Happy Fall everyone! Many of you are busy in your hunting and harvesting seasons, but we hope you will have time to read about all the new funding opportunities we have come across and are excited to share with you!
We're bringing you many new funding sources today, many of which are directed to climate change and cumulative effects in your communities. A few of the opportunities, including the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk, are closing soon! So please check out the list and let us know if you could use our help applying.
Our friends at TALSAA are running some interesting Lands Management training workshops, please see the links below for more information.
Also included is some SVS news. There are three exciting employment opportunities to share with your networks and a highlight on the Moccassin Identifier project - the brainchild of Carolyn King, former Chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This project was brought out to our local community on September 30th by SVS's own Jeremy Shute. See more below.
Happy reading!
Additions to Reserves Toolkit Training
The National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association (NALMA) is pleased to offer Additions to Reserve
(ATR) Toolkit Training. This training is a great opportunity for Land Managers or ATR Project
Leaders to expand their knowledge of the ATR process, understand the federal government’s 2016 ATR policy requirements (including recent statutory developments), and the procedures necessary to develop a successful ATR proposal.
Date: November 21-23, 2023 (2.5 days)
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Registration Deadline: October 30ᵗʰ, 2023
Sponsorship: Maximum $3,000 per First Nation. This training session can accommodate 20 Land
Managers. As space is limited, only one representative per First Nation will be accepted.
Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Register Here: NALMA Additions to Reserves (ATR) November 21-23, 2023 –Calgary, AB
For more information contact Stephanie Tripp at stephtripp@nalma.ca
Economic Recovery Gathering 2023-24
“Strengthening Our Communities.”
Dates: October 11 – 13, 2023
Location: Alexander First Nation (Host-Community) and Best Western, St. Albert
We invite you to join us for the Economic Recovery Gathering Series 2023-24 in October 2023. This gathering will focus on Traditional Knowledge and land-based teachings, outdoor activities, land stewardship and sustainability for First Nations communities across Alberta.
We invited Elders & Knowledge keepers from across Alberta, and partner Thunderbird Inc. will provide attendees with the tools to understand land-based stewardship, sustainability practices, and use them to inform our economic recovery over the course of the 3 days. We will also discuss the challenges faced in Alberta's First Nations communities and how we can work towards a more prosperous future.
For more details about the gathering, accommodations, meals, please visit: https://talsaa.ca/economic_recovery_gatherings
To Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/economic-recovery-gathering-series-tickets-717436440707
NEW! 2024 First Nations Guardians Fund is now open! https://rng-ngn.grantplatform.com/
Looking for ways to train more youth to become Guardians? Interested in finding ways to get more equipment for your Guardians initiatives? The 2024 First Nations Guardians Fund is an opportunity to do all that and more!
Register today through the First Nations National Guardians Network (NGN) website to ensure you receive updates as soon as the funding application process opens.
For the first time, the First Nations Guardians Fund will be distributed by the First Nations-led Network (the only one in the world!). The application process is being managed by First Nations experts and informed by Guardians input, putting decision making and leadership in the hands of First Nations experts, Guardians, and leaders. Learn more about the Network here Rng-ngn.ca
Applications will be opening soon! If you have any questions, reach out to the Network directly at info@rng-ngn.ca.
Indigenous Forestry Initiative - deadline October 30, 2023.
The objective of the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI) is to advance reconciliation in the forest sector by supporting Indigenous-identified priorities to accelerate Indigenous awareness, influence, inclusion, and leadership.
The IFI provides financial support to inclusive, Indigenous-led activities in the forest sector, such as:
-gathering, developing, using, and protecting Indigenous Knowledge and science
-Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship
-the identification, consideration, and pursuit of economic development opportunities
See the link for more info:
Climate Action and Awareness Fund’s Environmental Literacy Funding: applications due Oct. 31
This funding will support projects that will develop knowledge, tools and/or skills and increase the environmental literacy of young Canadians as part of the long-term solutions to tackle climate change.
More info here.
Food Waste Prevention and Diversion: Research and Capacity Building Fund- applications due Oct. 30
Project proposals should target research and capacity building opportunities for reducing and/or diverting food and other organic waste from landfill. Project outcomes with the ability to be leveraged by others across Canada to support policy, program or project development are encouraged.
More information here.
Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund
The CNSC’s Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund will help Indigenous Nations and communities, as well as stakeholders, gain the capacity necessary to engage in the CNSC’s regulatory processes prior to and throughout the lifecycle of nuclear facilities and activities in Canada in a variety of ways.
The purpose of the Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund is to:
The Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund has approved funding for 5 years (currently ending in fiscal year 2027–28) and includes 3 funding streams.
