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Part of Children’s mental health

Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program

Funding for projects that support youth suicide prevention.

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Children’s mental health

Overview

The Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program provides funding to community-based, Indigenous and other eligible organizations to deliver programs, services and projects that help prevent youth suicide and support the mental health and well-being of young people in Alberta.

Funding supports evidence-informed initiatives that align with the program’s outcome areas, focus on priority youth populations at increased risk of suicide and address identified suicide prevention gaps and community needs.

The Youth Suicide Prevention Program Guidelines note that sub-populations are at an increased risk of suicide. Priority youth populations at increased risk include:

  • Indigenous youth
  • 2SLGBTQQIA+ youth
  • youth experiencing homelessness
  • youth in government care or transitioning out of care
  • youth with mental health and addiction challenges, and
  • recent immigrant and refugee youth

The 3 outcome areas targeted by the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program are supports and services, training, and education and awareness. More information about these outcome areas and examples of eligible activities can be found in the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program Guidelines.

For the purposes of this grant program, ‘youth’ includes all individuals under the age of 25.

The geographic scope of the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program is provincewide, including urban and rural areas, as well as Metis Settlements.

Successful recipients

  • Alberta Immigrant Information & Research Centre

    The Alberta Immigrant Information & Research Centre supports the mental well-being of newcomer youth and families, with a particular focus on Somali and African communities in Edmonton. This work includes youth workshops, peer conversations, community training and multilingual outreach, with some education and awareness activities reaching communities across Alberta.

  • Bridges Association for Newcomers and Mental Health

    Bridges Association for Newcomers and Mental Health helps newcomer and refugee youth in Calgary build connections and strengthen their mental well-being. Its Bridges of Hope project offers youth workshops, caregiver education, community conversations, arts and wellness activities and training for youth peer ambassadors and community members.

  • Chiniki First Nation

    Chiniki First Nation supports Indigenous youth in southwestern Alberta through its Beyond the Crisis initiative. The program provides culturally grounded support after a mental health crisis. It helps young people and their families find local resources and relationships, build resilience, maintain their well-being and stay connected to their community.

  • CL Whole of You Foundation Inc

    Based in Leduc and serving surrounding communities, the CL Whole You Foundation supports young people through school and community seminars, youth workshops, mentorship and activities that help them build connections. Its programming creates space for conversations about emotions, reduces stigma and isolation and promotes mental well-being. This includes activities tailored to serve Indigenous, newcomer, refugee and sexually and gender-diverse youth.

  • Dragonfly Counselling & Support Centre

    Dragonfly Counselling & Support Centre brings mental health and wellness support to young people in Bonnyville and communities across northeast and central Alberta. Its Roots & Wings initiative includes a travelling school clinic, group programs on personal safety and wellness and support for families affected by family violence. Programming is adapted to meet the cultural and developmental needs of the young people it serves.

  • Fort McKay Métis Nation Association

    The Fort McKay Métis Nation Association supports the well-being of Métis youth in Fort McKay and surrounding communities. Its Walking Together initiative connects young people with culturally responsive mental health supports, Indigenous leaders and opportunities to strengthen their cultural connections.

  • Free Play for Kids

    Free Play for Kids provides in-school and after-school programming for young newcomers in Edmonton. Their initiatives help participants develop social, emotional and mental health skills while building connections with peers through sport.

  • Red Deer Native Friendship Society

    The Red Deer Native Friendship Society supports Indigenous peoples and families in Red Deer and central Alberta through cultural teachings, family and community services, youth programming and connections to practical resources. Its Connect to Culture, Connect to Wellness program brings Indigenous two-spirit and gender-diverse youth together for activities rooted in culture and ceremony, helping them strengthen their well-being, cultural connections and relationships with their peers.

  • Sucker Creek First Nation

    Sucker Creek First Nation supports young people in its community near Slave Lake through programs grounded in culture, connection and wellness. Its Our Future Leaders program includes healing circles, life-skills training, cultural teachings, Elder mentorship and peer support, along with a 2-day youth conference.

