Time to apply! – Yellowknife Community Foundation

3 March 2020

The Yellowknife Community Foundation 2020 Grants and Scholarship application season is here!

The Yellowknife Community Foundation, through the generosity of many current and former Yellowknife residents, families and organizations is pleased to accept applications for the many funds that are available. The Yellowknife Community Foundation will be accepting and reviewing applications at several times during the year.

Applications deadlines are the following:

Yellowknife Community Fund

March 31, 2020
September 15, 2020

Yellowknife Community Foundation – Named Funds

March 31, 2020
May 15, 2020
September 15, 2020

Named Funds:

Albert Hall Seniors Enhancement Fund
Alice and Randy Daniels Music Fund (grant and scholarship applications accepted)
Barb Bromley Fund for Seniors and Elders
Chris Argue Memorial Fund (grant and scholarship applications accepted)
David Sutherland Memorial Fund (grant and scholarship applications accepted)
Elliot Michael Brown Fund
Gary Robinson Memorial Fund
Get Her Elected Fund
Helmets for Hardy
Luke Charpentier Memorial Fund (grant and scholarship applications accepted)
Mary Beth Miller Memorial Fund (grant and scholarship applications accepted)
Pat McMahon Memorial Fund (grant and scholarship applications accepted)

Note: Some of these funds also accept applications for Scholarships.

Yellowknife Community Foundation – Scholarships

Applications open March 1, 2020 – Deadline is May 15, 2020

Scholarships:

Note: Some of these funds also accept applications for Named Funds.

Additional Notes:

Organizations that are applying to the Yellowknife Community Fund or to the Yellowknife Community Foundation Named Funds must be a registered Charity, or they must be sponsored by a Qualified Donnee. A Qualified Donnee is a third party entity that can distribute/flow the YCF funds to the Grant Recipient. Please contact the Yellowknife Community Foundation for more information.

Share this post

Discover more

Impact Story - Skate North -...

July 29, 2026

The Yellowknife Small Grants Program offers micro-grants of up to $1,000 for individual residents of Yellowknife, Ndilǫ, and Dettah to bring the community together and help make it better. The first ever batch of grants was awarded in Fall 2025 to eight community members, including Forrest Doctor for his ongoing project, Skate North.

The initiative aims to make skateboarding more accessible to youth by providing safe skate spaces, equipment, and mentorship.

” I want to encourage youth to commit to their passions, take initiative, and create positive change. For me, that means creating a safe space for learners, something I didn’t have when I first started. This project is about keeping skateboarding alive in the NWT and giving our youth the support and opportunities they deserve.” – excerpt from Forrest’s proposal

Forrest used the grant to purchase helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards to give away to up-and-coming skaters. Through free prize draws, in-person outreach, and open calls on social media, Forrest was able to get gear directly into the hands of youth who need it the most.

Forrest Doctor giving away gear at the miniramp in Ndilǫ. The ramp was constructed in Spring 2026 as part of a Skate North wordworking workshop, delivered in partnership with the YKDFN Dechı̨ta Nàowo Training Center.

Matt Wolff from Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB.
The skate shop is an ardent supporter and partner to the Skate North project.

Donate to the Fund

The results of this direct access model were both immediate and unexpected. Two things stand out especially. First, Forrest noticed that new skaters were able to instantly start with confidence. Having proper safety gear in place meant they were free to try things as many times as they wanted. That ability to iterate safely creates a level of early learning and progression that is invaluable.

Second, the degree of engagement from youth, families, and the larger community was uplifting. Skate North has now grown through additional volunteers, sponsors, and partners, including local schools. It shows that there is a strong demand for skateboarding and action sports overall. Now an olympic sport, the old cultural stigmas attached to skating have faded away. All that remains is a desire to get out there and rip.

Forrest partnered with Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB to acquire the gear at a discounted rate. Shop rep Matt Wolff had this to say on the impact of skating and initiatives like Skate North:

“Especially in smaller communities, skateboarding can be a huge outlet for youth, not only physically, but to express themselves artistically as well. It also brings a real sense of community for people. I grew up in a small town in the middle of Alberta, and the people I skateboarded with I still have friendships with to this day.”

We can’t wait to see a new generation of skaters come up and grow the local scene in the North. Keep rolling.