The GLOWS Indigenous Health Grant: Guiding Local Opportunities for Wellbeing is a co-created initiative between CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks and Gilead Sciences Canada that seeks to advance health equity within Indigenous communities by enhancing engagement in cultural, HIV and viral hepatitis care.

Offering a financial commitment of $3M USD (approx. $4M CAD) over three years, the grant is designed to support Indigenous-led solutions which address the unique needs of Indigenous peoples living with or at risk of HIV and viral hepatitis. CAAN and Gilead Sciences Canada are supported by the Indigenous Advisory Circle, a national group consisting of seven representatives who reflect the diverse Indigenous population across our nation. These individuals will play an important role in shaping our program to align seamlessly with the vision and priorities of Indigenous communities. We are grateful to for their guidance and wisdom.

Funding Priorities

The program is a step forward in supporting Indigenous peoples’ rights to autonomy specifically as it relates to our health and well-being and enabling us to deliver traditional medicines and healing practices within our communities. It aims to fund initiatives that align with at least one of the following funding priorities:

  • Education: Build awareness of HIV/viral hepatitis symptoms, drivers of transmission, and available care and treatments through Indigenous-ledculturally appropriate health information and services that support improved screening and diagnosis.
  • Peer Support & Navigation: Improve access to HIV/viral hepatitis care services that align with Indigenous ways of knowing and doing, helping to create safe environments for Indigenous people to navigate care settings, seek care and continue receiving care.
  • Holistic Care: Enable holistic healing with tools and services that enhance the capacity to deliver HIV/viral hepatitis and traditional care, helping to address the physical, mental, social and spiritual needs of Indigenous people.
  • Capacity Building: Support Indigenous-led organizations in strengthening staff skills and capabilities, infrastructure and administrative support, to continue delivering HIV/viral hepatitis services and expand organizational sustainability and community-based leadership.

Who Can Apply

The program is open to organizations who meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • The grantee is a community-based non-profit organization or registered charity.
  • The organization is Indigenous-led.
  • The organization has experience in the fields of HIV and/or viral hepatitis.
  • The organization is financially stable.
  • The organization has a strong ability to develop, implement and evaluate programs.
  • The organization is free from any conflicts of interest with CAAN, the Indigenous Advisory Circle and/or Gilead.

How To Apply

The application process involves two steps:

STEP 1: Initial Application

Download and complete the initial application form to provide initial information about your organization and planned initiative. Completed forms must be emailed to Tawnya Crowshoe, Indigenous Health Program Coordinator, at

This form will help us determine your eligibility to move forward to the next phase of the process and receive your requested level of funding. All organizations who qualify to move forward in the process will be eligible to receive grant funding, subject to successfully completing the remainder of the application process.

Download Form Here

Organizations that successfully complete Step 1 and meet all eligibility criteria will move on to Step 2 of the application process.

STEP 2: Initiative Submission

Eligible applicants will be contacted by the Indigenous Health Program Coordinator (IHPC), who will offer the option to:

  • Independently complete a more detailed written submission OR
  • Participate in a working session with the IHPC to outline your planned initiative, which then be translated into a written submission.

Submissions will be reviewed by the Indigenous Advisory Circle, who will provide feedback on the initiative and determine the level of funding to be provided. by the Indigenous Advisory Circle, who will provide feedback on the initiative and determine the level of funding to be provided. Grantees will then enter into a written agreement with CAAN outlining the funds to be received, the details of the funded initiative and the organization’s reporting responsibilities.

Download Submission Form

Funding Levels

Grant funding will be distributed in an equitable manner. Interested organizations can apply for one of the following levels of funding based on their suggested initiative:

Note that the level of funding to be received by each eligible organization cannot exceed 33% of their annual revenue. Organizations who have a smaller annual revenue may receive a smaller amount of funding to comply with this funding guideline. Should the number of eligible submissions exceed the available grant funding, CAAN and the Indigenous Advisory Circle will prorate the levels in alignment with the equitable fund distribution framework.

With the support of evaluation tools and expertise from CAAN, eligible grantees will be asked to evaluate their initiative based on:

  • A mandatory metric – The main measure of success for the funding priority their initiative aligns with best:
    • Education: # of individual receiving education / participating in an educational program
    • Peer Navigation & Support: # of individuals receiving navigation support
    • Holistic Care: # of individual who have accessed traditional medicines & healing practices
    • Capacity Building: # of organizations that developed a strategic plan as a result of the investment.
  • A secondary metric – Which they can define and customize based on the objectives of their initiative

Grant Timeline

  • Grant officially open for applications: September 21, 2023
  • Deadline to submit initial application: October 27, 2023
  • Initiative submission development/ working sessions: November 6 to November 22, 2023
  • Deadline for initiative submissions: November 22, 2023
  • Announcement of grantees: December 8, 2023