Eligible Recipients of the Grant Program are:

• Canadian Residents;
• Not-for-profit Organizations;
• Indigenous 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;
• Provincial, territorial, municipal, and local governments and their agencies.

Ineligible Recipients of the Grant Program include but are not limited to:

• International organizations or individuals;
• Federal level organizations or individuals: Government employees, departments, agencies, and crown corporations.

All grant applications undergo a review process by the WHC Board of Directors, WHC Staff and an External Review Panel of conservation experts. Please read the grant review criteria before completing your application.

Stamp Grant – Application Review Criteria

The following guidelines are also taken into account upon review:

• Projects that contribute to an equitable geographic distribution of WHC support across Canada.
• The involvement of multiple funding partners.
• Assurance that WHC funds will be used for project-related activities within the specified fiscal time-frame.
• No single partner will receive more than 20% of the total available WHC grant funding in a given year.

Projects that emphasize the following will be prioritized by the Board of Directors:

• Support of the waterfowl hunting community’s role and contribution to wildlife and habitat conservation.
• Promotion and advocacy of the importance of wildlife habitat conservation in Canada.
• Lasting and long-term impacts on conservation.
• Support of priority activities under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP).
• Regional and local habitat projects of importance to other migratory game birds.
• The Newfoundland and Labrador Murre Conservation Fund.

WHC Stamp Grant Program Guidelines 

• Project implementation must comply with all relevant legislation, regulations, licenses, permits, etc.
• Projects must be carried out between April 1st of the granting year and March 31st of the subsequent year. If approved, WHC grant funds must be spent within the designated fiscal year.
• A minimum 1:1 funding match ratio* must clearly be demonstrated in the application. WHC contributions cannot exceed 50% of the project costs.  *Please note that funding from Government of Canada programs cannot be considered as match.
• Cash and in-kind contributions must be confirmed with signed letters from the supporting partner. Letters to accompany the grant application form.  Should funding sources be anticipated but not confirmed at the time of application, please indicate clearly in the Financial Summary section of the grant application form.
• The following activities are not eligible for grant funding from WHC:
  • Expenditures directly related to the acquisition of land or an interest in land, including a lease, conservation easement or conservation covenant;
  • A contribution to an endowment fund.

• Education, Awareness, Research, and Control
• WHC will consider projects with activities that address invasive alien species (IAS) in accordance with the following guidelines:

To be eligible for funding, projects with IAS components must clearly demonstrate the eligibility of their activities based on the guidelines provided in the table above.

The focus will be on education and awareness, research, and long term, best practice eradication of IAS, for the future of conservation practices for wetlands/waterfowl/habitat.

*Education/awareness projects such as workshops, seminars, and public outreach initiatives.
*Demo site includes projects such as implementation of proven scientific methods in a practical setting.
*Research projects that promote new and innovative scientific methods to further knowledge on IAS.
*Initial Control projects such as early action into the invasive cycle for new found IAS sites.
*Maintenance projects such as maintaining the reduction of existing levels of IAS, without eradication in mind.

Embracing diversity, for both ecosystems and Canadian organizations, is a core value
at Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC). As we recognize the need for increased inclusion
and diversity in all aspects of wildlife conservation and management, WHC is
committed to supporting projects from groups with diverse and inclusive goals and
objectives for the 2024-2025 grant program.

Eligibility Requirements for these projects:

• Must be carried out between April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026. If approved, WHC grant
  funds must be spent within the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
• Must have clear milestones & deliverables and a minimum of 1:1 match (Non-federal funds).
• Projects are required to be related to NAWMP (wetlands, waterfowl and migratory
  game birds) and must fall within the scope of our regularly schedule grant
  programming (See Grant Categories Page 11 – 14 for more details)
• Within the Application, self-identify and demonstrate clearly how your organization or
  project will be providing improvements to diversity, equity and inclusion within the community of Canada.

For more information on Diversity and Inclusion, please visit www.ccdi.ca

Habitat Conservation, Restoration or Enhancement Projects

Projects under this category focus on direct, on-the-ground activities that:

• address North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) conservation priorities, as outlined in the Habitat Joint Venture Implementation Plans, including conservation, restoration, protection and enhancement of habitat in priority areas; or
• support habitat conservation for other important migratory game birds.

Examples of project activities that would fall under this grant category:

• creation, restoration or enhancement of wetland habitat;
• natural vegetation planting;
• construction and installation of Hen Houses or nest boxes;
• installation of livestock exclusion fencing;
• removal of invasive species;
• wetland inventory mapping.

Restrictions and guidelines For infrastructure repair / re-build projects (e.g., water level control structure repairs or replacement), WHC will consider projects that:

• increase wetland acres and/or improve the ecological integrity of affected acres; and,
• address long term maintenance needs for infrastructure (which do not rely on any future WHC funding).

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.

