The three phases focus on community support, conservation planning, and long-term stewardship of new protected areas.
Overview
The BC Conservation Fund empowers Indigenous peoples and British Columbians to protect and restore priority land and freshwater areas. Through collaborative, long-term investment, the Fund supports projects that strengthen biodiversity, climate resilience, and community-led conservation across three focused funding streams.
We are now welcoming Expressions of Interest for Stream 1, Area-Based Conservation Initiatives. There are 3 phases flowing along a pathway, as outlined below. Each phase has its own unique set of desired results/impacts, criteria to evaluate projects, funding priorities, and eligible activities. Applicants can submit a proposal at any phase that aligns with their current efforts—there is no need to start at a specific phase.
Stream 1 Expressions of Interest will be accepted on a rolling basis,
with the first review in the fall, 2024.
Projects building a community vision, mandate, capacity and partnerships to conserve areas, and not yet in formal government-to-government planning discussions.
Projects that have an internal mandate, capacity and partnerships, and are ready or have started government-to-government planning or conservation agreements.
Projects where new conservation areas have been designated, ready for long-term stewardship, restoration (where required), including sustainable economic opportunities aligned with conservation.
Projects that have an internal mandate, capacity and partnerships, and are ready or have started government-to-government planning or conservation agreements.
Before you apply, please check out our Guide to BC Conservation Funding for Stream 1 – Area-Based Conservation Initiatives. This includes important information on our funding priorities, desired results, eligible activities, and the criteria and key considerations we will use to assess grant applications. You can find out about a few key items in the tabs on the right.
Prior to developing an application, please ensure your project/initiative and your organization is eligible for funding. If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please contact us at info@bcconservationfund.ca.
Grant applicants must be a qualified donee. As such, grants will be open to any non-profit organization or community contribution company (C3) working on conservation or land/water use issues in BC. For BC Conservation Fund purposes, qualified donees may include:
• First Nations
• Charities and societies
• Non-government organization (NGOs)
• Universities and collegesTrade associations
• Local and Regional Governments
If you are not a qualified donee and interested in applying for a Phase 1-3 grant, particularly a First Nation applicant, please contact us for assistance at info@bcconservationfund.ca.
If you are not a qualified donee and interested in applying for a Biodiverse Area Identification grant, we encourage you to partner with a qualified donee, which includes post-secondary institutions.
We encourage and will prioritize applications from First Nations or delegated organizations in phases 1-3. Non-Indigenous organizations can apply where First Nation support is demonstrated (i.e. through a letter or other form of support from the Nation), or in the case of a Biodiverse Area Identification project. We will not accept applications from individuals or for-profit companies in this stream.
The investment sub-stream 'Identifying Biodiverse Areas' has been paused while we refine the program design. Intake of new EOIs is on hold until further notice.
Before being invited to complete a full funding application for review, an expression of interest must be completed and reviewed by the BC Conservation Fund. This will help applicants avoid spending unnecessary time on applications. The Fund will advise EoI applicants if they are welcome to submit a full application. Please visit the 'Apply' page to continue.
Application templates will be made available once an Expression of Interest (EOI) has been reviewed and the proponent has been invited to complete the full application. These templates are tailored to the specific phase you are applying for and will build upon your EOI submission.
You may be asked to provide additional details, such as more comprehensive work plans and budget information.We welcome the opportunity to work with proponents who are invited to complete their applications.
There are two Stream 1 intakes per year:
Current Intake:
Expressions of Interest deadline: July 4, 2025.
Invitation to apply: Early September.
Full application deadline: End of October.
Following Intake:
Expressions of Interest Deadline: Early February 2026.
Invitation to apply: Early April.
Full application deadline: End of May.
Investments will be awarded for a wide range of projects and therefore the amount of funding given will vary depending on the funding stream (and phase), the type of work/activities, the project location and size, and the number of partners and funders involved.
We anticipate that for the identification of provincial-scale biodiversity needs and priority areas and smaller, more community-based initiatives, grants will tend to range up to $100K, while more complex, multi-year projects and initiatives will likely range up to $250K. Larger investments will be considered for projects based on the magnitude of the impact or contribution to the Fund goals, objectives and desired outcomes.
The investment sub-stream 'Identifying Biodiverse Areas' has been paused while we refine the program design. Intake of new EOIs is on hold until further notice.
Projects will be reviewed by an independent committee using consistent criteria.
All projects will be asked to meet accountability requirements and provide regular reporting on outcomes.
