraria for attendance in a course and activity
• Contingency or miscellaneous fees.

Eligibility Criteria

• First Nations and Inuit cultural education centres, member centres supported under the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres, Tungasuvvingat Inuit and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
• Inuit cultural education centres may also be eligible to apply for the Inuit Cultural Education Centres Grant Program.

For more information, visit Government of Canada.