Eligible Recipients: Organizations
Area: Yellowknife
Activities: putting on community events and festivals in an open range of themes (e.g. cultural, food, film, writing).
If you are putting on a music event, please apply to the Music stream of this fund: https://www.ykcf.ca/grant-opportunities/music-events-karen-gochnauer-arts-and-community-fund
Amount Available: $5,000 (Please note that amounts may vary year by year.)

Application Process

To apply, you must create a profile on our grant application portal. If your organization already exists in our portal, but you do not have a user account, contact grants@ykcf.ca. We will create an account for you and link it to your organization. Once you are logged in, click Apply in the navigation bar to access each grant application.

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2026 Key Dates

1 June 12:01AM

Applications open.

31 July 11:59PM

Applications close.

September

Funding distributed.

Please note that key dates are subject to change.

Karen Gochnauer moved to Yellowknife in the early 1990s to work as a geologist. Karen had a deep love for dance, music, and community. Her love of dance extended to all forms including Scottish Country, Modern, Jazz, Hip-hop, Ballet, and, for a break, just moving to music at parties and festivals. Karen was an inspiration to the Yellowknife dance community and was always generous with her time and energy as a teacher and mentor. There was never a community event, whether dance, arts, or community-related, that Karen did not find time to attend with her infectious smile. Karen passed away in 2024 surrounded by friends and the love of family, after an all too brief battle with cancer. This fund honours her memory, and will support organizations in Yellowknife and across the NWT to promote dance, music, and community.

Organizations in Yellowknife putting on community events and festivals in an open range of themes (e.g. cultural, food, film, writing).
If you are putting on a music event, please apply to the Music stream of this fund: https://www.ykcf.ca/grant-opportunities/music-events-karen-gochnauer-arts-and-community-fund.

Grantees are eligible to re-apply for grants in successive years; however previous receipt does not guarantee future awards.

2026: $5,000

Please note that amounts may vary year by year.

To apply, you must create a profile on our grant application portal. If your organization already exists in our portal, but you do not have a user account, contact grants@ykcf.ca. We will create an account for you and link it to your organization. Once you are logged in, click Apply in the navigation bar to access each grant application.

1 June 12:01AM: Applications open.
31 July 11:59PM: Applications due.

Please note that key dates vary year by year.

Applications are reviewed by our Grants Committee and Fund Advisors.

31 July 11:59PM: All applications due via grant portal.

August: Yellowknife Community Foundation staff conduct due diligence checks, and Grants Committee members undertake a review process. As a normal part of the review process, you may be contacted for further clarifying information.

September: Applicants are notified. Every applicant will receive notification regardless of funding decision.

  • All successful grantees will be required to submit a final report through our online portal.
  • We want to hear from you during the lifecycle of your grant! Please reach out anytime with an impact story, picture or video, or just to say “Hi!”.
The first grant for this fund will be awarded in 2026. Watch this space!