WCB Grants Program

WCB Grants Program call for Letters of Intent (LOI)

The WCB Grants program has recently been updated. It now has a two-stage annual grants process. Applicants must submit an LOI, which is screened by a WCB review panel.

Following this review, applicants may be invited to submit full proposals, which are subject to a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether to approve grant funding.

Letter of Intent (LOI)

Proponents interested in grant opportunities should use the online LOI submission form to submit an LOI to the WCB during its annual grant process.

An LOI is an expression of interest in a topic that is aligned with the Grants Program objectives and a formal request for WCB grant funding.

An LOI is meant to be concise. It should contain a brief description of the project, including problem statement, approach/methodology, and expected impact, a list of team members and their expertise and a budget. Please see the LOI and full proposal user guide for further details.

Proponents are encouraged to discuss project ideas informally with the WCB Grants Program Coordinator at grants@wcb.mb.ca.

The WCB Grants program will start accepting LOIs for 2026 funding on October 1, 2025.

To be considered for funding, all Letters of Intent must be received by the WCB by 4 PM CST on November 7, 2025.

Full proposal submission

The LOIs shortlisted by the review panel will be invited to submit a full proposal. The WCB Grants Program Coordinator will provide the proposal document. The deadline to submit full proposals is February 20, 2026.

Funding priorities

The program supports high-quality projects related to work-related illness and injury and workers’ compensation. Funding priorities can change over time, but projects typically given priority are those that address the most pressing issues facing the workers’ compensation system in Manitoba at any given time.

Broad funding priorities include:

• Efficacy, fairness and responsiveness of the workers’ compensation system.
• The future of work and the changing nature of claims.
• Return to work.
• Reducing the impact of injury and illness (includes prevention).

Funding

There is no maximum, but generally amounts would not exceed $200,000. Projects are typically funded for 12 to 24 months.

Proponents can apply for partial funding and reapply in subsequent grant years based on the same project plan, but the WCB is not obligated to fund subsequent years or additional project costs.

Process and timelines

Below are the important deadlines for the WCB Grants Program application process:

• Grant call for LOI: October 1, 2025.
• Closing date for LOI: November 7, 2025.
• LOI full proposal invitation: January 9, 2026.
• Closing date to submit full proposals: February 20, 2026.
• Internal review of applications: March to May 2026.
• Applicants notified of funding decision: June 26, 2026.

Important documents

Online Letter of Intent submission form (closed)

Grants Program Guide

LOI and Full Proposal User Guide