Fish & Wildlife

The Fish & Wildlife Grant is now closed.
Thank you to everyone who submitted an application.

Changes have been made to the application worksheet and guidance document. Please utilize the 2025-26 F&W Application Worksheet and associated Guidance Document for Applicants. For those applying for habitat restoration or enhancement projects, please note a series of new questions for this project type within the application.

Please refer to the Overview Tab describing funding priorities for the 2025-26 Grant applications and direction for proponents submitting proposals involving invasive species. Email grants@hctf.ca for any specific inquiries.

• New Funding for Ecological Corridors 2025-26

  In support of the Parks Canada/BC Agreement on the Stewardship of Ecological Corridors in British Columbia program, HCTF is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for the 2025-26 fiscal year. This opportunity stems from collaboration between the Parks Canada National Program for Ecological Corridors and the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

  The available funding is focused on identifying, planning, developing, and recognizing ecological corridors, and catalyzing action to maintain or restore ecological connectivity and protect Indigenous stewardship values within them. The work is to take place in National Priority Areas of Ecological Corridors 1 to 6 in B.C. (seen here: National priority areas for ecological corridors (canada.ca)).

  For more background information on the funding, click here.

  Eligibility for applications to utilize the Ecological Corridors funding is assessed through the same criteria as the Fish & Wildlife Grant and is within the same proposal intake and the same timeline. For more application guidance, click here.

  Projects that have already received funding elsewhere through the Nationals Ecological Corridor program or through the BC-Canada Agreement for Ecological Corridor Stewardship may not be eligible.

• Note to White Sturgeon Applicants

  Note to White Sturgeon Applicants

  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: 1) population assessments in the mid and upper Fraser River; 2) juvenile habitat use, threats, and mixing between populations in the Fraser River and 3) habitat focused projects in the lower Fraser River that will address habitat requirements, habitat protection and habitat restoration initiatives. Important note: Existing Sturgeon projects that are already approved for multiple years of funding will continue to be funded, contingent on satisfactory progress.

  HCTF Priorities for Fraser River Sturgeon (2021-2026)

Fish & Wildlife proposals should focus on the conservation and management of fish, wildlife and their habitats. If your proposal involves engaging people to increase their knowledge, awareness, and understanding of fish, wildlife and their habitats, you should submit an Action (formerly Stewardship) proposal; visit our Action Grant page.

Application System FAQs

We encourage all Project Leaders to read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Applications before beginning their proposal.

Application System FAQ’s

How to Apply?

Proposal submissions for the Fish & Wildlife Grant are completed online through the HCTF Survey Apply system. Please note that all applications must be submitted using Survey Apply as HCTF cannot accept applications by email.

Apply Online

F&W Application Worksheets

Before beginning your online application, we strongly recommend that you complete the application worksheet available for download in the list below. The worksheet is intended as an added resource for you to draft your application and once completed you can copy and paste the information into the online system. Please note you are required to submit the excel budget spreadsheet as a separate attachment at the end of your online application form.

Important! If you are approved for Multi-year funding, please remember you must submit a proposal for each year of your project. Continuing proposal forms should be submitted for subsequent years (Years 2, 3).

• F&W Worksheet (New, New Phase, Continuing)

  F&W Worksheet 2025-26

   

  New Projects (Year 1)
  

  • This project has not been funded by HCTF before;
  • If this project is related to one previously funded HCTF, the objectives and/or activities have changed substantially from those originally approved;
  • It was not approved for funding in a previous year but has been revised to address the Technical Review Committee’s and/or the Board’s concerns.
    • If you are re-applying for HCTF funding for a project that was not approved in the past, please use the New Project form.
    • If changes have been made to the project scope or technical approach of a Continuing Multi-year Project, a New Project application form must be submitted.
    • Continuing projects that were approved for “One Year Only” must apply using the ‘New Project’ form.

  Note: Please make sure to complete the Multi-Year Budget table to show your planned funding requests for future years; estimated amounts are acceptable.

  Continuing Projects (Year 2 to Year 3)

  • This is a multi-year project;
  • This project is in its second or subsequent year of HCTF funding based on the number of years approved in the Year 1 proposal;
  • This project develops on a previously funded project; the objectives are essentially the same as originally approved, although some aspect (e.g. location, site, species, timing) may be altered slightly.
    • Continuing projects must provide a summary of progress-to-date for the previous years’ work, and explain how the current year’s work will contribute to the overall project objectives.
    • If changes have been made to the project scope or technical approach of a Continuing Project, then a ‘New Project’ application form must be submitted.
    • Proponents should not self-extend. For example, if a 3-year Multi-year proposal is approved, the Year 3 proposal must be the final year. If funding for a 4th and 5th year is desired, the Year 4 request must be submitted as a New proposal as Year 1 of 2.
    • Continuing projects that were approved for “One Year Only” must apply using the ‘New Project’ form.
  • If significant changes are planned to the Objectives and Activities, it’s best to submit as a New proposal.

