Faithful Footprints Grant
The United Church of Canada’s dedicated funding for decarbonization upgrades of its buildings
2026 Funding Cycle opens soon
Expression of Interest opens January 28, 2026
Apply for funding
The Faithful Footprints Grant is The United Church of Canada’s dedicated funding for decarbonization upgrades of its buildings.
The grant provides financial support to help United Church communities of faith plan and complete retrofit projects that reduce fossil fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening long-term sustainability and renewing mission work across the country.
$20,000
Receive up to 20,000 dollars to carry out carbon reduction building upgrades
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, United Church communities of faith and their properties must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. These include criteria related to the proposed project, denominational standing, annual organizational income, loan repayment status, available financial reserves, maximum grant amounts, matching fund requirements, conditions related to property sale and grant repayment, and project completion timelines.
Applications that do not meet these requirements may not be considered for funding.
Funding Cycle Timeline
The following outlines the key milestones and deadlines for the current funding cycle.
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After submitting an expression of interest, communities of faith will participate in a scheduled onboarding meeting with Faithful Footprints staff. During this meeting, staff will review the program and application process and discuss the community’s building decarbonization opportunities and challenges. Following the meeting, communities will have a clear understanding of the requirements and next steps necessary to receive the formal application package. The deadline to submit an expression of interest is April 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
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Following a successful onboarding meeting and the development of a decarbonization plan, interested communities of faith will receive an application form. Applicants must complete the form, gather all required supporting documentation, and submit their full application package to Faithful Footprints staff. The final deadline for submission is May 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
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Following the application deadline, all submissions will be screened for eligibility and undergo a structured assessment and selection process. During this process, applications will be reviewed and evaluated by Regional Ministers and United Church staff in accordance with established regional and national priorities.
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In early July, all applicants will be notified of the outcome of their submissions.
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Grant recipients whose applications are approved are required to complete their projects within the approved calendar year, no later than December 31, 2026. Any unavoidable delays must be reported to the Faithful Footprints Program delivery partner, Faith & the Common Good.
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Upon completion of their projects, grant recipients are required to submit a project report. This project report will include a project summary, project expense form with all supporting invoice documentation, and project photos, using the templates provided by Faithful Footprints. Following review and approval of the complete project report, grant recipients will receive project reimbursement funds, subject to a $1,000 holdback.
In January 2028, grant recipients are required to submit 1-year post-retrofit energy data, after which they will receive an energy and carbon baseline comparison report and the remaining $1,000 holdback will be distributed.