Grants & Funding
OLTA administers several granting programs to support land trusts. Please see the details and dates below, and check back often, or subscribe to our newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any funding opportunities.
Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
Conservation of Ontario’s rich biodiversity is a shared responsibility. The Greenlands Conservation Partnership program (GCPP) is a plan to conserve ecologically important natural areas and contribute to the government’s climate change objectives.
The Province committed in the Fall 2020 budget to partially match private contributions to the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program with the Recipient. The government is committed to strengthening conservation partnerships to preserve more areas of significant ecological importance, protect natural areas and promote the importance of healthy, natural spaces.
This funding cycle represents the secondary round of the fourth and final year of a four-year fund. The current funding cycle has a focus on supporting projects that acquire and manage ecologically sensitive lands, as well as restoration/stewardship/outreach (SRO) activities for properties that were previously secured through the program. Projects that include SRO elements are strongly encouraged. Applications are being accepted in order to consider support for:
- Land acquisition – fee simple or conservation easement agreement.
- Associated costs of land acquisition.
- Restoration and stewardship costs on properties secured through this program, in this or previous rounds.
- Outreach events, including those focused on increasing the availability of green spaces and trails for the people of Ontario to enjoy, on properties secured through this program.
Organizations may submit any number of applications. Each project must be at least $5,000 submitted through its own application. Unless otherwise determined by the External Review Committee, no applicant will receive more than 34% of available funds.
Important Note: any project requesting $500,000 or more in funding must be prepared to complete an external audit of the entire project by the end of February 2024 as per program requirements. Please keep this timeline in mind when preparing your applications.
Eligible securement projects must have a transaction closing date between April 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024. Please note that due to this being the final year of the program, the latest possible closing date is FIRM – extenuating circumstances that result in delays will not be able to be accommodated. Project expenses related to securement must be incurred between April 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024. Stewardship/restoration/outreach activities and expenses of securement projects are only eligible from the property closing date to January 31, 2024.
Eligible stewardship/restoration/outreach projects must be completed between April 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, on properties secured through the GCPP. Expenses for stewardship/restoration/outreach projects are eligible from April 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024.
Completed applications and all documentation are to be submitted electronically via this:
Foundant Technologies grant application portal
Applicants will need to create a user account. The link contains instructions and tutorials on how to create an account and access the Apply dashboard. Applications must be submitted by 5 pm on Monday, September 18th, 2023. There are two application forms in the grant application portal – one for Securement Projects, and one for Stewardship/Restoration/Outreach Projects. Please refer to the information on Project Eligibility outlined in the OLTA GCPP Guidelines for Applications – Secondary Round document to determine which application form is required for your Project. You will need to submit multiple attachments with your application directly through Foundant. It is recommended to use reduced file sizes where possible. Please contact the OLTA office if you have any problems or questions.
BEFORE completing the GCP application, please thoroughly review the following documents:
Progress of the Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program
In the first three years of this 4 year program, for the Ontario community and local land trusts, this program so far has:
- Established over 7,800 acres (3,000ha) of newly protected land and freshwater, especially in southern Ontario where nature and wildlife face the greatest pressures and where the majority of land is privately owned.
- Funded or partially funded 46 new projects across Ontario, from Thunder Bay, to Lake Erie to Thousand Islands.
- Conserved 23 new properties that provide public access and increase the availability of green spaces for the people of Ontario to enjoy.
- Protected habitats for at least 85 species at risk.
See the below infographic of GCPP’s impact:
Species at Risk Action Fund
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
The Species at Risk Action Fund (SARAF) aims to improve the status of Species at Risk (SAR) and their habitats by supporting species inventories and management planning on ecologically sensitive lands by eligible recipients.
OLTA currently holds funding from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks’ Species at Risk Stewardship Program. Through this grant, we are able to support small grants to member land trusts in their work to protect and recover SAR on their properties.
The SARAF fund will support SAR inventory projects, property management plan (PMP) costs and/or direct habitat management actions. Eligible projects will be those undertaken since April 4, 2023 OR that will be completed before February 19, 2024.
Funding has been made available through support provided by the Government of Ontario.
Please review the SARAF Guidelines document below for the Fall 2023 funding priorities.
Completed applications and all documentation are to be submitted by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
Completed applications and all documentation are to be submitted electronically via Foundant Technologies grant application portal.
Applicants will need to create a user account. The link contains instructions and tutorials on how to create an account and access the Apply dashboard.
Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. Applicants will receive an automatic email from Foundant at the time of submission. Applicants are responsible for contacting OLTA shortly thereafter if they do not receive a confirmation e-mail.
Please direct any inquiries to [email protected]
NHCP - LTCF Grant
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
The Natural Heritage Capacity Program – Land Trust Capacity Fund supports Canadian charity land trusts in securing land that contributes to the achievement of the terrestrial and inland water elements of Target 1 for Canada’s 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets. It will also contribute to the protection of habitat for the recovery of Species at Risk Act (SARA) listed species at risk and the prevention of other species from becoming listed under SARA.
Wildlife Habitat Canada is providing grant administration services for the Natural Heritage Conservation Program which will invest $18 million into the Land Trusts Conservation Fund program. The Land Trusts Conservation Fund (LTCF) will provide approximately $4.5 million annually over four years (2023 – 2026) to support Canadian land trusts in securing private lands and private interests in lands.
To be eligible to apply for the LTCF, which includes a large or small grant program, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Applicants must be a Canadian Land Trust
- Applicants must be a registered Canadian Charity
- Applicants must have adopted and be in compliance with, or working towards substantial compliance with, the Canadian Land Trusts Standards and Practices (2019)
- Applicants must demonstrate a minimum of 2:1 in match funding raised from other non-federal sources.
For up-to-date information regarding the Land Trusts Conservation Fund program or for more information on both the Small & Large grant programs, please visit Wildlife Habitat Canada’s website here.
Interested in Other Funding Sources?
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Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) is a registered charity focused on providing community, knowledge sharing and support to land trusts and other groups committed to land conservation across Ontario.
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