Support for relationship building and knowledge exchange
The Relational Foundations grants support the relational and collaborative processes that make ethical and effective climate research possible. This program funds activities that strengthen relationships between First Nations and research partners, support reciprocal knowledge exchange, and enable meaningful First Nations leadership and co-design throughout the research process.
There are two granting pathways within this program intended to support true collaboration and knowledge exchange within the climate research process.
The Relationship Building Pathway (RBP) funds early-stage activities and capacity that build the relational groundwork that is often under-resourced within traditional research funding models. This pathway supports early-stage climate research initiatives working to strengthen and deepen community and researcher relationships for meaningful First Nations leadership and codesign. This pathway is not intended for the production of stand-alone research outputs.
The Knowledge Exchange Pathway (KEX) funds activities and capacity that enable reciprocal information flow and knowledge mobilization between researchers and community partners during the mid-to-end stages of the climate research lifecycle. This pathway supports knowledge mobilization between collaborators, within climate research initiatives, that demonstrate meaningful First Nations leadership and co-design. This pathway is also not intended for generating new stand-alone research outputs.
Researchers are invited to submit an application for their preferred pathway. The program will fund five to eight projects per year, with grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 per project.
Applications are open now. Apply using the form below.
Relationship Building Pathway (RBP)
Objective:
Provide flexible capacity support for relationship-building, co-design and priority-setting, and early-stage climate research collaboration
Eligible activities may include:
- Relationship-building meetings and gatherings
- Trust-building and co-design conversations
- Community engagement and listening sessions
- Early planning activities that support future research or mobilization
Potential Deliverables:
- A brief final report reflecting on relationship-building activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.
- Optional internal or shareable summaries, subject to Nation preferences and protocols.
- Creative deliverables that demonstrate the value of the emerging relationship (e.g., videos, pamphlets, etc.)
Knowledge Exchange Pathway (KEX)
Objective:
Provide support for knowledge exchange and mobilization activities and products related to existing research, toward the end of climate research collaboration
Eligible activities may include:
- Knowledge mobilization planning and production
- Workshops, gatherings, or events that facilitate knowledge exchange when the project is fully underway, or near completion
- Translation of research findings into accessible formats
Potential Deliverables:
- Clear project “products,” which may be internal-facing and/or shareable, depending on Nation preferences.
- Knowledge mobilization outputs from completed or ongoing research (e.g., toolkits, visual summaries, policy briefs, learning resources).
- A brief final report summarizing activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.
Applicant eligibility
PICS welcomes applications from faculty members (lead applicants) and their research teams* based at one or more of the four PICS universities (SFU, UBC, UNBC, UVic).
*Research teams may be supported by post-doctoral students, but lead applicants are ultimately responsible for leading the project and maintaining relationships. All primary communication with the PICS team must happen through the lead applicant.
Important dates
- Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Applications open
- Wednesday, June 17, 2026 (4 p.m. PDT): Applications close
- Mid-July 2026: Decisions communicated
FAQs
Please review the Frequently Asked Questions below before you complete your application.
Who can I contact with questions?
If you require any support or assistance with completing your application, please contact Janna Wale at jwale@uvic.ca
How are applications evaluated?
Applications will be reviewed by a PICS staff committee that will conduct independent scoring, followed by collective ranking and final decision-making.
How does funding work?
Grants will be awarded to five to eight projects, with grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 per project. These granting opportunities are being piloted this year (2026) and may be issued again in 2027 and 2028. To align with good financial stewardship practices, we ask applicants to carefully assess their needs and request only the funding required to meaningfully support the proposed activities. See below for further details.
When will we know if we are funded?
Granting decisions will be communicated by mid-July 2026.
When will projects take place?
Projects will be initiated in late summer to autumn of 2026 with completion within one year of initiation.
What criteria are being used to evaluate applications?
Funded projects must provide clear evidence of:
- commitment to and demonstration of First Nations leadership and respectful relationship-building;
- alignment with BCFNCS and/or APDRRFN actions and priorities;
- a thoughtful, ethical approach to relational work;
- how well they support Nation-led and co-designed climate initiatives; and
- how they intend to strengthen relationships that enable future research, planning, or knowledge mobilization.
Details regarding scoring in relation to the above criteria is provided in the application form.
Please note that in addition to this criteria PICS is committed to seeking projects inclusive of a diverse range of experiences, individuals and groups. We will also be considering community, geographic, disciplinary, and institutional diversity and inclusion.
What activities are eligible? What activities are not?
For both program pathways, eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Early planning activities that support future research or mobilization;
- Relationship-building meetings and gatherings;
- Trust-building and co-design conversations;
- Community engagement and listening sessions;
- Early planning activities that support future research or mobilization;
- Capacity building through human resourcing to undertake grant activities;
- Knowledge mobilization planning and production; and
- Translation of research findings into accessible formats.
The granting program is not designed to fund:
- activities that duplicate or replace existing research grant funding.
- capital purchases or major equipment.
- work that does not demonstrate First Nations leadership or alignment with the BCFNCS or APDRRFN.
If you have any questions or require further clarification on whether or not your proposed activity is eligible, please contact Janna Wale at jwale@uvic.ca for more information.
Once the project is complete, what type of reporting back does PICS expect?
- PICS will require completion of a brief post-project survey to enable us to gather basic information about the completed project.
- PICS will also invite sharing of project products, deliverables, and/or reflections and outcomes through appropriate PICS communication channels, subject to Nation approval and data governance considerations.
- All communications will respect community protocols, ownership, and decisions around sharing.
What else should applicants consider?
- There are inherent risks when relationships are newly forming or evolving across cultures and institutions; applicants must demonstrate how they will approach this work ethically, respectfully, and at an appropriate pace.
- This granting program is not intended to replace full research grants, but to enable and strengthen future research and mobilization pathways by investing in relational foundations.
- Projects should be appropriately scoped to prioritize relationship quality over volume of activities or outputs.
Relational Foundations Application Form
Please complete the application below. The call will close on June 17, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. PDT.
You can save your progress and resume later by using the “Save and Resume” option at the end of the form. Once you’ve filled out all the fields and are ready to submit, click the “Submit” button at the bottom. You’ll receive a confirmation email with a copy of your responses.
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