Chris Argue
Memorial Fund

Chris was a proud resident of Yellowknife from the age of four onward.  He had a passion for life and a deep love of the wilderness.  He completed many trips mountaineering, canoeing , hiking, winter camping and backcountry skiing in the north and in the Rockies.  He was also an avid mountain biker.  Fearless but thorough in tackling new challenges, he brought leadership, intelligence, ingenuity and concern for others to everything that he did.

Chris’s family wishes to honour his memory by encouraging the growth and safe enjoyment of self-propelled wilderness travel and wilderness education by individuals or organizations who exhibit many of the values that Chris exemplified.

The Chris Argue Memorial Fund is eligible for individuals and organizations. Individuals must be residents of the Northwest Territories for at least 12 consecutive months, and currently, organizations must be Canadian registered charities conducting activities in the Northwest Territories. Organizations should also be offering programming in self-propelled wilderness travel or wilderness education. 

Applicants can use the funds for expenses that relate to their self-propelled wilderness travel or wilderness education. 

For example, 

• Individuals can use these funds to attend a whitewater canoe course in the Northwest Territories
• Organizations can use these funds to support their youth in a cross-country ski course

$1500

Please note that grant amounts vary year by year. 

Grant applications can be submitted to the Chris Argue Memorial Fund when the application portal opens. 

The application portal will open on March 1st, 2024 with a deadline of April 12th, 2024. 

For individuals applying to the fund, in your application, you will have to option to provide proof of  training or education in self-propelled travel.

This training must be self-propelled. For example, taking a white water canoe course, or taking a ski instructor course. This training does not need to be taken at a University or College, we also support informal training. 

Feel free to call our office if you would like to chat about your idea for training. We are always happy to chat!

For individuals applying, in your application, you will have the option to submit a statement of financial need. This can look very different for everyone – That is why your statement is in the form of a written essay. 

Here are some helpful guiding questions:

• Why do you have a financial need? Provide a clear reason why you need support. 
• Briefly describe your current financial situation and why this grant will help achieve your goals related to self-propelled wilderness travel and wilderness education. 

You must submit at least one of:

• A proof of training or education (training that will help achieve your your self-propelled wilderness travel or education)
• Statement of financial need (see above for explanation)

And you have the option of submitting both!

Applications are reviewed by our Grants Committee and Fund Advisors.

April 12th, 2024 at 11:59pm MST: All applications due via grant portal found on the Yellowknife Community Foundation website. 

April 2024: Yellowknife Community Foundation staff and Grants Committee members conduct due diligence checks on all applications and undertake a review process. As a normal part of our review process, you may hear from us with questions about your application. We appreciate your time in providing clarity. 

Mid-May 2024: Applicants are notified. Every applicant will receive notification regardless of funding decision. 

• All successful applicants will be required to submit a final report through our online portal.
• We want to hear from you during the lifecycle of your grant! Please reach out anytime with an impact story, picture or video, or just to say “Hi!”.

• 2023 Hamlet of Fort Liard (Canoe Training for Youth)