Lived and Living Experience Employment Grant

Meaningful employment for PWLLE of mental illness and/or substance provides a space to gain feelings of confidence and empowerment; provides financial resources; helps expand their professional skills; and helps create social networks. Employment can also support health and well-being, and may even promote recovery. (CMHA 2023)

Through lived or living experience with mental illness and/or substance use, people have gained unique knowledge and insights that can inform services and programs, and support organizations in identifying, implementing and evaluating strategies that consider mental illness and/or substance use.

However, PWLLE of mental illness and/or substance use often experience barriers to employment and high unemployment rates. (CMHA 2024)

A significant barrier exists at the organizational and systems level – organizations may be reluctant to hire PWLLE or are unable to properly support PWLLE. Workplaces run the risk of re-creating experiences of social exclusion, inequity, and systemic harm. (CMHA 2023)

This grant opportunity aims to increase organizational and system readiness by providing funds, capacity-building opportunities and an ongoing Community of Practice to create inclusive and accessible workplaces where lived experience is valued and recognized as expertise.

Non-government, not-for-profit, CBOs or First Nations, Métis, Inuit or urban Indigenous led organizations in BC are invited to apply for up to $60,000 in annual funding for a 2-year term.

• Monday, December 1, 2025: Grant applications open
• Friday, January 16, 2026, 5:00 p.m. (PST): Grant applications close
• January – February 2026: Review and selection process
• March 2026: Grantees notified
• March 2026: Workshop dates
• End of April 2026: Organizational Readiness package submission deadline
• May 2026: Grants awarded

This grant application requires two phases:

Phase 1: Online application

Applications are now closed.

Phase 2: Capacity-building activities

Selected organization grantees from the online application phase will be required to complete the following before grants are awarded:

• Participate in two capacity-building Workshops
• Submit an Organizational Readiness package

Only those who receive approval by CAI will be eligible to receive funding.

More information about these activities is available on the grant application.

For any questions or inquiries about this grant opportunity or application process, please contact:

Chantel Spade, Project Manager, Community Action Initiative

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (236) 660-4053

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). (2023). Peer Employment in the Mental Health and Substance Use Sector. Retrieved from: Peer-Employment-Literature-Review_CMHA-BC_2023.pdf

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). (2024). The State of Mental Health in Canada 2024: Mapping the landscape of mental health, addictions and substance use health. Retrieved from: THE STATE OF MENTAL HEALTH IN CANADA 2024