INVESTING IN BC CONSERVATION SINCE 1981

Since its inception in 1981, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation has invested over $189 million in grant money to more than 2,980 conservation projects in B.C.

We fund a variety of conservation work including:

  • Projects that restore, maintain, or enhance native freshwater fish and wildlife populations and habitats
  • Environmental education, and stewardship projects
  • Projects that acquire land or interests in land to secure the value of these areas for conservation purposes

You can read about HCTF priorities here.

HCTF Grants

This page provides an overview of the different HCTF grants available: click on the grant name for more information, including how to apply.

Fish & Wildlife Grants

Eligibility: Any individual, group or agency that has a good idea to help fish, wildlife or habitat in British Columbia.

Type of Activities Funded: Projects that focus on freshwater wild fish, native wildlife species, and their habitats, have the potential to achieve a significant conservation outcome while maintaining or enhancing opportunities for fishing, hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, and associated outdoor recreational activities.

Application Deadline: November 3, 2023 at 4:30pm (PT)


Stewardship Grants

Eligibility: Any individual, group or agency that has a good idea to help fish, wildlife or habitat in British Columbia.

Type of Activities Funded: Projects that focus on creating stewards and engaging people to increase their knowledge, awareness, and understanding of fish, wildlife, and their habitats. May involve direct action in which people are stewarding the land (e.g., restoring a wetland, creating specific habitat features, removing invasive plants) or indirect action in which proponents work with others to achieve positive outcomes for fish and wildlife (e.g., landowner contact programs, citizen science, hands-on educational programs).

Application Deadline: November 3, 2023 at 4:30pm (PT)

*Important Stewardship Update! Our Stewardship grant is undergoing an update to better integrate with other HCTF grant programs. For the fall intake in November 2023, HCTF will only accept Continuing Stewardship proposals for 2024-25 funding. The next opportunity to apply for New, New Phase and Seed Stewardship grants will be April 2024.


Caribou Habitat Restoration Grants

Eligibility: Any individual or organization capable of restoring habitat for caribou in British Columbia.

Type of Activities Funded: Functional and ecological caribou habitat restoration projects – see CHRF grant info page and Eligible Activities list for full details.

Application Deadline: November 3, 2023 at 4:30pm (PT)


Capacity Grants

Eligibility: Applications must be made by an individual with the lead organization.

Type of Activities Funded: Projects that advance conservation or restoration planning, engage organizational and community capacity, develop skills and abilities to initiate actions to benefit of fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation.

Application Deadline: May 1, 2023 at 11:59 pm (PT)


Community Grants (formerly PCAF)

Eligibility: Individuals and organizations trying to implement on-the-ground, community-based conservation projects, and public awareness initiatives.

Type of Activities Funded: Projects that maintain, conserve or restore indigenous fish and wildlife species and their habitat. Projects must have 50% volunteer component.

Application Deadline: May 12, 2023 at 4:30pm (PT)


GO Grants

Eligibility: K-12 classes or schools that want to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for students that support inquiry and field investigation skill development.

Type of Activities Funded: Bus transportation, outdoor project materials, and field trip leader or program fees. Find out more about field trip eligibility requirements on our education program’s website, hctfeducation.ca

Application Deadlines: February 1st and September 1st, 2023 at 4:30 pm (PT)


LEAP Grants

Project-based grants of up to $5000 for BC high schools, specifically, science courses or courses with a focus on environmental learning or career course focused on providing students with opportunities in environmental/conservation sciences.

Type of Activities Funded: Grants can be used for transportation costs, field equipment, field leaders (training or mentoring), teacher-on-call costs, training sessions or workshops for teachers and students in science protocols and practices. Find out more about field trip eligibility requirements on our education program’s website, hctfeducation.ca

Application Deadline: May 15th, 2023 at 11:59 pm (PT)


Habitat Acquisition Grants

Eligibility: Provincial and local land trust organizations, all levels of government, and community organizations.

Type of Activities Funded: Projects that acquire land to secure the value of these areas for the conservation of fish and wildlife habitats and populations.

Application Deadline: April 17, 2023 at 4:30pm (PT)


Land Stewardship Grants

Eligibility: NGOs who manage conservation lands owned by NGOs in BC.

Type of Activities Funded: Operations and maintenance activities on conservation lands.

Application Deadline: April 2023


Invasive Mussel Monitoring

Eligibility: Anyone who has the experience, knowledge, and capacity to carry out the sampling of lakes for the presence of invasive mussels.

Type of Activities Funded: Labour, support, travel, and equipment costs for monitoring BC lakes for the presence of invasive zebra and quagga mussels.

Application Deadline: Contact Barb Von Sacken


Fisheries O&M

Eligibility: Only available to existing proponents. O&M project leaders should contact Barb Von Sacken to access O&M application forms and instructions, project change requests or any other questions.

Application Deadlines: Contact Barb Von Sacken


Conservation Lands O&M

Eligibility: Only available to existing proponents. O&M project leaders should contact Barb Von Sacken to access O&M application forms and instructions, project change requests or any other questions.

Application Deadlines: Contact Barb Von Sacken