Community Action Grants

About Community Action Grants

Arthritis Society Canada is committed to extinguishing the fire of arthritis in communities across Canada. Our Community Action Grants are aimed at providing more opportunities for people to connect, learn, and thrive with arthritis in their own communities. Living with pain can be isolating, but together we can fight the fire of arthritis. 

Arthritis affects 1 in 5 people in Canada. Community Action Grants support communities exploring local solutions for people living with arthritis. Groups and individuals addressing arthritis-related needs specific to their communities, including health inequities and disparities that impact access to arthritis information and care, are welcome to apply.

The 2026-2027 Application period will be open from September 12, 2025 to October 31, 2025.

Funding will be made available to successful applicants between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.

Program Overview

How to Apply

• To use our online application system, click the “Apply Now” button below that will take you to a registration home page. 
• Next, create an account that will give you access to Arthritis Society Canada grant programs. 
• Once you have confirmed your account, you will be able to see a list of grants being offered by Arthritis Society Canada. Select “Community Action Grants” from the grant selection menu.
• Click ‘start an application’
• Once you begin filling out the application, you will not be able to move forward to other pages until the page you are on is filled out. You can go back and edit previous pages, but you will not be able to make any edits once you have submitted your application. 
• There is a PDF document of the application questions available to view from the application description in Apply. Please reference this sheet to help you plan your program, and budget. 
• Applications can be saved while you work, and retuned to finish and submit later. You may also add collaborators to help complete applications. 
• If you are not able to submit an application using our online application system, please contact communitygrants@arthritis.ca for a fillable PDF version. 
• The application deadline is October 31, 2025 at 11:59pm PST. We will not consider any applications submitted after this deadline. 

• Application Requirements

  Include the following information in your application: 

  • Primary audience (e.g., people living with arthritis, caregivers, children living with arthritis, children of adults living with arthritis). Tell us who your audience is, and why you are planning to reach this group of people.
  • Clearly outline how you will conduct outreach to participants.
  • Support group or education-based program proposals must include details about who will be facilitating the group, and their qualifications to support people in this role. For example, are they a community leader, trusted person, an instructor, a registered social worker or other professional? Please include their qualifications and any credentials if relevant to your proposal.
  • Applications must include a budget using the template provided with as much detail as possible.
  • Include a proposed workplan or timeline for your program or activity to take place. (Please ensure your project can be completed within the grant timelines: April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.)
  • If you are submitting an application for ongoing programming, please include an outline sharing how you plan to continue this program after initial funding from Arthritis Society Canada.
  • Program evaluation and metrics: Provide information about how you plan to measure participant engagement, empowerment, program impact, and reach. 
    • What impact will the program or activity have on your community? Will participants feel more knowledgeable and empowered to manage arthritis as a result? (Include how you will measure these outcomes in your evaluation plan.)

  Download Complete Application Criteria [PDF 1.31MB]
• Additional Requirements

  If your application is successful, you must agree to the following:

  • All activities must adhere to public health guidelines for preventing respiratory illnesses (e.g., COVID-19, seasonal flu) for your area.
  • All program advertising must include recognition of funding from Arthritis Society Canada.
  • You must be able to receive funds to a non-personal bank account with two or more signatories. Single signatories will be accepted where proof of business or not-for-profit use of account can be provided. A trustee may also receive funds on your behalf. This requirement applies to all applicants – individuals and groups/organizations.
  • All receipts and invoices for program expenses must be submitted to Arthritis Society Canada following the completion of grant activities. Any eligible expenses that cannot be accounted for with receipts or invoices will not be reimbursed.
  • All unused funds at the end of the grant term will be returned to Arthritis Society Canada within 30 days of final Report submission.
  • All selected applicants must return signed funding agreements and banking information before deadline or will forfeit eligibility to funding.
  • Grant activities may not commence until funding agreements and financial arrangements have been finalized.
  • Applicants are responsible for acquiring any necessary liability insurance and/or confirming coverage with program venue(s).
• Selection Criteria

  The following list of selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications. Please include as much detail as possible for each of the following. Once an application is submitted, edits cannot be made.
  
  Potential impact: The application should include information about how your program will address one or more of the following:

  • serve people living with arthritis
  • empower participants to better manage their arthritis
  • connect people living with arthritis to support
  • serve caregivers of people living with arthritis
  • help children or families with arthritis

  Uniqueness: What makes your program unique to your community, or sets it apart from other programs currently offered for people living with arthritis or their caregivers?

  Reach: Include information about who will be reached, how they will be reached, and how many people will benefit from your proposed program.

  • Be sure to also include how you will measure these program targets.

  Feasibility: Be realistic in your application and ability to implement your proposed plan (you can aim high, but be mindful that your application will be evaluated based on the realistic possibility of implementing the proposed plan with all resources and skills mentioned in the application).

  Experience: individual or team experience and appropriateness to lead initiative

  • Please demonstrate how you and your team are qualified to lead and implement your proposed program. Include details about how you will fill gaps in knowledge or skills. If specialized knowledge or skills are required to deliver program activities, please confirm the qualifications of the team members proposed to be involved.
  • You can include plans to hire an instructor for areas your team cannot meet, but don’t forget to include who you will bring in, and how they will help fill a need for your program. For example, you may hire a yoga instructor to lead yoga classes.

  Social Connection: How will your program promote social connections among participants? Include information about how your program will address and measure one or more of the following:

  • Social isolation
  • Opportunities to connect people living with arthritis or their caregivers
  • Create a sense of belonging among participants
• How to Start an Application
  • To use our online application system, click the “Apply Now” button below that will take you to a registration home page.
  • Next, create an account that will give you access to Arthritis Society Canada grant programs.
  • Once you have confirmed your account, you will be able to see a list of grants being offered by Arthritis Society Canada. Select “Community Action Grants” from the grant selection menu.
  • Click ‘start an application’
  • Once you begin filling out the application, you will not be able to move forward to other pages until the page you are on is filled out. You can go back and edit previous pages, but you will not be able to make any edits once you have submitted your application.
  • There is a PDF document of the application questions available to view from the application description in Apply. Please reference this sheet to help you plan your program, and budget.
  • Applications can be saved while you work, and retuned to finish and submit later. You may also add collaborators to help complete applications.

  If you are not able to submit an application using our online application system, please contact communitygrants@arthritis.ca or Download a Paper Application [PDF 262 kb].

  The application deadline is October 31, 2025 at 11:59pm PST. We will not consider any applications submitted after this deadline.

• Information Sessions

  We will be hosting information sessions by zoom during the application period. Please register to join a session for an opportunity to ask questions in real time, and speak with Arthritis Society Canada staff about the application process.

  Two sessions will be held in English on:

  • September 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:00pm EST
  • October 2, 2025 from 2:00-3:00pm EST

  Register for English session

  One session will be held in French on:

  • September 24, 2025 from 2:00-3:00pm EST

  Register for French session

Previous Award Years

• 2024-2025
  In 2024-2025, Arthritis Society Canada selected 3 initiatives to move forward with funding in communities all across the country. To learn more about each of the selected projects, please see our official announcement.
• 2023-2024
  In 2023-2024, Arthritis Society Canada selected 7 initiatives to move forward with funding in communities all across the country. To learn more about each of the selected projects, please see our official announcement.
• 2022-2023
  In 2022-2023, Arthritis Society Canada selected 7 initiatives to move forward with funding in communities all across the country. To learn more about each of the selected projects, please see our official announcement.

For questions, or more information, please email communitygrants@arthritis.ca.
 

We thank the following for their support of Community Action Grants: