Open Call: IPRF Access to Justice Bundle Program (Canada)
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The Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund (IPRF) has introduced the Access to Justice Bundle Program, a community-led initiative shaped by the vision and leadership of Indigenous peoples across northern Ontario.
This program is designed to strengthen access to justice, amplify Indigenous rights and laws, and center Indigenous voices in the justice system. It is made possible through a partnership with The Law Foundation of Ontario, which has committed $1 million to support this work.
The program is grounded in extensive engagement with Indigenous communities. Between August and November 2024, IPRF and the Foundation held four focus groups across northern Ontario to listen to people’s experiences with access to justice. These sessions informed the design of the program, ensuring that the funding model responds directly to community-identified needs and priorities.
Through this program, funding will be made available to Indigenous organizations that are removing barriers to justice and addressing the legal needs of their communities. The goal is to invest in knowledge and services that empower Indigenous people to understand the law and apply it to improve their lives. Funded activities can take place throughout 2026 and 2027, with decisions expected in December 2025.
Applications are welcomed for a wide range of initiatives, including rights education, community-based legal supports, and programs rooted in either western or traditional Indigenous legal systems. By embracing diverse approaches to justice, the program reflects the many ways Indigenous communities define and pursue fairness, accountability, and wellbeing.
The program has three main objectives: to strengthen Indigenous-led justice pathways in northern Ontario, to remove structural and systemic barriers to justice, and to build community capacity for sustainable justice work. A total of $1 million will be disbursed, though it is unlikely that projects requiring more than $100,000 will be funded, allowing the support to reach multiple initiatives.
Eligibility is limited to Indigenous-led and serving organizations. Groups must be created, governed, and guided by Indigenous people, with at least 51 percent of board, council, or committee members identifying as Indigenous. Eligible applicants may include community groups, registered not-for-profit organizations, registered charities, or First Nation, Métis, or Inuit councils that are elected and community-accepted. Applicants must also have a bank account in the organization’s name to receive funds.
Activities must primarily serve northern Ontario communities, including the districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Muskoka, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Timiskaming, and Thunder Bay. Proposed projects should clearly align with the program’s objectives and have realistic budgets that fit within the two-year funding period from January 2026 to December 2027.
The Access to Justice Bundle Program represents a deep commitment by IPRF and the Law Foundation of Ontario to walk alongside Indigenous communities in northern Ontario. By listening, learning, and investing in community-led solutions, the program aims to create pathways to justice that are sustainable, inclusive, and rooted in Indigenous values and priorities.
