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Part of Prevention

First responders’ mental health grants

Apply for funding to provide or improve services for first responders living with or at risk for post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI).

Important dates

The mental health grant program is closed to applications.

May 27, 2024 – Deadline for 2024–25 grant applications.

Early 2025 – Successful applicants notified.

Overview

Alberta’s firefighters, police officers, paramedics, sheriffs, corrections officers and emergency workers often deal with stressful, dangerous and traumatic situations. This stress has a negative impact on first responders and emergency workers. They experience post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) at significantly higher rates than the general population.

For this program’s purposes, “emergency workers” are those who encounter serious, unexpected and often dangerous situations requiring immediate action as part of their jobs.

The Supporting Psychological Health in First Responders (SPHIFR) grant program has 2 separate funding streams:

  • Stream 1 (Services) provides funding for non-profit organizations that provide services to first responders and emergency workers living with or at risk for PTSI.
  • Stream 2 (Research) provides funding to researchers engaged in applied research that generates evidence on prevention or intervention for first responders and emergency workers living with or at risk for PTSI.

Funding

There is up to $1.5 million available for this grant program in 2024-25.

Eligibility

Grants are available for 2 areas of focus: services, and applied research.

Note: if a service or project is partially funded by another organization, the applicant must indicate what component will be funded by a SPHIFR grant to avoid overlap.

Stream 1: services

The grant for services is available for:

  • non-profit or public sector organizations that operate in Alberta
  • services or a project dedicated to providing services to Alberta first responders and emergency workers living with or at risk for PTSI

Stream 2: applied research

The applied research grant recipients must meet these requirements:

  • Applicant must be affiliated with a Canadian-based organization.
  • The research project must generate evidence on prevention or intervention for PTSI in first responders and emergency workers.

How to apply

Step 1. Read the grant guidelines

Stream 1: Services application instructions

Stream 1 Grant agreement sample

Stream 2: Applied research application instructions

Stream 2 Grant agreement sample

The Stream 2 grant agreement allows a version of the final report and dataset to be published on the Open government portal. This dataset is a modified version of data collected by the researcher with confidential or personally identifiable information removed. Some datasets may not be candidates for the Open government portal for ethical reasons.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact SPHIFR program staff if they have questions or concerns about the Open government portal.

Step 2. Complete the application package

Fillable PDF forms may not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers. For help opening the forms, contact PDF form technical support.

Download and complete the grant application form.

Depending on the application, the following documents may need to be submitted with your application:

Services application:

  • Incorporation documents – If ‘Other’ was selected under the question: ‘Which act is the organization regulated by?’, the incorporation documents are required for the organization as part of the application process.
  • Partner organization letter of support – If a partner organization is included on the application as having a role in the project, a letter of support is required. The letter must be on the partner organization’s letterhead and include their support for the project and specific role.

Applied research application:

  • Résumé or curriculum vitae – Include one for the principal applicant and co-applicant where applicable. Each résumé should not exceed 5 pages.
  • References – Up to 2 pages of references may be included with citations.
  • Supplemental documents – If images, tables, graphs or letters of support are required, ensure the attachments are appropriately referred to in the application form.

Step 3. Submit the application package via email

All attachments can be combined into a single pdf using the naming convention of ‘Lastname-Firstname-Attachments.pdf’.

Email the PDF to sphifr@gov.ab.ca

After you apply

Successful applicants will be notified in early 2025 and asked to enter into a grant agreement.

Funded projects

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

2020-21