Stream 2: Regulatory Policy Dialogue funding opportunity (C-21 / Nuclear Safety and Control Act) is still open! Application due Nov. 6th. See here for more info.
Community Opportunity Readiness Program (CORP) – Funding Opportunity – no deadline
https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1100100033417/1613659339457
The Community Opportunity Readiness Program (CORP) provides project-based funding for First Nation and Inuit Communities’ pursuit of economic opportunities. The funding objective is that First Nation and Inuit communities implement economic and business development initiatives that will leverage private sector funding either immediately, or in the future.
Indigenous Heritage - Museums Assistance Program - applications due Nov.1st, 2023
The Indigenous Heritage component of the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) provides funding for projects related to the preservation, management, and presentation of Indigenous cultural heritage in Canada.
More information here
EJ4Climate Grant Program- applications due Nov 9
The CEC established this grant program in 2021 to fund projects that target underserved and vulnerable communities, and Indigenous communities, in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, to prepare them for climate-related impacts.
The EJ4Climate Grant Program provides funding directly to community-based organizations and seeks to support environmental justice by facilitating the involvement and empowerment of communities searching for solutions and the development of partnerships to address their environmental and human health vulnerabilities, including those due to climate change impacts.
The Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) Program- applications due Dec. 13, 2023
This program will provide funding to enable communities and sectors to work together at a regional scale to co-develop coordinated actions that increase climate resilience in coastal regions. The CRCC received $41 million under the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan, which accompanied the release of the National Adaptation Strategy.
More information here.
Professional and Institutional Development Program- Contact your funding services officer in your Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) regional office for the deadline in your region.
This program funds projects that develop the capacity of First Nations and Inuit communities to perform core functions of government such as planning and risk management, leadership, basic administration and financial management.
The Professional and Institutional Development Program funds projects that develop the capacity of communities to perform 10 core functions of governance, including:
More information here.
Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk- The application window will close at 2:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time on October 31, 2023.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is committed to working to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 and to achieving a full recovery for nature by 2050. Supporting Indigenous leadership in conservation is essential to meeting these targets. The Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR), established in 2004, supports the development of Indigenous capacity to participate actively in the implementation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The Act recognizes the important role that Indigenous Peoples play in wildlife conservation and the need to consider Indigenous knowledge in the assessment of which species may be at risk, as well as in the development and implementation of protection and recovery measures. AFSAR also supports and promotes the conservation, protection, and recovery of target species and their habitats on Indigenous lands and territories.
The objectives of AFSAR are to:
See here for more information.
Emergency Management FireSmart program - open until March 31, 2024
The Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) provides funding to First Nations communities so they can build resiliency, prepare for natural hazards and respond using the 4 pillars of emergency management:
FireSmart project funding is available for initiatives, such as:
First Nations Health Authority: Indigenous Climate Health Action Program
FNHA’s Indigenous Climate Health Action Program (ICHAP) supports First Nations leadership in reducing climate change impacts on health.
Climate change affects physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health in many ways. Through ICHAP, communities can strengthen their climate health resilience by working together to improve the environmental, social, cultural and economic factors that affect their health and wellness. More info here.
Wildfire and Natural Disaster Support
Indigenous Services Canada provides funding through the FNECP to help First Nations communities improve their health. The program supports these communities in identifying, investigating, and characterizing the impact of exposure to environmental hazards. Its activities include community-based:
Click here to learn more about this funding.
Funding applications to the Canada Ontario Resource Development Agreement (CORDA) program for 2024-2025. Deadline to apply is Nov. 6, 2023.
CORDA supports a variety of natural resource management projects such as fishing, forestry, trapping, resource-based tourism, and traditional harvesting.
See the poster below or here for more information!
The WWF will fund grants and contracts between $50,000 to $150,000 per year for up to three years to support Indigenous communities and organizations as they consider, establish, or maintain IPCAs.
IPCAs are defined and managed by Indigenous communities, and stewarded through Indigenous laws and knowledge systems. In the wake of the COP15 United Nations biodiversity summit, support for IPCAs will be increasingly important, as countries strive to protect 30 percent of the planet while upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
For more information, contact:
The Blanket Fund: new applications will be accepted in 2024
The Blanket Fund will provide support for Indigenous cultural, artistic, and educational activities. Offered through two grant streams (Reconciliation Action Grants and Capacity Building Grants), The Blanket Fund can be accessed by both grassroots Indigenous communities and organizations, and by Indigenous individuals undertaking related initiatives. More information here.
The Arctic and Northern Challenge program:
Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI)- Applications will be accepted until Friday, November 10th
The British Columbia Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI) provides support and capacity-building funds to Indigenous communities working on the development of clean energy projects.
