2026-27 Grants

Community Grants | First Round

We approved 67 grant applications for a total of $1.25M in this round of funding.

Through the lenses of connection, education, intervention and support, we improve the mental wellness of Nova Scotians by granting funds to community-based mental health and addictions initiatives.

CONNECTION

  • Accessible for all – E-Learning Mental Health programming development & delivery — Canadian Mental Health Association NS Division
  • Act it Out — Neptune Theatre Foundation
  • Client Re-Integration/Community Involvement Project — 2 Denarii Society
  • Common Roots Urban Farms — Ecology Action Centre
  • Community Connection – Together Today — Société Mi-Carême
  • Community Connections Phase 3: Deepening the Connection — Landing Strong Cooperative
  • Creating Space to Heal: An Arts & Expression Program for Youth in Residential Care — Regional Independent Students Association
  • Evening Explorers — Easter Seals Nova Scotia
  • Find Your Happy – Resilient Rural Communities — Maggie’s Place – A Resource Centre for Families Association
  • Hopes & Dreams — Transition House Association of NS
  • Mental Health Connections for Black Women — Nova Scotia Sisterhood
  • More Art & Soul: Finding Mental Wellness by Creating Art Together — Spencer House Seniors Centre
  • Rooted & Resilient: Nature-Based Mental Wellness for Rural Youth — Shelburne County Youth Health and Support Association
  • Seniors in Song Outreach Program — Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts
  • Sensory-Accessible Concerts – Season 6 — Cecilia Concerts Society
  • Stepping into the Future — The African Nova Scotian (ANS) Hope Within Society
  • Vital Third Place for Youth in North End Halifax — YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
  • Young Lights: Bright Futures — Prescott Group

EDUCATION

  • Building Capacity in Mental Health First Aid For Older Adults in Rural Communities — Seniors Take Action Coalition of Richmond County
  • Building Community Capacity in Disability Supports: NSCLO ASIST — Nova Scotia Community Living Organizations
  • Community Conversations: Autistic Mental Health in the Workplace — Autism Nova Scotia Society
  • Family SOS Child and Youth Programs: Healthy Kidz and Healthy Teenz After School Programs and Summer Camp — Family SOS Association
  • Flourish 55+ Healthy Activity Society — Flourish 55+ Healthy Activity Society
  • Improving Mental Wellness in Nova Scotia using the Fountain of Health’s THRIVE © Approach to Wellbeing — Fountain of Health Association
  • Increasing Suicide Intervention Skills In ANS Communities — Empowerment For Hope Society
  • MindBank: A Lived-Experience Knowledge Platform to Strengthen Survivor-Based Mental Health Services in Nova Scotia — ElevateHER Mental Health Support Services Canada
  • Mindful futures – Youth Mental Wellness Group — Chebucto Family Centre (Home of the Guardian Angel)
  • PeerWorks — Adsum Association for Women & Children
  • SoulCare Sessions – Coping, Healing, and Emotional Balance — It Takes A Village Community Outreach and Advocacy Society
  • Understanding Minds: Dementia Wellness & Awareness Journey – BOLD Living Learning CentreWhen Love Isn’t Enough: Supporting Families of Loved Ones with Addiction — Embracing Wellness Society

INTERVENTION

  • Createspace — Brunswick Street Mission
  • Ecosystems of Healing: Queering Care — The Nova Scotia Youth Project Society
  • Equine Assisted Addiction Recovery — Society for Equine-Assisted Services in Nova Scotia (SEASNS)
  • Hospice Family and Client Grief & Bereavement Support — Hospice Halifax
  • Investments in Registered Counselling Therapist Supervisors in Nova Scotia — Healing Opportunities for People Everywhere Counselling Services Society (Couch of HOPE)
  • Queens Manor – Adding Life to Years, one note at a time — Queens Home for Special Care
  • Roots to Resilience — Northwood Support Services
  • Stable Ground — Free Spirit Therapeutic Riding Association
  • Stepping Stone’s Holistic Addictions Program — Stepping Stone Association
  • Strong Spirits, Strong Steps:  Inclusive Dance for L’nu Youth with Special needs — Mi’kmaq Circle of Hope Society
  • The Holistic Healing Treatment Program — The Marguerite Centre

