Microgrant Opportunities for Initiatives Addressing Food Security & Sovereignty
We are excited to announce that thanks to a generous donation by Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), we have been empowered to offer an opportunity for folks to apply for a microgrant. Applicants may apply for funding to pilot new initiatives (seed) or strengthen existing community initiatives (grow) that address food security and food sovereignty in the Edmonton region, with a particular focus on food literacy, urban growing, and innovation.
Microgrant applications should demonstrate how this funding will support new or existing projects or activities that strengthen community food sovereignty initiatives by fostering community connection, building capacity, enhancing community vibrancy and health, and/or supporting Indigenous, immigrant, refugee, and low-income communities in Edmonton and surrounding area. Total funding for each project or activity ranges between $500 to $1500.
These grants can be offered to individuals or groups and must engage and benefit underserved and/or marginalized communities. Projects can start after May 15, 2026 and proposed activities must wrap up by December 31, 2026.
Criteria for Project Selection
● Strengthens or enhances food security or food sovereignty in Edmonton;
● Projects or activities with capacity for transformative change;
● Provides practical education and learning;
● Benefits the community, especially the most marginalized within the selected community.
Application dates and process
Send grant applications by email to info@jhcentre.org by April 17, 2025. Grantees will be notified by May 1, 2025.
Applications can be shared in Word or PDF format, and use no more than two pages in length to address the following:
Application Information
About You (or Your Group)
● Your name(s) and contact info
● Name of your project (if it has one)
● Community you're part of / working with
● Email address for e-transfer if selected
Tell Us About Your Project
● What’s the main goal of your project?
● Will this funding help start a new initiative (seed grant) or build upon an existing project (grow grant)?
● Who will benefit from this?
● Why is this needed in your community right now?
● What kinds of activities will you do?
● How will this support food justice or food sovereignty?
Your Budget
● How much are you asking for? ($500–$1500)
● What will the money be used for? (bullet points are fine!)
Confirmation
● Are you available to share back learnings in Jan 2027?
● Is there anything else you want to tell us?
Background
The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) works to advance dignity, freedom, justice, and security through collaborative relationships and transformative education on peace and human rights.
Righting Relations Canada is a national network that strives to support and build capacity amongst adult educators and community organizers to provide space and resources for them to connect, reflect on, and organize for heart-led radical social change.
Over the past six years, JHC and RRC have been engaged in food work that aligns with the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) working towards Zero Hunger and Ending Poverty in all its forms everywhere. This included developing a roadmap and releasing a number of reports in 2022, including: SDG Analysis Report - Calling Our Communities to Action and Agenda 2030 Edmonton Food Security Report.
In early 2024, JHC, the Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative (MCHB) and a team of other organizations in Edmonton successfully received funding from the City of Edmonton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Grant to launch a two-year project: Creating a Collaboration Framework that Unites, Aligns and Optimizes the Food Security and Food Justice Ecosystem of Edmonton (FSFJE). The objectives of this project include building and strengthening Edmonton’s food ecosystem by enhancing the collective capacity of agencies working in the sector, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that people and families in Edmonton achieve both food security and food sovereignty. At its core, this initiative aims to inspire hope through innovative and unconventional approaches to advancing food sovereignty.
In 2025, JHC received a generous donation from Royal Bank of Canada to support a microgrant opportunity. In consultation with Righting Relations, 10 impactful projects were funded. We are grateful that RBC renewed their support in 2026 to continue strengthening community food sovereignty in the Edmonton region.