Restrictions and Guidelines 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. This letter of support must be attached to the application form when it is submitted to WHC.
• applying for a grant through an academic institution, such as a college or university, must:
  • contact WHC before submitting the application if the academic institution requires an overhead expense be charged against the requested WHC grant funds;
  • ensure that the appropriate academic institution administrative office has reviewed the draft WHC Letter of Agreement before the application is submitted. If the grant application is successful, the academic institution will be expected to enter into an agreement substantially in accordance with the draft, as a requirement of grant eligibility; and,
  • provide a letter from the administrative office confirming that the draft WHC Letter of Agreement has been reviewed, including any comments or changes that may need to be considered if the grant application is successful. This letter must be attached to the application form when it is submitted to WHC.

Wetland Education, Hunter Education, Hunter Recruitment projects Projects under this category address the NAWMP goals and priorities of the human dimensions component, “Growing numbers of waterfowl hunters, other conservationists and citizens who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands habitat conservation” This Includes:

• wetland educational programs/workshops;
• waterfowl hunter education and/or recruitment programs/workshops;
• projects that advance regional or national stewardship.

Examples of project activities that would fall under this category:

• Promoting waterfowl hunting and wetland conservation at events (Provincial hunting days);
• Mentored waterfowl hunts/introduction to waterfowl hunting;
• Public engagement in conservation activities/planning.

Restrictions and Guidelines

• Applications must clearly outline the curriculum of the project.
• Projects must include a follow up component (planned future activities) to demonstrate how the benefits of the program will be sustained in future years and to evaluate the success of the program (e.g., are new hunters continuing to actively hunt after the program?).

Projects under this category support Murre conservation activities and management, including those that:

• Assess Murre breeding populations, productivity, survival, harvests and other mortality factors;
• Facilitate Murre hunting stewardship and wildlife conservation to ensure that the Murre populations are sustained; or
• Involve other Murre habitat conservation activities and events.

Restrictions and Guidelines Grant applications under this category are reviewed by the NL Murre Conservation Fund Steering Committee, made up of representatives from Bird Studies Canada, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador (Department of Environment and Conservation), and Wildlife Habitat Canada. A representative from the Atlantic Region of the Canadian Wildlife Service (Department of Environment and Climate Change) also provides technical information for the committee. To be considered for funding, NL Murre Conservation Fund projects applying for a grant through an academic institution, such as a college or university, must:

• contact WHC before submitting the application if the academic institution requires an overhead expense be charged against the requested NL Murre Conservation Fund grant funds.
• ensure that the appropriate academic institution administrative office has reviewed the draft WHC Letter of Agreement before the application is submitted. If the grant application is successful, the academic institution will be expected to enter into an agreement substantially in accordance with the draft, as a requirement of grant eligibility; and,
• provide a letter from the administrative office confirming that the draft WHC Letter of Agreement has been reviewed, including any comments or changes that may need to be considered if the grant application is successful. This letter must be attached to the application form when it is submitted to WHC.

NOTE: Newfoundland and Labrador Murre Conservation Fund projects are currently not eligible for multi-year grants.

• Call for Proposals: July 22, 2024
• Deadline for Applications: October 4, 2024
• Applications submitted for review to Board of Directors: late-January
• Decision Letters to Applicants: mid-February
• Project Dates: April 2025 to March 2026
• Reporting periods:
  • Interim Reports due mid-September 2025
  • Final Reports due mid-March 2026

We’re online!

• Application forms must be completed and submitted online.
• Applicants will be prompted first to create a username and password.
• You can add collaborators to your application if there are multiple people assisting you with your submission.
• You can save your work at any point in time.

The deadline to apply is October 4, 2024.

Note: Any application forms submitted to WHC by email or mail will not be considered.

“The four Canadian (or Canadian portion of the four) Habitat Joint Ventures integrate planning, science, governance, partnerships, and management to achieve NAWMP goals in Canada through a programmatic approach. A science-based implementation plan is created to address local, regional and continental goals. Joint Venture partners actively research, monitor and evaluate waterfowl populations, and deliver habitat conservation programs at a regional level.” – View Source »

• Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture (PBJV)
• Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV)
• Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHJV), includes Western Boreal Forest
• Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV)

View Canadian Habitat Joint Venture Implementation / Strategic Plans

Species Joint Ventures are international in scope, spanning North America and including circumpolar countries. These joint ventures focus on critical science needs to inform the management of over 20 species (50+ populations) and their related habitats. Additionally, research directed through the species joint ventures addresses questions for other bird species that share the habitats.” – View Source »

• Black Duck Joint Venture (BDJV)
• Arctic Goose Joint Venture (AGJV)
• Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV)

View Species Joint Venture Implementation/Strategic Plans »

Click here for the list of the 2024-2025 Currently Funded Projects

• Call for Proposals: July 22, 2024
• Deadline for Applications: October 4, 2024
• Applications submitted for review to Board of Directors: late-January
• Decision Letters to Applicants: late-February
• Project Dates: April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025
• Reporting periods:
  • Interim Reports due September, 2024
  • Final Reports due March, 2025

Stamp Grant recipients are required to complete an Interim Report as well as a Final report throughout the grant year. Both of these templates can be accessed through the online grant portal that is made available to all grantees.

2024-2025 REPORTING DEADLINES

• Interim Report: September, 2024
• Final Report: March, 2025