  Please note that HCTF funds Multi-Year projects one year at a time – you must submit an additional continuing application for each subsequent year of the project.

  New Phase (New 3-Year Cycle)

  • HCTF administers Continuing projects in 3-year cycles. Projects with a lifespan longer than 3 years must be identified and approved by HCTF at the initiation of the new 3-year cycle project.
  • Once a longer-term continuing project has completed 3 years, the applicant must submit a New Phase proposal for Year 1 and use the same project name and number. HCTF will re-evaluate the project’s goals and objectives considering HCTF’s other funding priorities
  • If the New Phase proposal is approved for multi-year funding, subsequent Years (Year 2, 3) are submitted as Continuing proposals.
  • This type of proposal should explain exactly what has been accomplished over the past 3 years and provide a detailed work plan for the next 3-year cycle.

  Note: For New Phase proposals, it is important to include a detailed summary of your results achieved in the previous 3-year cycle in the “Progress to Date” section of the application form (Reviewers do not have access to your previous years’ grant reports).

• Objectives & Activities

  Following are links to two example tables for the objectives and activities section of the proposal.

  • Fisheries Example Table
  • Wildlife Example Table

• Application Budget Spreadsheet

  HCTF Budget Spreadsheet

  For all proposal applications except for seed, use the Excel spreadsheet to develop your budget. You will also upload this same spreadsheet to the online Survey Apply system.

  HCTF Proposal Budget Spreadsheet 2025-26

  For more details on completing your budget spreadsheet please refer to the instruction document below.

  HCTF Budget Instructions

  Important Note: Your budget should contain enough detail for reviewers to determine if it is cost effective. Be sure to explain any differences from previous years—if your budget or activities are different from those you predicted, or if you want to alter the length of your project, provide a rationale for these changes.

  Check carefully that you have:

  • placed proposed expenditures in the correct sections;
  • included your full project budget, not just the portions that you are asking HCTF to fund;
  • included only the detailed costs for the coming year;
  • filled in the Multi-Year Budget table and Capital Items table, if relevant;
  • explained any administration fees; and,
  • captured any anticipated partner contributions.

Capital Asset Requests

In order to maximize the on-the-ground impact of every conservation dollar, HCTF will consider requests for capital assets where they are necessary to complete the project and where the cost per asset does not exceed $3,500. This threshold may be lifted in certain circumstances, such as for immobile assets (e.g. cattleguards, aerators, etc.). Please contact HCTF to discuss if you wish to request an asset over $3,500. Note that any asset purchased must only be used for conservation purposes.

• F&W Application Checklist

  To ensure you submit a good proposal, make sure to:

  • Explain how your project matches HCTF goals
  • Include details: What, Where, How, When, Why
  • Make a clear link between how your project outcomes will lead to improved management of fish and/or wildlife, or habitat
  • Include enough detail in the proposal form, do not rely on attachments
  • Complete all sections in the form
  • Proofread your proposal for clarity, typos and good grammar

How are Grant Applications Reviewed?

Each proposal goes through a multi-level, objective, technical review process prior to final Board decisions. These three main stages of review, include an assessment by a primary reviewer, and a review by a technical committee, prior to being sent to the Board for final funding decisions.

• What do our primary reviewers look for?

  • Does the proposal define the management or conservation issue well?
  • Is the need for this project clearly supported?
  • Are the project objectives clearly explained and linked to the issue statement?
  • Are the objectives realistic and attainable?
  • How well are the activities and methods explained?
  • Is the timeline realistic?
  • Does the proposal provide a plan or strategy to evaluate success?
  • How well are the measures of success explained?
  • How well does the proposal describe larger ecosystem benefits and implications to fish and wildlife populations?
  • Are the potential positive and negative impacts of the project explained?
  • How realistic is the project budget?
  • Is the proposed work technically feasible?

  Download the Technical Assessment of your Proposal: Review Criteria at a Glance document for more information about what our technical reviewers look for.

• What do our technical reviewers look for?

