Westman Empowerment Fund

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Brandon, MB
Westman Empowerment Fund

Breaking barriers to transition for trans and gender-diverse people in southwestern Manitoba.

06/12/2026

Name/Gender Change Grants are back for July 2026!

We offer funding to cover the costs of a legal name/gender change in Manitoba, including Vital Stats fees, new birth/marriage certificates, fingerprinting fees, and more.

Please note the following changes for this intake:
- We have removed the requirement to not be eligible for legal name/gender change funding from Manitoba EIA, as we have been made aware that they no longer offer this funding.
- We now provide funding for updating Manitoba Métis Federation citizenship cards.

We're taking applications until July 12th, 2026. For more details and to apply, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/name-gender-change-grants

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05/05/2026

Our next Trans ID Clinic in Brandon will be at Sexuality Education Resource Centre Manitoba, SERC's Brandon office at Unit B - 345 10th St, on Tuesday, May 26th at 6-8pm. Come for peer support with changing legal names/genders, and to have your applications to Manitoba Vital Statistics certified by our Commissioner for Oaths.

Drop-ins are welcome, but message us if you plan on coming, if possible! As we do not have a lawyer present, we do not provide legal advice. Please bring your driver's licence or Manitoba ID Card with your exact, current legal name and address (or ask us about different ID!). If you've started filling out any forms, please bring those as well. If you haven't started any forms yet, blank forms will be available.

Many thanks to SERC Brandon for once again providing the venue!

For more details, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/trans-id-clinics/

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04/24/2026

Coming up: our first-ever Trans ID Clinic in Boissevain!

We'll be at Boissevain School (885 Mill Road, enter through the south doors), on Monday, May 11th at 5:30pm-7:30pm. Come for peer support with changing legal names/genders, and to have your applications to the Manitoba Vital Statistics Branch certified by our Commissioner for Oaths.

Drop-ins are welcome, but message us if you plan on coming, if possible! As we do not have a lawyer present, we do not provide legal advice. Please bring **originals and your own copies** of your driver's licence or Manitoba ID Card (or ask us about ID requirements). If you've started filling out any forms, please bring those as well. If you haven't started any forms yet, blank forms will be available.

Many thanks to the Boissevain and Area Community GSA for partnering with us on this ID clinic and welcoming us to Boissevain!

For more details, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/trans-id-clinics/

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Our Name/Gender Change Grants have closed for April 2026! If you applied, please check for an email (westmanempowermentf...

04/18/2026

Our Name/Gender Change Grants have closed for April 2026! If you applied, please check for an email ([email protected]) or any other communication from us if you haven't already. Be sure to check your spam filter as well!

Weren't selected? Watch for our July 2026 intake, to be announced this June!

Like what we do? Support our work: westmanempowermentfund.org/ways-to-help/donate/

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04/14/2026

Last day for Name/Gender Change Grants for April 2026!

We offer funding to cover the costs of a legal name/gender change in Manitoba, including Vital Stats fees, new birth/marriage certificates, fingerprinting fees, and more.

Applications close at 11:59 PM CDT. For more details and to apply, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org

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04/07/2026

One more week left for our Name/Gender Change Grants!

We offer funding to cover the costs of a legal name/gender change in Manitoba, including Vital Stats fees, new birth/marriage certificates, fingerprinting fees, and more.

We're taking applications for April 2026 until April 14th. For more details and to apply, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/name-gender-change-grants

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03/31/2026

Two more weeks for Name/Gender Change Grants applications!

We offer funding to cover the costs of a legal name/gender change in Manitoba, including Vital Stats fees, new birth/marriage certificates, fingerprinting fees, and more.

We're taking applications for April 2026 until April 14th. For more details and to apply, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/name-gender-change-grants

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03/14/2026

Name/Gender Change Grants have returned for our April 2026 intake!

We offer funding to cover the costs of a legal name/gender change in Manitoba, including Vital Stats fees, new birth/marriage certificates, fingerprinting fees, and more.

If you've applied to this program before, we've made some changes to the application form that we hope will make applying easier. If you have any issues applying, please let us know!

We're taking applications until April 14th, 2026. For more details and to apply, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/name-gender-change-grants

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03/04/2026

Origami Customs binders are now available through our Free Gender-Affirming Apparel program!

Our partners at Smitten now stock Origami Customs binders in a half-binder style, black in colour, and in sizes XS-5XL. To clarify, gc2b binders aren't going anywhere - their same grey half-binders will still be available as before through this program, in the same sizes.

Wondering which to choose? We recommend sticking with gc2b binders if you want tighter, more effective binding, but if you want a less restrictive fit that still does some binding, we recommend Origami Customs.

For more details on our Free Gender-Affirming Apparel program, to see sizing charts, and to apply, see: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/programs/free-gender-affirming-apparel/

Friendly reminder that we also still accept used binders to pass on through this program! For details: https://westmanempowermentfund.org/ways-to-help/donate/

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02/25/2026

Signal-boosting another community event!

The Assiniboine Affirm Cluster is once again hosting PIE Day at Knox United Church, Brandon, Manitoba (451 18th St, use 17th St entrance), March 14th at 1pm. This year's event features special guest artist and first openly gay minister of Knox United, Rev. David Cathcart, in a presentation titled, "Embracing the Wonky Line and Following Happy Accidents; What Art Taught Me About Creating Community". There will be information tables, a pie auction, and real pies to eat after the presentation. No registration is required!

Also happening at 10:45am - 12pm is a Line + Wash Watercolour Workshop, in which participants will combine ink and watercolour to create unique works of art. All materials will be provided. Entry fee is $25 (with some scholarships available), with a limit of 20 participants. Register by March 4th by calling Knox's office at 204 727 6975.

For more information on PIE Day as a whole, see https://pieday.ca/

Address

Brandon, MB

Website

http://westmanempowermentfund.org/

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