BCICEI funding will enable the implementation of cost-effective clean energy and efficiency projects through support for:
Feasibility and site selection activities
Environmental review and permitting
Project design and engineering
Demand side management.
The Indigenous Food Security & Sovereignty (IFS) Grant- apply until Dec. 1, 2023
The Indigenous Food Security & Sovereignty (IFS) Grant provides non-repayable funding contributions to First Nation communities, Indigenous organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs in British Columbia that want to participate in and receive financial supports to develop, expand, or strengthen their Indigenous food systems and innovation to enhance sustainability and growth of the Indigenous agriculture and food sovereignty.
More information here.
The Declaration Act Engagement Fund (DAEF)
The Declaration Act Engagement Fund (DAEF) provides multi-year (4 year) non-repayable funding contributions to First Nations to support their capacity to engage with the Province of B.C. on the implementation of the Declaration Act Action Plan and alignment of Provincial laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples both of which must be done in consultation and co-operation with Indigenous Peoples in B.C.
The Declaration Act Engagement Fund will accept new applications during New Relationship Trust’s annual funding cycle between May and December each year. Applicants will only have to apply once to the program.
More information here.
EASTERN CANADA FUNDING
Indigenous Services Canada Supporting First Nations Recovery From Hurricane Fiona as Part of Federal Government Response
Four million dollars has been made immediately available through the Emergency Management Assistance Program to address recovery efforts and various needs and expenses identified by First Nations communities. Read more.
Government funding to help at-risk birds and other species in St. Lawrence Lowlands
On Tuesday Guilbeault announced $1.5 million of taxpayer money will be going to Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) projects along the St. Lawrence River.
Read more here.
Manitoba Government Provides Funding to Protect Fish and Wildlife
The Manitoba government is helping protect the province’s natural resources by awarding over $1 million in funding for 35 fish and wildlife improvement projects from the Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund, Natural Resources and Northern Development Minister Greg Nesbitt announced.
See https://www.watercanada.net/manitoba-government-funding-protect-fish-wildlife/
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation – Funding Opportunity – no deadline
https://nohfc.ca/en/pages/programs/invest-north-program/innovation-stream
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is providing funding through their Innovation Stream to support research development and commercialization of new and innovative technologies in Northern Ontario.
Who is Eligible?
What Projects are Eligible?
Eligible projects include applied research and development project, as well as a demonstration and commercialization of new and innovative technologies.
Rouge National Urban Park Study Participant Funding Available- applications due Oct. 16, 2023
Funding provided by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is now available to help the public and Indigenous Peoples participate in the Rouge National Urban Park Study.
The study will be conducted by an independent expert committee to look at the potential effects of development projects adjacent to the Rouge National Urban Park, located in the Greater Toronto Area.
Applications received by midnight Pacific Time on October 16, 2023, will be considered. More information here.
City of Toronto Announces New Indigenous Climate Action Grants
The City of Toronto will award grants of up to $20,000 to Indigenous communities for projects and initiatives that address the climate emergency and protect the environment.
Applications will be processed in two batches. The first deadline is July 15 and the final deadline for the 2023 grants is September 15. More information about the Indigenous Climate Action grants and how to nominate someone for the application review committee is available on the city of Toronto's website.
Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia
The Regional Assessment will be conducted for areas offshore Nova Scotia. The Committee will engage Indigenous groups, federal and provincial authorities, non-government organizations and the public during the conduct of the Regional Assessment. The Regional Assessment will help inform future project-specific federal impact assessments and decisions for offshore wind projects in these areas.
Trans Mountain Expansion Project - Hearings are being streamed. The Commission will hear from Stk'emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation as the Pipsell area holds spirtual and cultural significance: CER – Hearings, Workshops, Information Sessions, and Conferences (cer-rec.gc.ca)
The 4th National Indigenous Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum
The Fourth National Indigenous Fisheries & Aquaculture Forum (NAFF IV) happens in Nanaimo, BC, from October 16 to 19, 2023. Influential leaders across Indigenous fisheries and aquaculture, industry, and government will be present across this multi-day event highlighting innovation in industry, emerging markets, government programming, the evolution of aquaculture, and more. More information here.
Grants available for Emergency Response and Recovery for small Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs in Central Interior BC. The program provides a monetary contribution to assist clients, Indigenous-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and First Nation communities who have experienced business disruption and financial loss due to the 2021 floods. Applications will be accepted until the BC Emergent Response and Recovery Grant fund is fully allocated.
The Ontario Biodiversity Council is renewing its Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy and is seeking public input. More information here.