  • Issue— the proposal clearly explains how this work will contribute to positive conservation outcomes for fish, wildlife and their habitats.
  • Technical merit—the proposed methods are appropriate and feasible, and will effectively address the issue identified
  • Deliverables and evaluation—the proposal identifies practical, specific, measurable indicators of success* for both the implementation and the outcomes themselves
  • Cost/benefit—the project budget is reasonable to achieve the proposed benefits for fish, wildlife, and habitats

  *Measures of Success should be specific quantitative targets that can be used to track desired change and project success. They can be short, medium or long term. Although it is common to report on outputs (e.g. number of collars deployed, square meters of habitat restored), assessing conservation success also depends on evaluating outcomes (e.g. reduction in mortality of sheep, habitat restoration to support elk population).

  Download the Technical Assessment of your Proposal: Review Criteria at a Glance document for more information about what our technical reviewers look for.

• What does our Board look for?

  • Alignment with HCTF priorities and Strategic Plan
  • Eligibility of activities and expenses
  • Cost-effectiveness—do the proposed benefits justify the investment of HCTF funds compared to other projects?
  • Conservation need—did the proposal build a compelling case that the project will lead to positive conservation outcomes for fisheries, wildlife, and habitat in BC?
  • Are there management applications from this work?
  • Endurance of conservation benefits – will the benefits to fish/ wildlife/ habitat persist over biologically relevant timeframes?

Questions?

If you have questions about your project’s eligibility, your proposal, what our reviewers are looking for, or any other details, contact us to ask!

The Fish & Wildlife Grant (including Seed Grants) is now closed.
Thank you to everyone who submitted an application.

Seed Grant for a Fish & Wildlife Proposal

Seed grants are for proponents who have an idea for a new Fish & Wildlife project but need to do some planning and preliminary work to develop their idea before submitting a full new proposal. Proponents may apply for seed funding of up to $5,000 to help fill information gaps, explore project feasibility, identify project partners, and prepare technical information.

*Please note seed funding is not intended for a small, stand-alone project; seed grant project activities are meant to culminate in the development of a full F&W proposal (submitted within two years). Seed funding does not guarantee subsequent funding of a full F&W proposal.

Seed Application Worksheets

Before beginning your application on the Apply system, we strongly recommend that you complete your application using the Word worksheets. Once you have completed your application in the Word Worksheet, you can copy and paste the information into the Survey Apply online system.

Seed Application Worksheet 2025-26 Seed Budget Spreadsheet 2025-26

Application System FAQs

We encourage all Project Leaders to read the Application FAQs before beginning their proposal.

Application System FAQ’s

How to Apply?

Submission of Fish & Wildlife Grant Applications is through the HCTF Survey Apply system. Please note that all applications must be submitted using Survey Apply. HCTF cannot accept applications by email.

Apply Online

Questions?

If you have questions about your project’s eligibility, your proposal, what our reviewers are looking for, or any other details, contact us to ask!

Conditional Grant Agreement

• What is a Conditional Grant Agreement?

  The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation uses conditional grant agreements to transfer monies to a proponent for an approved HCTF project. Unlike unconditional grants (which can be used for any purpose the recipient sees fit), a conditional grant is for a specific purpose and may not be used for any other project.

  The conditional grant agreement is like a contract in that it is signed by both parties and contains specific conditions for spending the approved budget. The underlying basis for the agreement is the proposal submitted by the proponent and approved by HCTF, although HCTF may include additional conditions to the proposal before approving it.

  While each conditional grant agreement pertains to the individual project, there are some terms and conditions common to all HCTF conditional grant agreements. Some of these include:

  • The term of the agreement – April 1st to March 31st unless otherwise specified in the agreement.
  • Reporting requirements are linked to payment process.
  • All project communications materials must recognize funding support from HCTF.
  • Projects must acquire and maintain appropriate insurance.
  • Project leaders are required to obtain written pre-approval from HCTF for any equipment or asset purchases required for the project that cost $1,000 or greater that were not stated in the approved proposal.

  You can view a Sample HCTF Conditional Grant Agreement – please note that this is a general template and specific terms may vary depending on the project.

  Insurance Requirements: It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that your organization is carrying the correct insurance to deliver the project and to budget for your insurance costs accordingly in your proposal. Please note, project leaders are no longer required to provide HCTF with a Certificate of Insurance for General Liability (CGL).
  

• How to submit your Conditional Grant Agreement?

  Proposed project activities can begin on April 1^st of the year in which they are approved. If a proposal is approved subject to funding condition, that funding condition must be met prior to commencing any work. Note that HCTF funds multi-year projects one year at a time – if you would like funding for future years of a project, you must submit a continuing application each year.

