Alberta Ecotrust is looking forward to the opportunities ahead of us in 2022, including refreshing the Environmental Grant Program.

Last spring, we asked environmental nonprofits to participate in an impact evaluation of our Environmental Grant Program. 

Now, we are continuing that work by taking time to review and refresh the program, so we can fund projects that matter to Alberta's environmental community, and improve the application experience.

Are you an environmental nonprofit making a lasting impact for our environment?

Engagement with stakeholders and development of the program

Launch and acceptance of applications in one intake

To give space for this work to proceed, we will move to one grant intake cycle in 2022.

We are refreshing the Environmental Grant Program in the following stages:

When it comes to teaching about complex sustainability topics like climate change, teachers are largely left to their own devices. Thanks to support from Alberta Ecotrust, we've been able to address this important gap through innovative programs such as a three-day summer institute on climate education and a national environmental and sustainability education e-course for teachers-in-training.

Alberta_Ecotrust_Logo_Usage_Guide.pdf

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Alberta-Ecotrust-EFT-form-for-Grantees_-final.pdf

Contact our grant team if you have further questions: grants@albertaecotrust.com or by calling 403-209-2245, or 1-800-465-2147 (outside of Calgary).

Application details will be released in Summer 2022.

Environmental non-governmental organizations based in Alberta, Canada. National organizations are eligible to apply if the project is being undertaken in Alberta and includes Alberta partners. 

Public interest charities operating in Alberta whose vision and mission primarily focus on protecting the environment. 

Alberta Ecotrust funds environmental projects in the province of Alberta only.  We do not fund projects in other provinces or countries. The following organizations are not eligible to receive funding from Alberta Ecotrust:

Private sector organizations, for-profit businesses

Municipal, provincial/territorial and federal governments

The Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) wished to create a more inclusive organization where diverse and Indigenous voices feel welcome and encouraged to share their unique perspective. 

With funding from Alberta Ecotrust, the OWC undertook a project to provide critical environmental quality data to two First Nations in the Oldman watershed, while also building relationships that will start their community on a path of reconciliation. 

The Piikani Nation Lands Department has approached the OWC to support its Climate Change Adaptation for Piikani Nation Native Grasslands through Rangeland Health Assessment and Monitoring Project. Similarly, the Blood Tribe Lands Department was seeking funding to complete habitat assessments and mapping for species at risk. 

Environmental management cannot be done well without baseline data and mapping. This project was critical to support data driven decision making and long-term monitoring of how changes in practices are improving land health. 

Over the last few years both Nations have made impressive progress in environmental management – planting trees, reducing over grazing, creating buffers around water, etc. – and these data and maps are the next big step forward. 

The data helped land managers day to day, and provided validation when unpopular tradeoffs have to be made.

In the short-term, success was measured by the beneficial management practices that result from the land assessments, by the relationships that are built and the traditional knowledge that is incorporated into the OWC. 

Over the long-term, success will be measured by an improvement in the quality of the environment (by repeating the assessments), and by the reconciliation of our communities.

Oldman Watershed Council

Reconciliation with Indigenous Environmental Management

Coal exploration and development poses an enormous risk in the headwaters of our rivers. CPAWS Northern Alberta and concerned residents of the North Saskatchewan River watershed believe that widespread, sustained, and educated public engagement in the province’s coal consultation is necessary to ensure that coal mining does not result in long-term negative impacts on the lands, waters, and species of the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River.

Most of the focus on the issue of expansion of coal mining in the Eastern Slopes to date has been in southwestern Alberta, but Central Alberta is at significant risk as well. There are 149,060 ha of coal leases, with two open pit mine projects in the exploration and planning stages, within the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River. Both projects are in areas where open pit mining has been restricted since the introduction of the Coal Policy in 1976. Additionally, during the period when the Coal Policy was rescinded, new leases were issued immediately adjacent to Goldeye Lake, Fish Lake, and Crescent Falls, all popular recreation destinations and located within the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River.

It is crucial that this project occurs at this time since the Government is consulting on a replacement for the 1976 Coal Policy. CPAWS Northern Alberta will will collaborate to amplify the concerns that Albertans have about the risk of open-pit coal mines in our drinking water sources. CPAWS will provide the necessary accurate information to the public and to coordinate community groups, municipalities, and our membership to engage in this issue and ensure that the health of our landscape and climate are properly considered in this process.

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Northern Alberta

Protecting North Saskatchewan River from Coal Mining

 Their project, From Collection to Protection: Engaging Alberta Students Water Monitoring, will engage youth in a much more hands-on and effective way in this urgent issue, by getting them outdoors and in the field to collect data and observations at their local water bodies.

Through a partnership with Water Rangers they will leverage expertise in water quality monitoring and training, and provide free test kits to Alberta teachers who use Alberta Tomorrow, deepening student understanding of the connection between our land use, water quality and our health, fostering greater environmental stewardship for our land and water in Alberta.  

Alberta Tomorrow Foundation

Engaging Alberta Students in Water Monitoring

Get funding for projects that are working on Alberta’s most pressing environmental issues. Apply for a Major project or a Community project.

Environmental Grant Program

Are you an environmental nonprofit making a lasting impact for our environment?

We are refreshing the Environmental Grant Program in the following stages:

Winter

Spring

Summer

What you can do now

Resources for Grantees

Alberta Ecotrust Logo Guidelines

Alberta Ecotrust Primary Logo

Electronic Fund Transfer Form for Grantees

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can I contact with questions?

How do I apply?

Who can apply?

What organizations are not eligible?

Projects we've funded

Reconciliation with Indigenous Environmental Management

Lethbridge

Land Use

Protecting North Saskatchewan River from Coal Mining

Edmonton

Land Use

Engaging Alberta Students in Water Monitoring

Calgary

Water

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