Applying for funding from the Economic Development Fund requires following three steps:
Step 1: Review the eligibility of your project
Step 2: Submit a project summary so that we can discuss the proposed project together before you make your formal application
Step 3: Submit a full application, including a detailed work plan and budget.
STEP 1: Determine Eligibility
The first step is for you to determine whether your project is eligible for funding by answering three questions:
• Is your First Nation eligible?
• Is the applicant eligible?
• Is the project eligible?
Eligible First Nations
In order to apply for funding, you must be a Participating First Nation and have been allocated a portion of the Economic Development Fund. The list of eligible First Nations can be found here.
Eligible applicants
• The Band Council of a Participating First Nation
• An Economic Development Corporation to whom a Band Council has delegated responsibility for economic development
• Any other entity fully or partially owned or controlled by the Band Council of a Participating First Nation which has a Band Council Resolution supporting the application; or
• Individual members of a Participating First Nation or businesses owned by any such individual or individuals who has a Band Council Resolution supporting the application.
Eligible projects
The Economic Development Fund supports environmentally sound and sustainable economic development activities by Participating First Nations. Priority will be given to projects that have positive environmental or social impacts, direct or indirect.
Examples of eligible businesses include:
• Shellfish aquaculture
• Fisheries
• Technology and communications
• Tourism, including cruises and wildlife viewing
• Wildlife viewing
• Nutriceuticals
• Mushroom harvesting
• Non-timber forest products
• Ecosystem-based management compliant forestry operations
• Non-nuclear and non-carbon burning energy projects
• Green building projects
• Small-scale, non-toxic, subsurface rock, mineral or gem extraction
• Economic development capital corporations utilizing funding standards consistent with those of the Economic Development Fund.
Non-eligible activities include:
• Activities inconsistent with ecosystem-based management land and resource management objectives
• Activities that are not sustainable, with particular regard to fish and wildlife stocks in the Project Area
• Activities associated with large scale extraction of subsurface resources
• Fishing licences for stocks targeted for harvest reduction by federal or provincial agencies
• Open net cage finfish aquaculture
• Trophy hunting for game
• Bear and/or carnivore hunting
• Costs related to the consultation and accommodation or statutory duties of governments
• Political activities inconsistent with the Income Tax Act
• Activities inconsistent with the Economic Development Fund’s Constitution
• Activities inconsistent with provincial laws, regulation, determinations or policies.
STEP 2: Submit A Project Summary
A project summary is an overview of the activities you intend to do, the resources it will take to achieve your goals, and the timing of the project. The summary should include the following information:
1. Applicant information: Name of applicant, primary contact person(s) and their email, address, and phone and fax numbers
2. Project name and 1-2 sentence Project description
3. Overview of the goals and objectives of the Project
4. How the project aligns with the sustainable economic development goals of the Fund and is consistent with conservation goals
5. Summary of key activities and expected outcomes from work plan
6. “Next steps” to be taken upon completion of this Project
7. Total amount requested
8. Summary of funding sources and use of funds
9. Project start and completion dates
10. Proposed timing and amounts of award payments.
Once received, we will review the summary and call you to discuss the project. We will confirm the eligibility of the project and assist you in thinking about how to develop a complete application. The objective of our conversations is to help you develop an application that will be well-received by the Coast Funds’ Board.
STEP 3: Submit A Complete Application
Once we have discussed your project, you must complete an application that gives the details needed to fully understand the project and how the funds are to be used.
This will include a detailed work plan showing timelines, deliverables, and staffing requirements, and a project budget that shows how you propose to use the requested funds and any additional funding expected from other sources.
Please download the full application guidelines here (PDF 163 KB)
Along with your application, you will need to submit supporting documents about the applicant. Please download these administrative requirements here (PDF 112 KB)
We encourage you to contact staff if you have any questions about your application.