SUPPORT

  • An Early Intervention Crime Prevention (EICP) Program — 7th Step Society of Nova Scotia
  • Anchored Families: One-to-One Family Peer Support — Hope For Mental Health
  • Blooming Success — Hope Blooms Youth Social Entrepreneurial Ventures Inc
  • Gender-Affirming Care Coordination and Collaborative Social Work Support — Halifax Sexual Health Centre
  • Healing Through Connection: Peer support groups for survivors of sexualized violence — Avalon Sexual Assault Centre
  • Health & Wellness Studio — DASC
  • Improving Digital Mental Health Support for Youth in Nova Scotia — Kids Help Phone Foundation
  • LOVE Weekly Programming Expansion & Free Flow Fridays — LOVE Nova Scotia
  • MENding Minds — Direction 180, Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre
  • Navigating Wellbeing: A Pilot of Community-Based Mental Health Support for Agricultural Workers in the Annapolis Valley — Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia
  • One-to-One Peer Support for Individuals Living with Psychotic Disorders — Hope For Mental Health
  • Peer Navigator and mindfulness mentor — Pathways to Employment
  • Peer-Support Workers and Programming for Criminalized Individuals — 7th Step Society of Nova Scotia
  • Q-Toolbox: Supplies for Safer Use / Safer Sex — Health Equity Alliance of Nova Scotia (HEAL NS)
  • Six Circles — The Old School Community Gathering Place
  • SMART Recovery — Thriving Twogether Society
  • Social Work and Support Group Services for Vulnerable Communities within North End Halifax — Veith House
  • Thrive in Black 2.0 — Canadian Blk Women in Excellence Society
  • Transformation Closet Pride Tour 2026: Strengthening Mental Wellness Through Affirming Access Across Nova Scotia — Sexual Health Nova Scotia
  • Welcoming Wellness: Advancing Equitable Mental Health Supports for Newcomers and Adult Learners — Valley Community Learning Association
  • Youth Resilience for Life — Aidaen Mae Fund

OTHER

  • Camp Believe — Brigadoon Village Children’s Camp
  • Mental Health & Addictions Patient Care Fund — Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation
  • The Abundance Thrift Store — Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Mental Health & Addictions Program Grants

These grants are awarded to programs within Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health & Addictions Program (NSH MHAP), in 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 2026 will support 75 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
  • Living Through Leisure
  • Nourishing Needs
  • Self-Soothing and Mindfulness Grant
  • Tuning Into Wellness
  • Wellness Garden

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).

  • Engagement, Regulation, and Coping Supports
  • Food, Flavors, and Friends
  • Out & About: Therapeutic Community Access
  • Staff Wellness Initiative
  • Special Events

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS SERVICES

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

BAYERS RD COMMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS

  • Bayers Road Community Outreach
  • Community Wellness Project
  • Walking for Wellness

COLE HARBOUR/EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

  • Behavioural Activation Group & Individualized Supports
  • Small Steps, Big Changes

DARTMOUTH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

  • Behavioural Activation Group

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
  • Rooted & Restored: A 2-Night Wellness Retreat

HALIFAX

  • Coffee Social
  • Creative Community – Art Initiatives
  • Fresh Start
  • Get Out of Town 2026-27
  • Healthy Steps
  • Holiday Cheer
  • Special Events
  • Trust and Treats
  • YMCA Boost

SACKVILLE

  • Together in the Community

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
  • Digital Classroom Enhancement
  • Learning Through Leisure 
  • Music Therapy and Client Performance Equipment
  • Music Therapy Equipment Enhancement
  • Smart Art from the Heart
  • Snack Shack: Building Skills, Nutrition and Community
  • The Second Rise Bakery
  • Wellness and Beyond

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS DAY HOSPITAL

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

  • Community Connection Kitchen
  • Day Hospital Closet Client Essentials 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
  • Family and Friend Engagement
  • Finding Your Balance
  • Hygiene Helper
  • Journey to Recovery – Fall/ Winter
  • Journey to Recovery – Spring/Summer
  • Mind The Employment Gap
  • 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

WITHDRAWAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Withdrawal management provides medication-assisted withdrawal management and recovery supports to individuals requiring inpatient treatment to manage withdrawal from alcohol and/other substances.

  • Creative Recovery