  Each fiscal year’s project activities must be complete by March 31^st. Grant Reports are due annually on April 15^th. Please note that your project final approval is subject to you (or your organization) entering into a Conditional Grant Agreement with HCTF. Preview the sample CGA here.

  Approved non-government project leaders must submit their Conditional Grant Agreement online via Survey Apply. Follow these instructions for downloading, signing, and uploading.

  Please read your Conditional Grant Agreement carefully, as HCTF has made significant changes to the agreement language this year. Ensure you obtain all internal approvals from your organization before returning the signed copy to HCTF. Questions? Please contact our Finance Officer.

  Note that Provincial Government project leaders are not required to complete the Survey Apply steps above, as the Conditional Grant Agreement is signed directly with headquarters for each Ministry. Government project leaders can familiarize themselves with the requirements of the agreement at the link above and are also encouraged to request and review their specific agreement from headquarters.

  Submit your Conditional Grant Agreement

Grant Management

Please remember that the deadline for Contract Extensions and Project Change requests is February 15, 2024. We recommend submitting these requests as early as possible to allow time for review.

• Project Change Requests

  • If your approved project requires modifications from your original proposal in terms of objectives, activities/methodology, or budget allocation, you must submit a written request to HCTF using the Project Change Request Form. Depending on the nature of your request, it will be reviewed by either HCTF staff or an appropriate technical review committee. Project change requests must be submitted by February 15th and should be sent to grants@hctf.ca.
  • If you wish to reallocate your budget, please also submit a revised budget table (Excel file) which shows the updated amounts if your reallocation is approved (i.e. add a new column with new $ amounts). For example, if you initially had $15K in Wages and you want to reallocate $5k towards Site Supplies, the budget line item for Wages should now be $10K and the Site supplies would be $5K.
  • If you wish to request a budget increase, please contact grants@hctf.ca for additional instructions. Requests for budget increases will be accepted from May 1- November 1 only.

• Contract Extensions

  Contract Extension Request – Form

  Contract extensions are intended for projects where activities in the proposal could not be completed within the original timeframe. If you also have changes to your project objectives, budget or activities please submit a Project Change request form (see above).

  If you are unable to complete your project within the fiscal year of your Conditional Grant Agreement (April 1st through March 31st, unless otherwise specified), you will need to request a Contract Extension to extend your Agreement into the next fiscal. The annual deadline for contract extension requests is February 15th. An email from the Finance Officer will be sent in early January with the Contract Extension Request Form and instructions to email the completed request to reporting@hctf.ca.

  Please note that even though activities and expenditures will occur in the following fiscal year, they will still be invoiced and reported on under the original Agreement. The Grant Report (see Reporting Tab) will be due when that year’s activities are complete.

  In some cases, a project may have a Contract Extension concurrently with another funded year of the project. HCTF requires that expenditures and project outcomes for each grant must always be tracked, invoiced and reported on separately. That also means that any unspent funds from one grant cannot be “rolled into” the project budget for a subsequent year.

  For example, a multi-year project may receive a contract extension to complete Year 1 activities concurrent to activities already approved for Year 2. Each of these proposals is considered a separate contract. Therefore, you must report for each of them separately by completing a Grant Report for each of these project years, reporting against their respective proposals. That is, you would submit a Grant Report for Year 1, reporting against the Year 1 proposal; and another Grant Report for Year 2, reporting against the Year 2 proposal, even though the Year 1 activities took two years and happened at the same time as the Year 2 activities.

• HCTF Acknowledgement

  The support provided by HCTF must be acknowledged in any publicity issued, printed or distributed, including signs, displays, reports, announcements, articles, press releases, or media interviews. Full information on HCTF communications guidelines and copies of the HCTF logo are available here.

The next deadline for submitting grant reports is April 15, 2025. All Project Leaders with approved grants from 2021-22 onward need to complete their grant reports in our online Survey Apply system. Reporting requirements remain relatively consistent from previous years with a new simplified and easy-to-use structure.

Reporting FAQs

We encourage all Project Leaders to read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Reporting before beginning their report.

Reporting FAQ

How to Submit your Report?

Submission of Fish & Wildlife (formerly Enhancement & Restoration) Grant Reports is through the HCTF Survey Apply system. Please note that all reports must be completed and submitted using Survey Apply. HCTF cannot accept applications by email.

Complete Report Online

Reporting Requirements

• Why do we have reports?

  As a trust of public funds, HCTF has a number of requirements to ensure accountability and due diligence of trust funds. We have a responsibility to ensure that funds are invested in activities and projects that contribute to conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitat in BC. As a public foundation, HCTF is required to prepare annual financial statements which undergo a thorough audit process. Grant reports help ensure funds were utilized in accordance with the purposes of the trust, which is a requirement for HCTF’s audit.

