Stewardship

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.

The intake for Continuing Stewardship grant applications for 2024-25 funding is now closed.

Multi-Year Project Update! The duration for Multi-year proposals is now 3 years maximum (e.g., Year 1 of 3 Years). If proposals are submitted for a 5 year cycle, HCTF will correct the timing to 3 years. This change in duration does not apply to previous Multi-year proposals that have been approved for 4 or 5 years.

Application System FAQs

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

Application System FAQ’s

How to Apply?

Proposal submissions for the Stewardship 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

HCTF recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship and invests in projects that create stewards. Stewards include individuals, practitioners, and community organizations who take responsibility for promoting, monitoring, conserving, and restoring ecosystems to ultimately result in enduring conservation outcomes for fish and wildlife and their habitats. Proposed projects must align with our purposes as laid out in the Wildlife Act.

HCTF prefers stewardship projects that create stewards through community-based, hands on engagement programs, including Citizen Science. Stewardship projects may include some on-the-ground components such as habitat restoration.

If your proposal focuses primarily on applied research, inventory or habitat restoration for fish or wildlife, you should apply under the Fish & Wildlife Grant and select the Fisheries or Wildlife project group. Visit our Fish and Wildlife page.

For schools interested in grants, please see our HCTF Education Grants.

Stewardship 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).

• Stewardship Worksheet (Continuing)

  Stewardship Worksheet 2024-25

   

  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.

   

• Objectives & Activities

  Following are links to an example table for the objectives and activities section of the proposal.

  • Stewardship 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 2024-25

  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.

• Stewardship Application Checklist

  Stewardship proposals should:

  • Indicate how long benefits of any agreements and education/outreach efforts are expected to persist. What are the risks to the longevity of these efforts (i.e. increased knowledge does not last forever in individuals or groups and will need to be repeated to sustain benefits)? How will these risks be mitigated?
  • Indicate if there will be costs to maintain the project investment(s), for example non-legal land stewardship agreement and education efforts will need to be renewed on a regular basis.

  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 next opportunity to apply for Seed Grant to develop a Stewardship proposal will be April 2024.

Seed Grant for a Stewardship Proposal

Seed grants are for proponents who have an idea for a new Stewardship 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 Stewardship proposal (submitted within two years). Seed funding does not guarantee subsequent funding of a full Stewardship 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 2023-24 Seed Budget Spreadsheet 2023-24

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 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!

The next deadline for submitting grant reports is April 14, 2023. 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 our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Reporting before beginning their report.

Reporting FAQ

Survey Apply System

Submission of Stewardship Grant Reports is through the HCTF Survey Apply system. Please note that all reports must be 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 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 / Stewardship (formerly ERS) Reporting Worksheet

  ERS 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.

  ERS 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 previous 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.

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 an HCTF sample 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.

Application Resources:

Guidance for Applicants 2024-25

Application System FAQs

Ineligible Activities List

2022-27 Strategic Plan

2023-24 Approved Project List

HCTF Priorities for Fraser River Sturgeon (2021-2026)

Stewardship Example Table

Review Criteria at a Glance document

Application Worksheets:

Stewardship Continuing Application Worksheet 2024-25

HCTF Proposal Budget Spreadsheet 2024-25

HCTF Proposal Budget Instructions

Management:

Sample HCTF Conditional Grant Agreement

CGA Survey Apply Instructions

Project Change Request Form

Contract Extension Request Form

Reporting:

Reporting FAQs

ERS Grant Report Template

ERS Grant Report Budget Spreadsheet

Report Budget Instructions

Seed Grant Report Template

Seed Grant Report Budget Spreadsheet