2025-26 Grants

Community Grants | First Round

We approved 72 grant applications for a total of $1,490,408 in Round 1 (awarded in April 2025).

  • 7th Step Society of NS — 7th Step Troubled Youth Outreach
  • 7th Step Society of NS — Peer-Support Workers and Programming for Criminalized Individuals
  • Adsum Association for Women & Children — PeerWorks Program
  • Aging Well Nova Scotia Association (Community Links Association) — Building Community Capacity:  Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Older Nova Scotians
  • Aidaen Mae Fund — Help Keep Our Youth Alive
  • Anahata Integrative Sex & Relationship Therapy Inc. — Men Building Healthy Relationships
  • Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education — AVRCE GSA Health Summit
  • Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education — GuysWork Blitz at West Hants Schools
  • Arts Health Antigonish (AHA!) Society — Antigonish Comedy Club
  • Autism Nova Scotia — Pictou County Weekend Recreation and Respite
  • Berhan Cultural & Education Center (BCEC) — Ethiopian Parents & Youth Guide to Online Bullying and Mental Health
  • Brigadoon Children’s Camp — Camp BELIEVE
  • Brunswick Street Mission — Breakfast Program – Social Work
  • Canadian Blk Women in Excellence Society — Thrive in Black
  • Canadian BLUE Wellness Association — Mental Health Through Mindful Movement Pilot Project
  • CMHA-NS Division — Learn to Live Life to the Full  
  • CMHA -NS Division — Suicide Safer Communities with ASISTance
  • Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation — The Mental Health and Addictions Patient Care Fund
  • Cecilia Concerts Society — Sensory Accessible Concerts – Season 5
  • Chebucto Family Centre — Empowering Mothers through Wellness and Support
  • Chester Municipal Heritage Society — If I Knew Then
  • CNIB — CNIB’s Life After Vision Loss
  • Common Roots BiHi Park — Gather & Grow: “Sharing Experiences in Gardens and Life”
  • Common Roots Woodside — Growing Mental Health 2025
  • Coverdale Justice Society — Trauma Informed Justice Support Program
  • Cumberland Public Libraries — Staff Training to Serve our Most Vulnerable Populations
  • Direction 180, Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Society — MENding Minds
  • Diverse Roots Therapy — Gender – Affirming Care Clinic for Gender Marker & Name Changes
  • Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia — The Abundance Thrift Store
  • Esinam Counselling Inc. — Three-part series of group counselling
  • Evangeline Recreation Society — Berwick Community Mental Wellness Hub Initiative
  • Family SOS Association — Healthy Kidz and Healthy Teenz Afterschool Programs, Lunchbox Project
  • Find Your Voice Music Therapy — Trans-Formative Voices: Transgender and Non – Binary Youth and Adults Voice Therapy Program
  • Flourish 55+ Healthy Activity Society — Let’s Talk Senior Suicide
  • Forging Forward Counselling Services — Forging Forward Brief Solution Focused (BSF) Counselling Program
  • Fountain of Health — The Art and Science of Aging Well for NS Seniors
  • Friends United — HEART (Healing Education Around Reconciling Together) to Heart Talk
  • Good Neighbour Builders Society — Yarmouth Good Neighbour Project
  • Halifax Sexual Health Centre — Collaborative SGRH Primary Care Social Work Support
  • Halifax Theatre for Young People — HTYP Youth Acts! Program for Queer & Trans Youth
  • Hope Blooms — Hope Blooms: Growing Together for Better Mental Health
  • Hope for Mental Health — One to One Peer Support for Individuals living with Psychotic Disorders
  • Hope for Mental Health — Anchored Families: Hope’s One-to-One Peer Support for Families
  • Hope Project Addiction Recovery Services — “A Healing Reconnection with Arts, Animals, and Nature”
  • Hospice Halifax — Sustaining Grief and Bereavement Support through Individualized Counselling
  • Kids Help Phone — Increasing Mental Health Awareness in Service Deserts
  • Landing Strong Cooperative — Landing Strong – Community Connections – Phase 2
  • Landing Strong Cooperative — Landing Strong – Catching Those Who Fall:  Equine Assisted Therapy
  • LOVE Nova Scotia — LOVE Weekly Programming & Free Flow Fridays
  • MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning Society — Portapique Arts & Wellness: A Sustainable Creative Path for Youth
  • Northwood Support Services: Seeds of Success Mental Health & Wellness Program — Roots of Resilience
  • Nova Scotia Brotherhood — Barbershop Talks and Reignite the Run/Walk
  • Prescott Group — Caregiver Community Connect
  • Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia — Rainbow Art Connections for 2SLGBTQIA+ Newcomers
  • Regional Independent Students Association — Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
  • Riverview Home Volunteer Association — Activity Therapy to Improve Mental Health
  • Roots of Empathy — Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Violence by Building Empathy
  • SchoolsPlus Windsor — “C₃”: Creating Community with Caregivers
  • Shoreham Village — Between The Mountains – Music Therapy                                                                            
  • Société Mi – Carême — Entre, c’est débarré
  • Spencer House Seniors Centre — Art & Soul: Finding Mental Wellness by Creating Art Together
  • SSRCE – SchoolsPlus — Connecting Families:  Concurrent Interventions for Intergenerational Trauma
  • Stepping Stone Association — Stepping Stone’s Holistic Addictions Program (HAP)
  • Strongest Families Institute — Parents Empowering Kids: Bilingual Support for Families
  • The African Nova Scotian (ANS) Hope Within Society — Renew and Thrive
  • The East Preston Day Care and Family Resource Centre — Empowering African Nova Scotian Adults: A Mental Health & Wellness Initiative
  • The Marguerite Centre — Beyond Trauma: Connecting mental health and healing
  • The Tema Foundation — Bridging Strength: Virtual Wellness for the Frontline
  • TREY – Trauma Recovery for Exploited Youth — Outreach Support Program
  • Unity Charity — The Source: Inclusion & Connectivity for ANS Youth
  • Venus Envy – Gender Journeys — Gender Journeys: Out and About
  • YWCA-Halifax — Mental Health Hour

