Nova Scotia Funding Portal
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Agriculture and farming
    • Arts, culture and heritage
    • Education, science and research
    • Emergency services and public safety
    • Employment, training
    • Environment, water and climate change
    • Health and human services
    • Housing, retrofits and new construction
    • Parks and recreation
    • Planning and development
    • Solid waste and wastewater
    • Transit and active transportation
  • News & Updates
  • Resources
    • About Us
    • Tips and Guides
    • FAQ
  • Contact
Subscribe to Updates
Sign in
Subscribe to Updates

Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund – Indigenous Grants

Federal grants up to $200,000 for Indigenous groups to engage on critical minerals infrastructure projects through capacity building and knowledge gathering.

  • Provider
    Natural Resources Canada
  • Closed

Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund – Indigenous Grants

Federal grants up to $200,000 for Indigenous groups to engage on critical minerals infrastructure projects through capacity building and knowledge gathering.

  • Provider
    Natural Resources Canada
  • Closed
  • DETAILS
  • prev
  • next
  • prev
  • next
Categories
  • Environment, water and climate change
  • Transit and active transportation
Description

The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) Indigenous Grants stream provides Indigenous groups impacted by critical minerals infrastructure projects with resources to actively engage on, participate in and benefit from critical minerals development. The program supports engagement, capacity building and knowledge gathering activities related to clean energy and transportation infrastructure that enables critical minerals production.

Program Objectives:

  • Support Indigenous engagement on critical minerals infrastructure projects
  • Build capacity for Indigenous participation in infrastructure discussions
  • Enable knowledge gathering and sharing to inform project planning
  • Advance Indigenous participation in and benefits from critical minerals development

Eligible Initiative Activities:

1. Engagement activities: Meetings and consultations about eligible infrastructure projects linked to critical minerals development, including in-person or virtual engagement with government, industry, rights holders, stakeholders and partners.

2. Capacity building: Securing or improving organizational skills, knowledge and tools to enable participation in discussions about clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects linked to critical minerals development.

3. Knowledge gathering and sharing: Collection and distribution of Indigenous and Western knowledge supporting Indigenous participation in eligible infrastructure projects. Activities may be targeted (e.g., gathering traditional knowledge for mine access road feasibility study) or broad (e.g., publishing community-led report on potential impacts and benefits of proposed infrastructure).

Eligible Infrastructure:

Clean energy or transportation infrastructure enabling critical minerals development, whether in planning stages (obtaining permits, conducting assessments) or already underway. Projects may or may not proceed to completion and may qualify for CMIF contribution funding.

Program Updates for 2025:

  • Increased maximum funding amounts compared to first call for proposals
  • Applications prioritized based on assessment criteria rather than first-come, first-assessed approach
Eligibility Requirements

Eligible expenses:

  • Salaries and benefits for employees working on initiative
  • Training costs (wages, stipends, trainer fees)
  • Honoraria, ceremonial costs and hospitality for engagement events
  • Facility, transportation and equipment rental
  • Travel costs (meals, accommodation at National Joint Council rates)
  • Professional, legal and contracting services
  • Communications and media services
  • Translation, editing, publication and printing
  • Laboratory, scientific, field and personal safety equipment/supplies
  • Overhead expenditures (maximum 15% of total eligible expenditures)
  • Provincial sales tax, GST, HST (net of rebates)

Ineligible expenses:

  • Capital expenditures
  • Construction costs
  • Lost income
  • Building renovation
  • Legal fees related to litigation

*Note: Non-Indigenous organizations must include letter of endorsement signed by leadership of Indigenous partner organization confirming the partnership.

Resources
  • Funder's website
      • Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund – Indigenous Grants
      • Releted Programs:
      • Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund – Contribution Funding

     

  • Contact
    • Email: cmif_ig-sa_fimc@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
Deadline
  • December 17, 2025
Important Dates
  • Period of performance
    April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2028
Eligible Applicants
  • First Nations
  • Municipalities
  • Non-profit Organizations
  • Research Organization
Funding Details
  • Total available funding
    Up to $13.5 million (program envelope)
  • Estimated amount per fund
    Up to 100% of eligible expenses
  • Funding Notes
    • Remote areas: Up to $200,000 per organization
    • Non-remote areas: Up to $150,000 per organization
How to Apply
  • Fund Guidelines
    • Available here
  • Online Application
    • Consult Applicant Guide
    • Complete application form
    • Submit full application via email

You May Also Be Interested In

Electric Vehicle Test Drives and Charging Education

  • Natural Resources Canada
  • Federal funding for hands-on EV test drives and experiential charging education to address barriers to EV adoption across Canada.
  • Closing Soon
  • Quick view

Electrify Nova Scotia MHZEV Rebate Program

  • NS Department of Energy
  • Provincial rebates for medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle purchases and leases by NS municipalities, First Nations, businesses and non-profits.
  • Active
  • Quick view

Science Horizons Youth Internship Program

  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Federal wage subsidy covering up to 80% of salary costs (max $25,000) for employers hiring post-secondary graduates (ages 15-30) in environmental STEM positions.
  • Active
  • Quick view
Facebook X-twitter Linkedin Youtube
Menu
  • About Us
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe to Updates

Disclaimer

We make every effort to ensure the program details in this guide are accurate. In the event of a discrepancy between this guide and the funder’s official website, the information on the program website will take precedence.

© 2026 Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities

Cart