Clean Energy in Indigenous, Rural, and Remote Communities. Environment and Climate Change Canada has announced an additional $300 million for clean energy projects. This funding supports projects that help advance Indigenous-led climate action, support local economic development, and create skilled jobs while reducing pollution and improving air quality. There is no deadline to apply.
Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities. The Government of Canada is providing $103.8 million over 5 years to assist First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities with implementing and developing Indigenous-designed community safety projects. There are several activities eligible for this funding, including initiatives that recognize the importance of Traditional Knowledge and practices in community safety and well-being. There is no deadline for this funding.
Assistance is being extended as a result of previous and potential flooding events which have been an ongoing concern for some residents. The decision to relocate or remain in the community will be up to each household. The amount of financial assistance payable to permanent residential property owners will be determined by the number of permanent residents living in the household. Residents who wish to discuss relocation assistance can contact Jacob Kimball, Manager of Legislation, at jacobkimball@gov.nl.ca or 709-729-5473 for further information.
Many SMEs do not have the resources to offer apprenticeship training opportunities. In an effort to change this situation, Rowe and the UBC Canadian District have launched a two-year, $37-million program funded by the government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service to provide support to SMEs in Canadian construction and manufacturing “Red Seal” trades to help them to hire new, first-year apprentices needing a leg-up to begin lucrative careers in the well-respected skilled trades.
In addition to financial supports, the program provides assistance to help employers navigate the apprenticeship system, onboard new apprentices, and set up the appropriate workplace training via a digital toolkit that can be found on their website at ubc-asp.ca.
We’re looking to fill a full time parental leave contract, starting November 2023.
Duration: 1-1.5 years with a potential for permanent employment after that.
Come join a team of enthusiastic and passionate people working to have a meaningful impact on the environment and in the communities we serve. In this role, you will be working with a cross-functional teams to ensure our clients goals are met within each project. Ideal candidates will have a Post-secondary degree in water resource management, environmental engineering, or equivalent, be licensed as a professional engineer in at least one Canadian province or territory and have 5+ years of professional experience in project management leading multidisciplinary teams.
Click here to learn more!
Some of the responsibilities of this role include directing and conducting environmental assessments and/or peer reviews of large-scale environmental assessments in Canada and building and maintaining client relationships through a comprehensive understanding of client needs, priorities, and objectives while providing excellent client service.
The ideal candidate will have a BSc, Masters or PhD in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Planning, Indigenous Studies, Environmental Studies, Political Science or similar equivalent, along with 10+ years professional experience. We are also looking for demonstrated experience supporting and facilitating relationship building with Indigenous groups as well as industry and government negotiations related to natural resource development and management.
Click here to learn more!
In this role, you will manage projects focused on technical peer reviews of regulatory environmental permitting and approvals reports and applications for pipelines, energy, mining, waste, and other major infrastructure development projects as well as build and maintain client relationships.
The ideal candidate will have a BSc, Masters or PhD in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Planning, Indigenous Studies, Environmental Studies, Political Science or similar equivalent, along with 5+ years professional experience. We are also looking for a strong understanding of Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial legislation and regulatory approvals and permitting processes, including consultation and duty to consult requirements.
Click here to learn more!
On Saturday, September 30th, SVS Senior Planner, Jeremy Shute helped to facilitate a session about The Moccasin Identifier Initiative- a project created by long time friend Carolyn King.
The project was developed in partnership with Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Greenbelt Foundation, to promote public awareness of significant cultural historic sites and the ancestral presence of First Nations, Metis and Indigenous Communities.
Check it out here: https://moccasinidentifier.com/
Guest authors Alison Gamble and Robin Heavens shared "10 Ideas for Planning a More Inclusive Conference".
"As Indigenous professionals attending conferences in our fields over the years, we've experienced the good, the bad, and the misguided in terms of Indigenous inclusion. Organizations may have intentions of making space for Indigenous people to attend and participate in a conference, however, in our personal experiences, we are not always seeing that happen."
Read the full blog post to read their recommendations for creating conferences which bring the Indigenous voice fully to the table. https://info.sharedvaluesolutions.com/blog/10-ideas-for-planning-a-more-inclusive-conference
Check out our collection of informative eBooks that are available for free download:
We are a Canadian B Corp, and we assist Indigenous Nations with support throughout regulatory processes surrounding major development projects like mines, hydroelectric facilities, transmission lines, highway expansions, oil and gas pipelines, natural resource transport applications, and nuclear power.
We have deep context and experience behind the recommendations we provide, having worked for our clients on almost every major project in Canada over the last 10 years. For us, it’s all about building long-term relationships with our clients. We want to get to know you and what you want to do so we can help you move your plans forward.
Core Services: