Carbon Landscapes

Photo: Taylor Roades

Overview

How to Apply

Tackling climate change and biodiversity loss with integrated solutions

Carbon Landscapes supports leaders, organizations, and Indigenous Nations who are tackling climate change and biodiversity loss with integrated solutions.

We gravitate towards work that addresses a structural challenge or advances an approach with the potential for outsized impact. In recent years, Carbon Landscapes funding has helped to secure Canada’s commitment to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030, significant new support for Indigenous-led conservation, and large federal investments in nature-based climate solutions.

From compelling research to on-the-ground action, and from piloting new approaches to creating new spaces for collective action, we have the honour of supporting an amazing array of leaders and organizations that are shifting the terrain of what is possible and inspiring many along the way.

Together, these efforts are helping to protect and conserve globally significant ecosystems in Canada that benefit our climate, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of many for whom these regions are home.

About

Note: For 2024, Carbon Landscapes funding will be by invitation only.

Carbon Landscapes has a two-track funding strategy:

1. Research, Convening, and Outreach

We are funding research, convening, and outreach activities in support of:

Indigenous-led conservation,
Efforts to protect and conserve peatlands, grasslands, and old growth forests, or
Strategies to achieve 30×30.

Under this strategy track, funding is geared toward efforts at a federal, provincial, and/or territorial scale, rather than on-the-ground, locally-specific work. Examples of the type of work supported under this strategy include a mix of complementary and often combined activities, such as:

Research:

Producing timely, well-researched, and accessible reports to inform the design of new strategies, policies, and programs.

Convening:

Bringing together community leaders, non-governmental organizations, academics, industry, and government representatives to better link, coordinate, and advance cross-sector efforts.

Outreach:

Communications efforts that strengthen public awareness, understanding, and support for specific policy goals or actions.

2. On-the-Ground Leadership

At present, our funding for on-the-ground leadership activities is largely focused on efforts to plan and establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas in two major peatland regions: Hudson Bay Lowlands and the Mackenzie River Basin.

Eligibility

Organizations may apply individually or in collaboration with others. Lead applicants must have a current, valid charitable registration from the Canada Revenue Agency.

Application Deadlines & Funding Decisions

For 2024, Carbon Landscapes funding will be by invitation only.

FAQs

My organization is not a registered charity but we are incorporated as a not-for-profit. Can we submit an application to the Foundation?

Lead applicants must have a current charitable registration number from the Canada Revenue Agency. Non-charitable partners can be included as part of a collaborative grant application led by a registered charity.

Can a single organization submit more than one application to Carbon Landscapes in a given funding round?

While we recognize that organizations may be involved in many activities and projects, it is not the Foundation’s customary practice to consider more than one application from any one organization in a given funding round. Please limit your request to one project unless otherwise arranged with Foundation staff.

What is the maximum/minimum size of a grant under the Environment Program?

There is no maximum or minimum grant size; we simply ask that applications be submitted with budgets appropriate to the proposed work, organization’s size, and human resources capacity.

Can organizations apply for multi-year funding?

Yes. The Foundation will entertain proposals for multi-year funding based on the nature and scope of project goals.

What additional information will help an application?

To help inform our review and funding decisions, we encourage applicants to provide a short 1-2 page document with a list of links to critical research and relevant reports that directly connect to the proposal under review. We do not welcome the inclusion of full reports, research papers, and other material such as annual reports and newsletters.

Grants Database

Collectively, we have an opportunity to reimagine how conservation is done in this country. A central focus of this effort must be support for Indigenous-led conservation.

Our approach is:

Grounded in respect for Indigenous rights, culture, and traditions

Prioritizing Indigenous-led conservation

Informed by community knowledge and cutting-edge research

Strengthened by philanthropic partnerships and cross-sector collaboration

Agile by design

We have a two-track funding strategy: