Project Grants

The Fund invests in projects conserving priority land and freshwater areas in BC.

Funding Streams

(Now accepting Expressions of Interest for Stream 1)

The Conservation Fund plans to have three funding streams:

Stream 1: Area-Based Conservation Initiatives

‍Identifying Biodiverse Areas
Phase 1 – Securing a Community Mandate
Phase 2 – Conservation Planning and Agreements
Phase 3 – Long-term Stewardship and Restoration of New Conservation Areas

Stream 2: Innovation

Stream 3: Education and Working Together

Stream 1 Funding Priorities

We are now welcoming Expressions of Interest for Stream 1, Area-Based Conservation Initiatives. There is an identification of biodiverse areas focus and three following 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. Identifying biodiverse areas is about generating new and better information that is foundational to the following phases, 1 through 3. Applicants can submit a proposal at any phase that aligns with their current efforts—there is no need to start at a specific phase.

While this call for EOI will be ongoing, we encourage submissions by September 30th, 2024 to participate in the first round of reviews. Submissions by this date may advance to a full application process this winter. In exceptional circumstances, projects that are time-sensitive, meet all criteria, and have a provincially significant impact on biodiversity conservation and Fund leverage may be fast-tracked for full applications and investment.

Identifying Biodiverse Areas

Focus is on projects that have unique expertise and/or innovative ideas to improve our collective, provincial-scale understanding of and access to biological and ecological data, methods, and tools. Projects will inform needs, pressures and priority areas for conservation to address biodiversity loss and climate change with urgency.  This project is distinct from the other phases in that it does not focus on a specific preferred area but instead focuses on the entire province to improve our overall understanding of BC's biodiversity.

Phase 1 – Securing a Community Mandate

Focus is on projects that are building a community vision, mandate, capacity and partnerships to conserve areas, and who are not yet in formal government to government planning discussions with the province.

Phase 2 – Conservation Planning and Agreements

Focus is on funding projects that have secured an internal mandate, capacity and partnerships to advance conservation, and that are ready or have entered into government-to-government planning or other conservation agreements.

Phase 3 – Long-term Stewardship and Restoration of New Conservation Areas

Focus is on funding projects in areas that have recently been designated for conservation, and that are ready to be stewarded and restored (where required) over the long-term. This phase includes sustainable economic opportunities that are in line with conservation.

Guide for Applicants

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.

I am ready to submit a project I want to support projects

Applicant Eligibility

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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 colleges
Trade 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.
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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.

Submitting an Expression of Interest (EoI)

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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 use the accompanying form to submit your EoI.

Submitting a Complete Funding Application

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Full application templates will be available in the fall. We welcome the opportunity to work with proponents who are invited to complete their applications.

Application Deadlines

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Stream 1 Expressions of Interest will be accepted on a rolling basis, with the first review in the fall, 2024. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by September 30^th 2024 to be a part of the first round of reviews.

Grant Amounts

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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.
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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.

Funding Decisions

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Projects will be reviewed by an independent committee using consistent criteria.

Project Reporting for Approved Projects

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All projects will be asked to meet accountability requirements and provide regular reporting on outcomes.