Deadline: 3-Nov-23
Applications are now open for the Fish and Wildlife Grant which focuses on the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and their habitats.
Grant Projects
- Wildlife Projects: The priority is to fund restoration and enhancement projects that yield tangible outcomes for wildlife, fish, and their habitats. Therefore, any inventory, monitoring or research proposals focused on wildlife species will be vetted to ensure they:
- support pending habitat management decisions,
- identify or assess the feasibility of new restoration and enhancement opportunities, or
- evaluate the effectiveness of projects funded by HCTF.
- Sturgeon Projects: In the lower Fraser River, many years of intensive tagging projects have gathered standard life-history data to model population structure and estimate annual mortality and recruitment rates. As the foundational science work in the lower Fraser is nearing completion in the coming years, the HCTF Board supports a move to see NEW Sturgeon proposals that aim to achieve:
- population assessments in the mid and upper Fraser River;
- juvenile habitat use, threats, and mixing between populations in the Fraser River; and,
- habitat focused projects in the lower Fraser River that will address habitat requirements, habitat protection and habitat restoration initiatives.
Project Groups
- Fisheries [except white sturgeon]
- White Sturgeon only
- Wildlife [except wild sheep]
- Special Permits/Wild Sheep (Bighorn / Thinhorn Sheep only)
Funding Information
- There is no upper limit on funding requests but there is a 3-year limit to project funding. F&W Grant budgets typically range from $10,000 to over $100,000 annually.
- Please note that projects requesting funds in excess of $100,000 per year will be reviewed with higher scrutiny to ensure the potential conservation benefits justify this level of funding. When reviewing proposals, the Board considers the multi-year implications of investment.
Ineligible Project Activities
- Non-applied research. (Note that research focused on understanding population baselines and conservation status of species [excluding stand-alone inventory], and/or research that identifies key opportunities for restoration, enhancement, maintenance, or acquisition is eligible for HCTF funding);
- Training costs for project personnel;
- Law enforcement activities;
- Fish rearing, farming, stocking, or hatchery projects;
- Wildlife rescue or rehabilitation centers;
- Captive breeding and rearing, except for activities or circumstances that will result in clear and positive outcomes for recovery of native species populations;
- Feeding of wildlife species, except for activities that are part of population recovery projects;
- Control of native wildlife;
- Salaries for regular Provincial government employees (wages for Auxiliary employees dedicated to the proposed project are eligible);
- Salmon-only projects that do not also benefit provincially managed fish species or their habitats;
- Marine projects, except for activities that occur in estuary habitat;
- Mapping-only projects. Note that mapping may be a component of a larger, eligible HCTF proposal;
- Development or production of curriculum guidebooks or publication materials for fishing and hunting, or tour activities;
- Hosting or organizing conferences (note that presenting/speaking at conferences may be an eligible activity if it is clearly tied to the management of the species/habitat in your project and it is a cost-effective way to share project results);
- Production or sponsorship of commercial programs;
- Stand-alone interpretative materials, signs and services that are not part of a larger, eligible HCTF project;
- Creation or management of stand-alone electronic databases, websites, or file systems;
- Repairs and maintenance of aerators (Ministry proponents should apply to the Fisheries O & M program);
- Stand-alone inventory studies because this is a core government responsibility;
- Stand-alone water quality monitoring projects;
- Fishing derbies; and,
- Infrastructure (docks, campsites, cabins etc.).
Eligibility Criteria
Proponents can include:
- Provincial government agencies
- First Nations
- Municipal/Regional government
- NGO (Non-government organizations)
- Academic Institutions
- Individuals (consultants who apply should provide their credentials and explain their experience in completing the proposed work)
- Industry
HCTF strongly encourages collaboration and cost-shared proposals. Project leaders should explore the possibility of partnerships with other organizations or agencies (local, provincial, or federal).
For more information, visit Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.