Applying for funding from the Conservation 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 Conservation Fund. The list of eligible First Nations can be found here.
Eligible applicants
Coast Funds must comply with federal laws and regulations that dictate who can receive funds from us. In most cases, these requirements means the applicant will likely be a First Nation’s Band Council. An organization created by the First Nation to operate or administer its conservation or resource management activities will only be eligible to receive money directly if it is a registered charity. Individuals are not eligible.
Please contact us to discuss whether your Band Council or other entity is an eligible applicant.
Eligible projects
Coast Funds supports activities that work towards achieving its conservation goals.
Examples of eligible projects include:
• Science, research, and monitoring for conservation matters
• Conservation, Protected Area and cultural zone resource planning and management consistent with ecosystem-based management
• First Nation participation in joint conservation management initiatives
• Protection/interpretation of biophysical or cultural resources in Protected Areas or areas of specific biological or cultural significance
• Monitoring compliance with conservation management plans
• Habitat restoration activities
• Capacity building (training, organizing, educating, relationship building)
• Planning and development of resource department operating strategic plans, operating plans, or funding applications.
Non-eligible projects include:
• Projects in Protected Areas not consistent with all approved management plans for the area.
• Activities inconsistent with any land and resource management objectives, including ecosystem-based management regulatory objectives.
• Open net cage finfish aquaculture
• Costs related to the consultation and accommodation duties of governments (except in support of Protected Area management or other conservation management initiatives)
• Costs related to the statutory duties of governments or other entities (except in support of ecosystem-based management conservation capacity building for Participating First Nations)
• Activities inconsistent with provincial laws, regulation, determinations or policies
• Political or other activities inconsistent with the Conservation Fund’s registered charitable tax status and Constitution.
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. Brief rationale for the Project
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 162 KB)
Along with your application, you will need to submit supporting documents about the applicant. Please download these administrative requirements here (PDF 108 KB)
We encourage you to contact staff if you have any questions about your application.