Canada: 2022-2023 Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk

Deadline: 12-Nov-21

The Government of Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is pleased to announce a call for proposals for the 2022-2023 Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) for Aquatic Species at Risk to support and promote the conservation and recovery of Aquatic Species at Risk and their habitats by engaging Canadians in projects that will result in tangible and measurable conservation benefits.

Priorities

The national priorities for the HSP are projects that focus on the implementation of:

priority activities described in federal recovery strategies, action plans, or management plans
multiple-species and/or multi-partner projects
activities that address threats described in federal SAR recovery documents or the committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessment reports

Categories

Habitat Improvement: Enhancing or restoring habitat of SAR; changing land/water management or land/water use practices to benefit SAR and improve habitat quality.
Human Impact Mitigation: Direct intervention for SAR under immediate threat from human activity or proactive/preventative activities.
Program Planning and Development: Developing SAR conservation strategies, use guidelines/best practices, and planning the implementation of stewardship programs, including target audience engagement strategies.
Surveys, Inventories and Monitoring: Activities such as identifying potential sites for habitat restoration; or assessing the presence of a SAR and its habitat in order to target, design and carry out a current (or future) stewardship project.
Project and Program Evaluation: Assess the social and biological results and effectiveness of stewardship activities.
Outreach: Providing information to appropriate target audiences on specific actions to be taken to protect SAR; raising awareness about SAR conservation needs; educating resource users about alternative methods that minimize impacts on SAR and their habitat; promoting stewardship at the community level to improve attitudes and change behaviour.

Funding Information

The HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk has an approximate annual national budget of $4M. Funding is variable and dependant on project activities. In an effort to promote collaboration and multi-year projects, the suggested minimum funding request to HSP is $25,000 (this amount may be spread over one or up to three years of a project). The Program does not have a maximum funding limit. However, typical HSP contributions can range from $25,000 to $100,000.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible recipients include:

domestic not-for-profit organizations, such as charitable and volunteer organizations, professional associations, and non-governmental organizations
domestic Indigenous organizations, governments, Individuals, boards, commissions, communities, associations and authorities, including:
- indigenous not-for-profit organizations
- District councils, Chiefs councils and Tribal councils
- indigenous research, academic and educational institutions
- indigenous for-profit organizations
domestic research, academic and educational institutions
canadian individuals
domestic for-profit organizations, such as small businesses with less than 500 employees, companies, corporations, and industry associations
local organizations such as community associations and groups, seniors’ and youth groups, and service clubs
provincial, territorial, municipal and local governments and their agencies (e.g. Crown corporations)