Manitoba Government Opens Applications for Orange Shirt Day Fund

Press Release

May 6, 2026

The Manitoba government is opening applications for this year’s Orange Shirt Day Fund and encouraging eligible organizations to apply, Premier Wab Kinew, minister responsible for Indigenous reconciliation, announced today.

“Manitobans have been brought together in reflection at events made possible by the Orange Shirt Day Fund since its launch in 2024,” said Kinew. “We have a responsibility to honour the Survivors of residential schools and the children who never made it home, and to take the time to consider the intergenerational trauma of these events. This funding creates opportunities for all Manitobans to face the past and to look ahead to the Canada we want to build together.”

The Manitoba government has allocated up to $1 million for the 2026 Orange Shirt Day Fund. These one-time grants support events and initiatives that create opportunities for all Manitobans to come together in observation, reflection and commemoration. Eligible applicants include Indigenous nations, communities and organizations, grassroots or non-profit organizations, educational institutions and municipal governments throughout Manitoba.

In 2025, the Orange Shirt Day Fund supported 74 events across the province. Over half of the $1 million available was provided to Indigenous nations and Indigenous-led non-profit organizations. Last year’s grants funded events in communities directly affected by residential schools and provided opportunities to reflect provincewide.

Highlights from the 2025 Orange Shirt Day Fund include support for the flagship Every Child Matters Pow Wow in Winnipeg, along with numerous walks held across the province to honour Survivors. The fund also contributed to the creation of a series of short documentaries that pay tribute to children who never returned home and share the lived experiences of Survivors. Several school divisions hosted interactive workshops where students and educators screened the documentaries and engaged in meaningful discussions about the legacy of residential schools, the ongoing journey of reconciliation and the resilience and strength of Survivors.

Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called upon governments to establish a statutory holiday in honour of Survivors, their families and communities to ensure public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component in the truth and reconciliation process. Orange Shirt Day responds to Call to Action 80 directly by creating an opportunity for Manitobans to come together and reflect with their communities.

Applications for this year’s fund are now open. The deadline to apply is June 21.

To learn more about Orange Shirt Day, visit www.gov.mb.ca/inr/osd.html.

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For more information:

Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: mgi@gov.mb.ca or 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Cabinet Communications: cabcom@manitoba.ca.

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