Doulas for Aboriginal Families

Doulas for Aboriginal Families Grant Program

The Doulas for Aboriginal Families Grant Program (DAFGP) is offered by the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, First Nations Health Authority, and the BC Ministry of Health. The goal of the program is to increase healthy birth outcomes for Indigenous families by removing the cost barrier to accessing doula services.
The grant program provides Indigenous families living in BC up to $1,200.00 (maximum) of coverage for full spectrum doula support with each pregnancy.
Since 2013, the DAFGP has funded +2,600 pregnancies, and currently has +440 registered doulas, including +111 Indigenous doulas.
Words from a doula…
“An OB was called in for consultation and it was determined that the baby would need to be delivered by C-Section. During this time, mom was apprehensive about having a C-section and showed signs of anxiety. I walked her through the process and provided her with an understanding of […] what to expect. And a healthy baby girl was born!”

Updated Form System

Please note we have changed the form system to Docusign.

These steps will help ensure a seamless digital application process, with both parties receiving confirmation that the application has been submitted and an approval timeline post-submission of approximately two weeks.

Family and Doula Application Instructions (Docusign)

Begin by entering your name and email address, along with your doula’s name and email address at the same time.

Ensure these fields are entered correctly, as a single copy of the application will be sent to both your email and your doula’s email simultaneously.

Fill out all the required fields on page 1, 3, 4 and 5.

Verify that all family-related fields are completed before pressing the submit button.

Please note: If any required fields are left blank, the form will not submit to the Doula Program.

After submission, the doula will receive the same application form via the email you provided in step one.

The doula must sign the required fields on the family application form. (Page 1, 2, and 5)

They will also need to provide a quote for doula services (up to $1200.00) and sign the form through Docusign.

This step finalizes the agreement between the family and the doula for the expected services.

Once both parties (family and doula) have completed and submitted their portions of the form, they will each receive a confirmation email from Docusign.

This email will confirm that the form has been successfully submitted to the Doula Program.

Due to an increased workload over the past year, it may take up to two weeks after submission for the application to be processed and approved once it has been entered into our system.

This process allows for easy digital invoicing and confirmation between the Doula and family using Docusign.

These steps will help ensure a seamless digital invoice process, with both parties receiving confirmation that the invoice has been submitted, followed by an approval timeline of up to two weeks.

Invoice Instructions for Doula and Family (Docusign)

Doula’s Section: When beginning the invoice, enter your name and email address, as well as the family’s name and email address in the required fields.

The Doula should fill out their portion of the invoice, including all service details, and submit it via DocuSign.

Once the Doula submits the invoice, the family will receive an email containing the Docusign link.

Family’s Action: The family must access their email, click the link, and electronically sign the invoice via Docusign.

After both the doula and the family have completed and signed the form, each party will receive a confirmation email.

Words from a doula…
“Due to past trauma […], mom was anxious. We discussed how to have a natural birth without surgery. We built trust in her body. At the hospital, mom required a lot of mental and emotional reassurance. […] It was so amazing to see mom surrounded by all of her children as a proud mother who has overcome a lot to be where she is today.” 

Related Pages

Doulas offer a variety of services and support. It is important to talk to your doula about what best fits your unique needs, this could include:
  • Provide hands-on emotional, physical, and spiritual support during pregnancy, labour and after birth.
  • Advocate for your right to make decisions about your body and baby.
  • Help with developing a birth plan and answering questions.
  • Provide pain management techniques and comfort measures during labour.
  • Offer assistance with feeding and caring for newborns
  • And much more!
To qualify for the grant, applicants must:
1. Be of Indigenous descent (First Nation (status or non-status), Métis, and/or Inuit). Either the birthing person or their partner (if applicable).
2. Reside in BC (both on or off reserve).
If you qualify for the grant, you can find out more and apply here.