In 2015, in order to meet its international commitments to the conservation of biodiversity, federal, provincial and territorial governments developed 19 biodiversity targets for Canada. The first target, Target 1 states that “By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial areas and inland water, and 10% of marine areas, are conserved through networks of Protected Areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.”

The NHCP-LTCF program is designed to directly support Canada Target 1 and as such, land funded under the NHCP-LTCF program must count towards Target 1 objectives for permanent or long-term protection of land, either as a “Protected Area” (PA) or an “Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM), as defined by Appendix 1 of One with Nature 2019:

• Protected Area (PA): A Protected Area is “a clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.” (One with Nature definition, 2019).
• Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure (OECM): An OECM is broadly defined as “a geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and other locally relevant values.” (One with Nature definition, 2019).

 A Decision Support Tool exists to provide support in assessing whether or not an area contributes to Canada Target 1. Applicants are encouraged to review the Decision Support Tool and assess their project land using the Decision Support Tool Screening Template for Protected Areas and OECMs to determine whether the area can be counted towards Canada Target 1.

For further information, an overview of the Accounting for Protected and Other Conserved Areas can be found on the Pathway to Canada Target 1 website.

All Large Grant applications (funding request greater than $30,000) will undergo a review process by Wildlife Habitat Canada and an evaluation by an External Review Panel.

Wildlife Habitat Canada will review large grant applications in the following areas:

• Project and applicant eligibility;
• Project duration and completion date;
• Match requirement;
• Hectares;
• Risk of incompletion.

The External Review Panel will evaluate and score large grant applications in the following areas:

• Conservation and biodiversity significance;
• Connectivity and/ or adjacency to other conservation lands;
• Project resiliency;
• Conservation co-benefits.

The External Review Panel will meet to discuss project applications and put forth funding recommendations to Wildlife Habitat Canada. Wildlife Habitat Canada will review funding recommendations and select priority projects that meet the requirements and targets of the program, which will be presented to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for final funding decision.

All applicants will be notified as to the funding decision for their application. Successful applicants will receive a funding agreement from the Nature Conservancy of Canada for signature.

All Small Grant applications (funding requests of $30,000 or less) will be reviewed by Wildlife Habitat Canada in the following areas:

• Project and applicant eligibility;
• Project duration and completion date;
• Match requirement;
• Hectares;
• Risk of incompletion.

Applications are reviewed and considered in time-stamp order. Eligible projects that meet the requirements of the program will be presented to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for final funding decision.

All applicants will be notified as to the funding decision for their application. Successful applicants will receive a funding agreement for the Nature Conservancy of Canada for signature.

• Project implementation must comply with all relevant legislation, regulations, licenses, permits, etc.

• Year 2 projects must have a closing date between April 1, 2020 and December 15, 2020. If approved, LTCF funds must be spent on eligible project expenses incurred within the 2020-2021 fiscal year (April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021).
• The LTCF is a matching funds program, with a required match ratio of a minimum 2 : 1. This means that for every $1 of Program funds awarded, a minimum of $2 of matching funds from other non-federal government or private sources must also be contributed.
  • Note: Projects requesting a Large Grant that have greater than a 2:1 match may be considered more favourably in the project selection process.

• Cash contribution to a separate, newly acquired, non-government, stewardship endowment fund for the long-term stewardship of the lands. Stewardship endowment fund amount is project specific, see the appropriate Guidelines, Appendices and Glossary for more information.
• Required Stewardship Endowment Contribution for Each Project: Projects funded under the NHCP-LTCF require a cash contribution to a stewardship endowment fund for the long-term stewardship of the lands. The amount of stewardship endowment required under the NHCP-LTCF is outlined in the guidelines.

Applicants are only permitted to submit one project per Application Form with a funding request of between $2,000 and $30,000; however, Applicants can apply for multiple projects but funding will be approved in time stamped order, with consideration that a land trust’s first eligible application will be approved but subsequent funding will only be approved once all eligible land trusts have received funding for at least one project. Then, if funding is still available, the second eligible project per land trust (in time stamped order) will be funded until all applicant land trusts have received funding for two eligible projects, and so on, until all program funds have been allocated.

Required Stewardship Endowment Contribution for Each Project: The amount of stewardship endowment required under the NHCP-LTCF is outlined in the guidelines.

Project Audit/Financial Check: Successful applicants must provide WHC with all necessary financial back up documents, along with a completed Financial Reporting Template, to execute any possible financial project audit or financial check by internal WHC staff or an external Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). A Financial Reporting Template will be provided to successful applicants to streamline the collection of this information.

All required financial documentation must be received by WHC no later than February 3, 2021 at 8:00pm (EST).

To submit an application, all applicants must have read, acknowledge and agree with the requirements of the program Guidelines, Appendices and Glossary for their respective category (large or small grants).

Reference the following documents prior to preparing and submitting an application:

1. Funding Agreement Template [GENERAL]
2. Large Grants – Guidelines, Appendices and Glossary (Year 1 deadline has passed)
3. Small Grants – Guidelines, Appendices and Glossary (Year 1 deadline has passed)
4. Stewardship Endowment Calculator (Optional)
5. Guidance for Conservation Planning Framework

Additional program-specific reference documents:

LARGE GRANTS

1. Evaluation Criteria Table (Applications)
2. Example of Required Financial Project Audit (Final Reporting)

SMALL GRANTS

1. Small Application Form Sample (may be subject to change)
2. Financial Reporting Template (Final Reporting)

APPLICATION TEMPLATES

The following information must be completed and attached to your application form at the time of submission:

• Parcel Grid Template
• Project Budget Template

REPORTING TEMPLATES

The following information must be completed and provided for final reporting:

LARGE GRANTS

• Example of Required Financial Project Audit (Final Reporting)

SMALL GRANTS

• Financial Reporting Template (Final Reporting)

Grant applications must be prepared and submitted through Wildlife Habitat Canada’s online grant system. Click here to access the logon page.

New users must create a new account to access the system. Please ensure you save your logon details. You can work on your application in stages using this system, save your progress and return at a later date to complete your submission. When you are ready to submit, please do so by clicking the “Submit” button.

If an applicant has applied to previously to NCC’s OQO Program or the NHCP-LTCF Program, the same username and password can be used to complete the Application Form.

The External Review Panel will be comprised of 3 to 6 advisors from across Canada who have extremely strong knowledge or experience in matters of land conservation and/or grant making in conservation.

Year 2 – External Review Panel geographic composition: to be announced

External Review Panel members evaluate provided submissions based on a rubric and criteria developed by the CLTWG and WHC.

Congratulations to members of Canada’s land trust community receiving funding in the first year of the NHCP-LTCF program:

1. Funding Agreement Template [GENERAL]
2. Guidelines
3. Communications Protocol
4.  

• Project Budget Template

REPORTING TEMPLATES

The following information must be completed and provided for final reporting:

LARGE GRANTS

• Example of Required Financial Project Audit (Final Reporting)

SMALL GRANTS

• • Financial Reporting Template (Final Reporting)

Documents and reporting must be submitted through Wildlife Habitat Canada’s online grant system. Click here to access the logon page.