  Specifically, grant reports allow HCTF to evaluate:

  • compliance with the proposal (that the funds were used for the activities and goals for which they were intended) and
  • conservation outcomes (or reasonable progress towards them).

• Report Submission

  Consistent with HCTF’s operating cycle and with the end date of most conditional grant agreements, projects must be completed by March 31st. Subsequent grant reports are due April 15^th.

  HCTF has recently launched a new online reporting system. All Project Leaders with approved 2021-22 grants are required to submit their grant reports in Survey Apply, the same system that was used for proposal submission Reports in older formats or reports that come in by email submission will not be accepted.

  Project Leaders with active projects from 2020-21 and prior (before Survey Apply was implemented) will submit using the previous report forms and processes. These Project Leaders (and those with approved contract extensions) will have received an email from HCTF with reporting instructions and forms. If you did not receive this email, or if you have any questions, please contact reporting@hctf.ca.

Reporting Worksheets

Current grant reports for 2021-22 onward: Please note you now need to complete and submit the grant report form online (link to online system) and will need to upload the new separate excel budget spreadsheet with this online submission. Click one of the template links below to begin drafting your report for our online Survey Apply system.

Outstanding grant reports from BEFORE 2020-21: If you had a contract extension or still need to submit an outstanding report, please contact us at reporting@hctf.ca for a copy of the old 2020-21 grant report template.

Before beginning your online report, we strongly recommend that you complete the reporting worksheet available for download in the list below. The worksheet is intended as an added resource for you to draft your report and once completed you can copy and paste the information into the online system. Please note you are required to submit the excel budget spreadsheet as a separate attachment at the end of your online report form.

• Fish & Wildlife (formerly Enhancement & Restoration) / Stewardship Reporting Worksheet

  Grant Report Worksheet

   

  If you had a contract extension or an outstanding report from BEFORE 2020-21, please contact us if you need a copy of the previous report template. Otherwise please use the template above and submit your report through our online Survey Apply System.

• Reporting Budget Spreadsheet

  Budget Instructions

  For more details on completing your budget table please refer to the instruction document below.

  Report Budget Instructions

  HCTF Budget Table Reporting Spreadsheet

  Please note you will also be required to upload this same spreadsheet to the online Survey Apply system.

  Grant Report Budget Spreadsheet

• Seed Reporting (ERS only)

  Seed Grant Report Budget Spreadsheet Seed Grant Report Worksheet Report Budget Instructions

  If you had a contract extension or an outstanding report from BEFORE 2020-21, please contact us if you need a copy of the old report template. Otherwise please use the template above and submit your report through our online Survey Apply System.

Other Attachments

• Technical Reports

  Some HCTF projects produce a comprehensive technical report detailing the methods and analyzing the results. Technical reports may require more time to complete and are therefore not tied to the final payment if the Grant Report is complete. HCTF requires an electronic copy of the technical report once it is completed. Ideally, we would like to receive it as an attachment to the Final Year Grant Report.

• Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  Some projects may produce information that will be published in a peer-review journal. These articles do not constitute a final report, but are of interest to HCTF. We recognize that published journal articles take time for publication. Please send us a PDF copy of the published article or a link to the article, once it is available.

Project Evaluation

HCTF uses a variety of methods to assess approved and/or completed projects to ensure that Foundation grants are providing the greatest conservation return on investment. Each year, HCTF staff and/or Board select projects and meet with the project leaders to review project performance. This evaluation includes assessing on-the-ground accomplishments as well as reviewing financial records. For further information, contact the Manager of Biology.

Application Resources:

Guidance for Applicants

Application System FAQs

Ineligible Activities List

2022-27 Strategic Plan

2024-25 Approved Project List

HCTF Priorities for Fraser River Sturgeon (2021-2026)

Fisheries Example Table

Wildlife Example Table

Review Criteria at a Glance document

Application Worksheets:

F&W Application Worksheet (New, New Phase, Continuing)

HCTF Proposal Budget Spreadsheet

HCTF Proposal Budget Instructions

Seed Application Worksheet

Seed Budget Table

Management:

Sample HCTF Conditional Grant Agreement

CGA Survey Apply Instructions

Project Change Request Form

Contract Extension Request Form

Reporting:

Reporting FAQs

F&W Grant Report Worksheet

F&W Grant Report Budget Spreadsheet

Report Budget Instructions

Seed Grant Report Template

Seed Grant Report Budget Spreadsheet