Community Grants | Second Round

We approved 86 grant applications for a total of $1,790,000 in Round 2 (awarded in October 2025).

  • 7th Step Society of Nova Scotia — 7th Step Troubled Youth Outreach
  • 7th Step Society of Nova Scotia — Peer-Support Workers and Programming for Criminalized Individuals
  • A Roof Over Your Head — Together Under One Roof: Building Mental Wellness Supports for Vulnerable Nova Scotians
  • A Team Coaching — A Team Coaching – Black Girls Pillow Talk and Mind & Muscle
  • Acadia University — Red Spruce Mental Health Centre
  • Acadia University — Black Student Wellness Retreat
  • After Trauma Empowerment Network — Thrive Thursdays: Teen Connection & Growth Circle
  • Alice House — Sustaining Rebuilding Lives
  • Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia — Dementia-Informed Mental Health Counselling
  • Antigonish Women’s Centre & Sexual Assault Services — The Inspire Program
  • Arisaig Parish Community Center Society — Arisaig 2025/2026 Senior’s Exercise Program
  • Autism Nova Scotia Society — Healthy Relationships, Sexuality & Autism: Gender Based Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Module.
  • Be the Peace Institute — Care for the Carers in the GBV Sector
  • Beacon House — MHFNS Counselling Support on site for Beacon House Shelter
  • BGC Greater Halifax Clubs — Good Vibes Youth Resilience Program
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pictou County — Creating Sparks- Igniting Youth Potential
  • Boys & Girls Club of Preston — Self-Love Program for African Nova Scotian Youth
  • Canadian Mental Health Association — Halifax Dartmouth – Digital Inclusion for Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Canadian Mental Health Association – NS Division — Thrive Learning Centre for Mental Wellness and Well-being
  • Canadian Mental Health Association – NS Division — Tools for Wellness: Enhancing Mental Health Training Through Companion Workbooks
  • Chebucto Community Development Association — Open Minds
  • Chebucto Links Senior Support Association — Bridges of Care – Connecting caregivers to community
  • Couch of Hope (Healing Opportunities for People Everywhere Counselling Services Society) — Empowering Tomorrow’s Therapists: Comprehensive Training & Leadership Growth
  • Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association — Building Together – Creating best practices for Mental Health and Addiction support in Supportive Housing Organizations – Year 2
  • Dalhousie Social Work Community Clinic — Creative Conversations and Creative Outings
  • Direction 180, Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre — Blooming Minds
  • Dr. Lee-Baggley and Associates Inc. — Building Resilience Together: Trauma-Informed Strategies for Safer, Stronger Abuse Shelter Environments
  • Eastern Shore Musquodoboit Valley Well-Being HUB Assn — Building Community Mental Wealth
  • Eating Disorders Nova Scotia — Care of Me: Dispelling Stigma, Creating Hope Video Project
  • Fennel Films Inc. — Be Better – TV Series
  • Filling The GAP Nova Scotia Society — Filling The GAP: Gender Affirmation Program
  • Find Your Voice Music Therapy — Trans-Formative Voices: Transgender and Non-Binary Youth and Adults Voice Therapy Program
  • Find Your Voice Music Therapy — Adaptive Music Lessons to Support Neurodivergence
  • FireLoch Retreat & Gathering Place — Tending the Spark: building a burnout and resiliency framework for healthcare sector workers and volunteers
  • Fountain of Health — Kindness: How Self-Compassion Can Improve Mental Health
  • Front St Community Oven — Rekindling Connection
  • GEO Nova Scotia — e-Mental Health Pocket Guide Expansion: Connecting More Nova Scotians to Digital Mental Health Resources
  • Health Arts Society of Atlantic Canada — Concerts in Care Phase Three
  • Hope Blooms — The Joy Table
  • Hope for Mental Health — Families Matter in Mental Health
  • Hope for Mental Health — The Biology and Management of Trauma and Depression and Supporting Self Advocacy
  • Hospice Halifax — Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Program
  • Kids Help Phone — RiseUp Nova Scotia – Texter Matching
