Capacity Grants
Funder
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
Deadline Details
The intake for Capacity Grants closed on February 28, 2025.
Funder Organization Type
- Trust
Capacity Grants provide funding to build and strengthen the capability and capacity of organizations to successfully design and deliver conservation or restoration projects. The grant provides funds to support and develop strategies and abilities to initiate actions that benefit fish, wildlife and habitat conservation aligned with objectives of the HCTF. Capacity grants assist with the first steps in planning, designing, engaging, or implementing a project.
Goals of the Grant:
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Support preliminary planning to address a conservation issue or challenge in the community.
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Increase capacity to enhance the ability to implement a project.
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Develop skills and abilities of communities to undertake conservation projects.
In support of our strategic plan, our grant will emphasize the following:
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Indigenous community-led fish, wildlife, and habitats conservation
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Climate change adaptation, mitigation, and cumulative effects on fish, wildlife, and their habitats
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Caribou habitat restoration or conservation projects taking place in current caribou herd ranges
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Broad and diverse participation in HCTF programs and projects
Eligible Community
Required Community Contribution
No community contribution required
Funding Stacking Restrictions
No
Professional Input Required
No
Other Eligible Applicants
Indigenous-owned BusinessesOther
Indigenous Organizations
Non-governmental Organizations / Not-for-Profits
Academic Institutions
Type of Funding
- Grant
Range of Funding Available per Project
- Under $100 000
Description of Funding
Eligible Costs
PlanningCapacity Building for the Community
Training
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Pilot projects, surveys, test field methods, scoping or feasibility studies including desk-top research, mapping, literature review, discussions with regional and or biology experts, Indigenous knowledge systems and methodologies, and best practices review.
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Partnerships or networking meetings, planning workshops; focus groups; sharing knowledge, collecting community input.
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Field equipment needed to undertake planning or preliminary field-work, with a maximum request of up to$10K.
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Hiring a consultant, short-term salary or facilitation fees to lead or do planning, training and advising including honoraria or salary for field-based mentors, trainers, advisors.
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Specialized training courses such as guardians or keepers training (e.g., Streamkeepers, Wetlandkeepers etc.); technical and scientific application training (e.g., GPS, mapping, data, testing equipment); sampling and surveying techniques, monitoring and cameras, remote sensing or vegetation monitoring, or for development of a conservation leader(s) in Indigenous communities by supporting post-secondary training (1 or 2 year certificate/diploma).
Ineligible Costs
Any costs incurred prior to signing a funding agreementAdministration Fees
Staff Costs
Land Acquisition
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Internal organization capacity development such as staff training or strategic planning.
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Salaries for employees including government employees.
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Media production and communications.
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Purchase of land, tenure, lease, or licenses.
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Marine or salmon-only projects that do not also benefit provincially managed fish species or their habitats.
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HCTF does not fund invasive species programs, however, Capacity Grants may consider invasive species control as part of an overall grant e.g., training or planning.
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Purchase of capital assets such as vehicles, boats, ATVs, quads, trailers, or snowmobiles.
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Purchase of infrastructure such as docks, buildings, or campsites.
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General office equipment such as computers or phones.
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Costs for legal fees, law enforcement, and lobbying.
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Administration costs such as office space, furniture, and office equipment and supplies.
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General staff training costs for project personnel including certifications and courses not directly related to project objectives, such as standard first aid, safety training, and operator certifications for boats, ATVs, firearms, chainsaws, etc.
Reporting Requirements
Final report only
Expected Timeframe for Funding Decision
3 monthsTechnical Review by a Committee, followed by review from the HCTF Board of Directors.
- Should focus on engaging people to increase their knowledge, awareness, and understanding of fish, wildlife and their habitats.
- Should have the ultimate goal of changing behaviours and/or attitudes towards fish, wildlife and habitat conservation.
- May involve direct action in which people are stewarding the land (e.g., restoring a wetland, creating specific habitat features, removing invasive plants).
- May involve indirect action in which proponents work with others to achieve positive outcomes for fish and wildlife (e.g., landowner contact programs, citizen science, hands-on community engagement programs).
- Must be based on current best practices to increase conservation behaviours in the target audience.
- If your proposal involves outreach activities, be sure to describe who the specific target audience is and explain how you will reach your target audience.
- Where there are Citizen Science elements, proposals should also:
- Describe how the information collected will be used to directly address a conservation issue for fish and wildlife or their habitats.
- Describe what training methods will be provided for volunteers to ensure sound data collection (what format of training, how often, who will deliver).
- Describe what methods of Quality Assurance/Quality Control will be applied to data collected.
- Describe how data will be stored, managed and shared with decision makers or other relevant groups.