  • The Governors of the University of Calgary

    Based in Calgary and serving communities across Alberta, the University of Calgary is helping young people, families, educators and communities better understand how artificial intelligence and digital experiences can affect youth well-being. The project provides workshops, training, skill-building sessions and educational resources focused on digital wellness and suicide prevention for 2SLGBTQQIA+ youth and their support networks. It also includes research in rural and underserved communities.

  • The Young Men’s Christian Association of Edmonton

    The Young Men's Christian Association of Northern Alberta helps young people in Fort Chipewyan build life skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with support. Through its Youth Transitions Program, youth can access one-on-one support, workshops and group wellness activities. The YMCA also provides mental health training for local community members, educators and people who work with youth.

  • Trellis Society for Community Impact

    Trellis Society for Community Impact helps young people in Strathmore and surrounding communities in Wheatland County access mental health support closer to home. Through Kickstand Strathmore, youth can connect with Indigenous wellness, clinical counselling and peer support services that empower them to build skills, confidence and meaningful connections with their peers.

  • United Way of the Alberta Capital Region

    United Way of the Alberta Capital Region’s All in for Youth program brings coordinated supports directly into Edmonton schools. This grant will enhance mental health and suicide prevention supports in 3 high-vulnerability schools by supporting success coaches and a mental health therapist to provide individual and group support, help create safety plans and connect young people with counselling and other services tailored to their needs.

  • Wood’s Homes

    Wood’s Homes provides mental health treatment and support for children, youth and families across southern Alberta. With this funding, an Indigenous wellness navigator will join its youth services team, including at a youth emergency shelter in Lethbridge, to help Indigenous youth access culturally meaningful supports, build connections and receive mentorship. The project will also help staff strengthen their skills in cultural safety and trauma-informed care.

Funding

The range of funding per grant agreement is from $40,000 to $175,000 for one year. Grant funds must be used only for purposes approved by the Alberta government.

The term of the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program will be from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027. 

The Alberta government reserves the right to renew the grant agreement under the same terms and conditions, for up to 2 single year renewals to perform the Project.

Based on available funding and the number of applications received, not all applications may be funded or receive the full amount.

Eligibility

An eligible organization must meet all of these eligibility criteria.

Type of organization

An organization must be classified as one of the following:

  • not-for-profit organization or society, legally registered and in good standing under one of the following pieces of legislation:
    • provincial legislation (Alberta)
      • Societies Act
      • Companies Act, Part 9 (Not-for-profit companies)
      • Special Act of the Legislature 
      • Agricultural Societies Act - Religious Societies Land Act, Part 2 
      • Post-secondary Learning Act 
      • Part 21 of the Business Corporations Act - Extra-Provincial Corporations – and must be incorporated as a not-for-profit organization or society in their home jurisdiction 
    • federal legislation (Canada)
      • Special Act of Parliament 
      • Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act – and must be registered in Alberta under the Business Corporations Act 
      • Income Tax Act (and operating in Alberta as a charity) 
      • Board of Trade Act, Part 2 (Chambers of Commerce)
  • First Nation
  • Metis Settlement

Length of operations

An organization must be operating in Alberta for a minimum of one full calendar year.

Insurance coverage

Applicants must insure: 

  • Their operations under a contract of general liability insurance, in accordance with Alberta’s Insurance Act, in an amount not less than $2,000,000 inclusive per occurrence. 
  • Against bodily injury, personal injury and property damage, including loss of use thereof.

After you apply

Applicants will be notified of decisions in writing. All decisions on applications are final, and no appeals will be considered.

Reporting

Organizations that receive grant funding are required to provide us with reports about how the funding is being used. Recipients are required to submit interim reports and final reports that align with outcomes, reporting timelines and requirements set out in the grant agreement.

The grant recipients will be required to submit:

  • Interim Report: Updates on status of project outcomes and indicators, challenges/opportunities, financial report and expenditures to date.
  • Annual/Final Report: Update at the end of the term of the grant agreement on status of project outcomes and indicators, challenges/opportunities, and financial reports of actual project expenditures prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principle. Financial reporting requirement determined by grant value.
  • Other reporting requirements as determined during the term of the grant.

Contact

Connect with us if you have questions regarding the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program:

Email: [email protected]

Support is available if you need someone to talk to:

Related

Previous Children’s mental health learning series