  • Kings County Family Resource Centre — Building Resilience Through Mental Health Literacy
  • Laing House Association — Laing House – Last Chapter Group
  • Landing Strong Cooperative — Opening Doors to Deeper Connection: Mens Anger Management & Healthy Intimacy in Relationships Program (s) Creation
  • LOVE Nova Scotia — LOVE Leadership Retreat Camp
  • Maritime Play Therapy Centre — Circle of Security Parenting Group
  • Memory Cafe NS  (Town of Wolfville) — The Memory Cafe NS Project: Towards Social Inclusion and Quality of Life for Nova Scotians Living with Dementia
  • Metro Community Housing Association — The Explorers Club: Discovering Self Beyond the Walls
  • Mi’kmaq Circle of Hope Society — “Kepmite’lsi”  Be proud and honour yourself for who you are
  • Mocean Dance Society — Communities in Mocean
  • New Dawn Community Development Educational Foundation — Anchor Youth Space Sydney, Just Be You Peer Support Program
  • New Leaf Global Services Inc., DBA The BraveArt Project. — The BraveArt Project
  • North End Opportunities Fund — North End Opportunities (NEOF)
  • Northwood Bedford Incorporated — Harmony In Care-Northwood Bedford Campus Music Therapy Program
  • Nova Scotia Health – Inpatient Psychiatry — “Where wellness is a canvas, recipe and a journey”
  • NOVA SEVEN ARTS COUNCIL — S.P.A.C.E. – Safe Place for All to Create and Express in support of positive mental health and inclusion for neurodivergent youth
  • NSH Mental Health Day Hospital – WZ — Mind & Motion Grant
  • Our Health Centre — Thrive Tuesdays
  • Raising the Villages Project Cooperative Ltd. — Gathering for Community Well-Being
  • reachAbility Association — BERY: Building Emotional Resilience in Youth
  • Resilient Youth — Resilient Youth: Mental health and trauma literacy programming for students and educators
  • Sackville Minor Hockey Association — Beyond the Game: SMHA’s Commitment to Mental Health
  • Samuel R Balcom Centre — Caring For the Carers
  • Schools Plus – HRCE — Light Spectrum
  • Scotia Winds of Change Foundation — Engaging African Nova Scotian Men and Boys around Domestic Violence
  • Second Story Women’s Centre — Community Support
  • Spectrum Therapeutic Solutions — Safe Shores Community Counselling
  • Spider Video Inc. — Halifax Story Slam “View”: Person Stories on Mental Health Wellness
  • St. Francis Xavier University — EDIA Peer Mentoring Project
  • St. Stephen’s Parish (Growing Friends Project) — I’m a Star!  (Teaching ukulele to seniors and adults with mental challenges and creating concert opportunities)
  • Strongest Families Institute — Familles Francophones Fortes (Strong Francophone Families)
  • Survivors of Abuse Recovering (S.O.A.R) society — S.O.A.R. Peer Support Training
  • Tajikeimik – Mi’kmaw Health and Wellness — Beading is Healing
  • The Association of Black Social Workers — Association of Black Social Workers Africentric Clinical Specialization Cohort Therapy & Counselling Clinic
  • The Flower Cart Group — Together in Mind- a community of care for all abilities.
  • The John Howard Society of NS — Holistic Responses
  • THE NOVA SCOTIA YOUTH PROJECT SOCIETY — Lucky 13: Queering Harm Reduction
  • The Plant Space — Horticultural Therapy for Healthy Aging in the Annapolis Valley Region
  • The Tema Foundation — The Backpack: An Interactive Resilience Manual for Children of First Responders and Healthcare Families
  • Venus Envy Gender Journeys — Gender Journeys
  • We Worthy Women — New Roots: Building Stronger Futures in New Communities in Rural Nova Scotia
  • West Hants SchoolsPlus — AV Connects
  • Western Area Women’s Coalition — Ringing Out – Cultivating Empowerment Through Bell Choir
  • Yarmouth Life Skills — Yarmouth Life Skills: Empowered Programs

Nova Scotia Mental Health & Addictions Program Grants

These grants are awarded to programs within Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health & Addictions Program (NSH MHAP), Central Zone. This financial support enhances the care provided to clients by funding projects that typically would not receive funding from capital or operating budgets. Funds distributed in April 2025 will support 76 initiatives occurring in this fiscal year.

