CHRF: Seed Grants

The CHRF: Seed Grants program supports organizations in British Columbia focused on caribou habitat restoration. With funding of up to $10,000, applicants can develop comprehensive proposals to address anthropogenic disturbances affecting high-value caribou habitats. This initiative aims to enhance ecological restoration efforts, ensuring the long-term sustainability of priority herds identified by the Province of BC. The CHRF emphasizes functional restoration methods to improve caribou habitats effectively.

The Caribou Habitat Restoration Fund (CHRF) is managed by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation for the purpose of restoring high-value habitat for caribou in BC using functional and ecological restoration methods. The CHRF is made possible by contributions from the Province of BC and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Funding
Applicants can request up to $10,000 for the development of a full, technically sound proposal for a new caribou habitat restoration project. The goal of this pilot is to help groups that have identified and want to restore anthropogenic disturbances in high-value caribou habitats but require some assistance with preparing a full proposal that meets the technical requirements of a full CHRF grant proposal.

Eligibility

Eligible RecipientsAny individual or organization capable of restoring habitat for caribou in British Columbia. To maximize the benefits for caribou using the funds available, the Province of BC has identified priority herds and developed guidelines for selecting restoration areas and activities that will benefit these herds.Eligible activities for seed grants are restricted to those necessary to prepare a full CHRF proposal. For example:hiring a contractor with expertise in the restoration of caribou habitat to help gather and prepare the information for a full application
costs for some stakeholder engagement.The CHRF accepts applications for projects up to 3 years in duration (or 1 or 2 years). For multi-year projects funds will be released in installments and the submission of a Progress Update will be required each year so HCTF staff and the technical review committee can assess that the project is on track.Types of Restoration Projects Prioritized for Funding:

• Focus on the functional restoration of roads or other linear features adjacent or leading to areas of intact, high-value caribou habitat.

Focus on treating disturbance features where natural vegetation recovery is not occurring, or is limited, with the treatment focused on the site-specific limiting factor.
Focus on reducing the suitability of matrix habitat for primary prey such as planting or treating areas with high shrub production.

Ineligibility

Ineligible Activities
Seed grants are for preparation of a full CHRF proposal. They are not for small habitat restoration projects. As such, any on-the-ground restoration or monitoring work is ineligible for seed funding.Please note that the following activities are ineligible for funding in either seed or full CHRF proposals:
High-level landscape or range plans, including planning strategic coordination and prioritization of restoration efforts (development of restoration plans/site prescriptions for areas identified as being high priority for caribou habitat restoration by the Province are eligible for full CHRF grants)
Archeological assessments
Rehabilitation, captive breeding, feeding or control of wildlife species
Training costs for contractors
Mapping projects that are not essential to site-specific caribou habitat restoration activities
Salaries for regular government employees
Development or production of hunting, tour, or curriculum guidebooks or publication materials
Organizational fundraising
Creation or management of electronic databases, websites or file systems