Ocean Week Canada Grants

Mini-grants… big splash!

Identified as a priority in the Canadian Ocean Literacy Strategy, the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) launched its Ocean Literacy Community Grants program in 2023. Under this program, to date, there have been 3 types of grants awarded, including the Ocean Week Canada Community Event Grant, the Blue Creators Grant, and the Blue Schools Canada Experiential Learning Grant.

The Blue Creators Grant

Through the Blue Creators Grant, we empower creators to use their art form as a community-driven, participatory tool to spark crucial ocean conversations, deepening public understanding of ocean science, building emotional connections, and igniting possibilities and pathways for community-led ocean-climate action. Successful applicants will become Ocean Week Canada Featured Artists.

The applications for 2025 are now closed.

DETAILS & TERMS

OWC Community Event Grant

We want to help you connect people with the ocean and the waterways leading to it! As part of this, COLC is supporting events and activities that will take place in communities across Canada during Ocean Week Canada (June 1-8). Do you have an idea for an exciting event or activity, but need a bit of funding support to help make it happen? Or maybe you already have some of the funding you need for your event, but now you want to engage even more people. If either of these sound like you, we encourage you to apply when applications open for 2026.

NOTE: Applications are now closed for 2025.

DETAILS & TERMS

OWC Community Event Grants at a glance

OWC 2024 grants

Across geographies and generations, Ocean Week Canada 2024 saw nearly 400 events take place in all provinces and territories.

2024 grant summary

OWC 2023 grants

Ocean Week Canada 2023 saw nearly 200 events take place in all provinces and territories, across Canada.

2023 grant summary

OWC 2024 grants

Across geographies and generations, Ocean Week Canada 2024 saw nearly 400 events take place in all provinces and territories.

OWC 2023 grants

Ocean Week Canada 2023 saw nearly 200 events take place in all provinces and territories, across Canada.

2024 grant summary

2023 grant summary

Ocean Week Canada grants in action

Every year, from June 1-8, Ocean Week Canada is filled with impactful grant-funded events and meaningful connections, all made possible thanks to our regional hub coordinators, partners, event hosts, and dedicated community members. Visit the link below to view OWC’s impact across the years!

Dive into Our Impact

We recognize that supporting and amplifying community-led ocean-water literacy events and initiatives is essential to empowering more people in Canada to better understand, value, and care for the ocean and the waterways leading to it. We also recognize that there is no one-size fits all approach to doing this work. Ocean-water literacy needs to be advanced in meaningful, place-based ways. In turn, the objective of this Community Grants program is to provide more accessible and streamlined funding opportunities for community-driven ocean literacy initiatives that are regionally, culturally, and linguistically relevant.