Deadline: 13-Aug-21
The Columbia Basin Trust is inviting applications for the Ecosystem Enhancement Program to help maintain and improve ecological health and native biodiversity in a variety of ecosystems, such as wetlands, fish habitat, forests, and grasslands.
This five-year program supports projects focused on restoration, enhancement, and conservation that contribute to healthy, functioning ecosystems into the future. The Trust seeks input on ecological priorities and project ideas from community groups, Indigenous representatives, government and technical experts, and reviews existing regional plans and research.
The Trust focused on supporting projects from two sub-regions per year during years one to four of the program. In Year 5 (2022), the Trust is seeking project ideas from any area of the Basin. The Ecosystem Enhancement Program will have a meaningful and measurable impact in supporting and strengthening ecosystem health in the Basin. Eligible projects support the restoration, conservation and enhancement of a variety of ecotypes, including terrestrial, aquatic and wetland, at a landscape scale.
Funding Information
- Applicants can request up to a maximum of 75 percent of total project costs from the Trust. The maximum amount of Trust funding for any one project is $750,000 with a maximum duration of five years for multi-year projects.
- Applicants must demonstrate that they are contributing at least 25 percent of the project costs (in kind excluded) from sources other than the Trust.
- Projects that demonstrate broad community support and confirmed cash contributions are more likely to receive funding.
What types of projects are eligible?
- The program supports restoration, enhancement and conservation of important ecological values in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Projects supported to date include restoring wetlands, stream habitat, valley-bottom and subalpine forests and grasslands.
- The program focuses on projects that:
- implement on-the-ground actions (rather than strictly research or planning) to support ecological health at a landscape-level;
- yield meaningful and measurable benefits for ecological health and biodiversity;
- reflect input received from Indigenous communities, community/non-profit groups and technical experts;
- are ready or almost ready to implement (e.g. project workplans and prescriptions are complete or close to complete);
- help address sub-regional ecological priorities and emerging issues;
- incorporate the perspectives of Indigenous peoples in the Basin;
- incorporate climate change mitigation and/or adaptation considerations;
- are seeking or have other sources of funding secured; and
- do not displace or duplicate government efforts or industry responsibility.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include registered non-profits, Indigenous Communities and local governments in the Columbia Basin Trust region.
- Businesses may be considered depending on the Project and its broad community impact.
- Business applicants must demonstrate partnerships with community-based organizations in the design and delivery of their proposed project.
- The project should demonstrate that it will benefit ecosystems and residents of the Basin and that the primary beneficiary is not the applicant or solely the members of a membership-based organization.
- Applicants operating outside the Basin must partner with community-based organizations in the Basin to be eligible and show that the Project benefits the Basin.
For more information, visit https://ourtrust.org/grants-and-programs-directory/ecosystem-enhancement-program/