Category #2: Research Grants

Category #2: Research Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Wildlife Habitat Canada
Last Updated: July 22, 2025

Summary

The Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp Program, administered by Wildlife Habitat Canada, funds vital conservation projects across Canada. By leveraging funds from stamp sales and ensuring a matching funds component, WHC supports initiatives aligned with the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Eligible projects must demonstrate a 1:1 funding match and focus on enhancing habitats for migratory game birds. This program has allocated approximately $150 million to conservation efforts, underscoring its significance in preserving Canada's wildlife.

Overview

Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp Program Wildlife Habitat Canada invests funds from the sale of the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp and Print (CWHS) program to fund important and relevant conservation projects all over Canada. What’s more, our matching funds component ensures that every dollar WHC invests is met with additional non-federal government backing. As a result, the projects we support are crucial to Canadian conservation initiatives and have provided roughly $150 million towards the cause. The WHC mandate is to support applications that: are relevant under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP);positively impact regional and local habitats of other migratory game birds;consider the Newfoundland and Labrador Murre Conservation Fund. WHC recognizes the importance of projects involving habitat conservation, restoration and enhancement for other wildlife (i.e. other than migratory game birds) and fish; however, these types of projects are not eligible for funding consideration under the Contribution Agreement between Environment and Climate Change Canada and Wildlife Habitat Canada. Research Grants Projects under this category focus on furthering the understanding of waterfowl and/or habitat conservation in priority areas or the NAWMP human dimensions component. Examples of research projects that have received grant funding in the past: Long Point Waterfowl’s Lake St. Clair Initiative: Habitat Selection and Survival of American Black Ducks and Mallards during Autumn-Winter; Assessing the ecological influences on the efficacy of benthic barriers to control yellow flag iris in high priority waterfowl habitats across British Columbia; Understanding the dynamics of people's interactions with waterfowl: Assessing hunter's preferences for waterfowl management in Canada.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Only Canadian recipients are eligible recipients and include:Not-for-profit organizations;Aboriginal organizations, Associations and wildlife management boards;Research, academic and educational institutions;For profit organizations such as small businesses, companies, corporations, and industry associations;Local organizations such as community associations and groups, seniors’ and youth groups, and service clubs; and, Provincial, territorial, municipal and local governments and their agencies.  To be eligible for funding consideration, the project must clearly demonstrate a minimum 1:1* funding match ratio in the 2017-2018 fiscal year (i.e., WHC contributions cannot exceed 50% of the Project Revenue). Funding from Government of Canada programs cannot be considered as match.To be considered for funding, Research projects require a letter of support from the scientific or technical committee of the associated North American Waterfowl Management Plan Habitat (or Species) Joint Venture in Canada.

Ineligibility

Ineligible recipients include, but are not limited to: international organizations or individuals;and, government employees, departments, agencies and crown corporations at the federal level.Expenditures directly related to the acquisition of land or an interest in land, including a lease, conservation easement or conservation covenant are not eligible for grant funding from Wildlife Habitat Canada.Wildlife Habitat Canada funds cannot be used to contribute to any endowment fund(s).While Wildlife Habitat Canada recognizes the importance of projects involving habitat conservation, restoration and enhancement for non-waterfowl species and fish, these types of projects are not eligible for funding consideration under the Contribution Agreement between Environment Canada and Wildlife Habitat Canada.