ABBIE J. LANE

Adult General Psychiatry specializes in Acute Care for patients with mental health disorders requiring assessment, treatment, and stabilization.

  • Art group
  • Change of Scenery
  • Clothes City
  • Living Leisure, Loving Life
  • Nourishing Needs
  • Return to Work and School Resource Grant
  • Tuning Into Wellness
  • Wellness Garden

ANSU (ADULT NEURODEVELOPMENTAL STABILIZATION UNIT)

The Adult Neurodevelopmental Stabilization Unit (ANSU) is a specialized acute inpatient unit at the Nova Scotia Hospital. ANSU serves people who are 19 years of age or older, have a learning disability that needs some or a lot of care, and have an active mental illness (like anxiety, a mood disorder, psychosis, and others).

  • Breath of Fresh Air
  • Common Sense
  • Community Engagement
  • Food, Flavors, and Friends
  • Special Events
  • Taking Care of Business
  • Therapeutic Art
  • Wellness Committee

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS SERVICES

Community Mental Health and Addictions includes a team of mental health and addictions professionals who provide services on an outpatient basis.

BAYERS RD COMMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS

  • Community Wellness Project
  • Recovery and Resilience: Psychoeducation Group
  • Walking for Wellness

COBEQUID COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

  • Bedford/Sackville Community Outreach

COLE HARBOUR/EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

  • Behavioural Activation through Rec and Leisure Group
  • Move Your Mood

DARTMOUTH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

  • Drawing a bridge within transportation support

WEST HANTS MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

  • West Hants Community Connections Project

COMMUNITY TRANSITION PROGRAM

The Community Transition Program (CTP) helps adults who have complex (mental and physical) health and behavioural challenges, and residential/social support needs. The goal is to transition individuals from inappropriate settings to an appropriate level of care within the community.

  • Empowered Living
  • Move with Your Senses
  • Social Synergy

CONNECTIONS SERVICES

Connections Service is a recovery-focused program that provides supports and opportunities to adults living with mental illness such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder, and who also experience substantial functional challenges in their day-to-day lives.

DARTMOUTH

  • ArtWorks
  • Bug Be Gone
  • Care Closet
  • Exploring Beyond Our Horizons
  • Friends Among Friends
  • Growing Stronger Together
  • New Directions
  • Walking Group

HALIFAX

  • Coffee Walk
  • Community Art Initiatives
  • Encompassing Health
  • Get Out of Town 2025
  • Holiday Cheer
  • Pump Up the Volume
  • Reducing Barriers, Expanding Participation
  • Special Events
  • YMCA Boost Program

BEDFORD/ SACKVILLE

  • Exploring the Community
  • The Community Kitchen

EAST COAST FORENSIC HOSPITAL

East Coast Forensic Hospital provides rehabilitation for individuals who’ve been found Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) or unfit to stand trial by the Nova Scotia justice system. These individuals are assessed, participate in treatment programs and work with their health care team to safely re-enter the community.

  • Celebrating Culture Grant
  • Coffee Talk Grant
  • Food for Thought
  • Healthier Snacks and Skills
  • Learning Through Leisure
  • Smart Art from the Heart
  • Working on Wellness
  • Stay Connected

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS DAY HOSPITAL

The Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) Day Hospital cares for people with intense mental health issues or concerns.

  • Day Hospital Closet Grant
  • Day Hospital Nutrition and Pantry Program Grant
  • Expression, Enjoyment, & Coping
  • Play The HRM Way
  • Wellness Garden
  • YMCA Community Passes

MOUNT HOPE ACUTE CARE

Mount Hope Acute Care provides specialized treatment to patients living with severe mental illness and addiction.

  • Follow the Leader
  • Functional Fitness
  • Get up and Go

SIMPSON LANDING

Simpson Landing is a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Unit offering 24/7 support for individuals with mental illnesses (such as Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder and Bipolar Disorder) who are having challenges living in the community. People stay at Simpson Landing for varying amounts of time to work on community living skills, improve their wellness, and manage their illness.

  • Building Bridges
  • Community Connections
  • Fall/ Winter Journey to Recovery
  • Family and Friend Engagement
  • Finding Your Balance
  • Hygiene Helper
  • Mind The Employment Gap
  • Spring/ Summer Journey to Recovery
  • Starting Fresh

TRANSITION HALL

Transition Hall is a recovery-oriented service designed to support individuals diagnosed with a mental illness, experiencing significant functional challenges, who could benefit from psychosocial and recovery-focused care in a 24/7 setting.

  • Celebrating Social
  • Explore the Outdoors
  • Strive to Thrive: Leisure Education
  • Wellness and Recovery