Environmental Impact Grant Program_2025 Program Guidelines.pdf

The Environmental Impact Grant program criteria is available on this page, or you can download a PDF copy of the grant program guidelines. Contact our Program Specialists before submitting your Expression of Interest (EOI) to discuss your project’s fit (book a 30-minute call with Carolina or Diana).

You can request up to $50,000 in funding for the Environmental Impact Grant. 

Alberta Ecotrust Foundation would consider disbursing up to $100,000 to multiple groups in equal partnership on a high-impact initiative. Please indicate through the Expression of Interest (EOI) if you want to explore this additional funding and clearly outline your concept, approach and partners. We highly encourage you to contact one of our Program Specialists before your EOI to discuss this option (book a 30-minute call with Carolina or Diana).

If you apply as a high-impact initiative, your application will not be considered for the $50,000 amount. Only one high-impact grant will be awarded per grant cycle.

Organizations can submit multiple initiatives at the EOI stage, but only one full application will be accepted per grant round.  The following organizations are eligible to apply:

Band Councils; Tribal Councils, Tribal Associations or Tribal Governments; and Organizations of Indigenous communities across Alberta

Municipalities, the Government of Alberta and provincial agencies, academia and for-profit and private sector entities can be eligible provided they partner with a charitable and/or nonprofit organization that acts as the lead proponent for the initiative.

Contact our grant teams at grants@albertaecotrust.com if you are unsure if you can apply.

There is a need for communities across Alberta to design and implement effective emission reduction strategies.* 

Initiatives in this category will investigate and adopt integrated, scalable approaches to reducing community GHG emissions.

Siksika Housing has partnered with housing cleantech startups specializing in innovative energy-efficient foundation and wall systems to build two new energy-efficient homes at Siksika Nation.

The future of successful transformation to a low carbon economy is the interface between mitigation and adaptation and where thought leadership is currently accelerating. 

Initiatives in this category will focus on adapting to climate change and improving resilience while also enabling emission reductions.

The Climate Resilient Home (CRH) provides a roadmap to homes that are better able to cope with climate change events, storms, floods, heatwaves and extreme cold, and saves money, reduces damages and keeps us comfortable and safe.

*Our Climate Innovation Fund targets climate emission reductions in Calgary and Edmonton, but through the Environmental Impact Grant, we also support emission reduction projects across the entire province.

A precursor to successful circular economy initiatives is a clear understanding of circular economy, however, many people still struggle to understand the concept.  Circular economy is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy and materials, the circular economy is a resilient system that is good for business, people, and the environment. 

Initiatives in this category will enhance the knowledge and understanding, or ability of communities to engage in circular economy activities.

The Recycling Council of Alberta is helping communities across the province develop their circular economy roadmaps.

In circular economy initiatives, materials never become waste because they are used in a closed-loop system to foster economic growth and resilience. Projects decouple economic activity from the consumption of finite resources and may have benefits related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preserving biodiversity, eliminating waste and reducing pollution. 

Initiatives in this category include on-the-ground projects that accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The Circular Innovation Council is simplifying food rescue and reducing the cost of organic waste diversion through innovative, cooperative pilot programs tailored for the institutional, commercial, and industrial (IC&I) sectors—making impacts where it’s needed the most.

Meeting the pressing need for effective carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, and sustainable ecosystem services calls for initiatives that employ Nature-based solutions and contribute to long-term environmental resilience.

Initiatives in this category will deploy Nature-based solutions for the purposes of measurable and attributable carbon sequestration, biodiversity, or ecosystem services.

Working with beavers aims to protect and restore wetlands to sequester carbon, create habitat and safeguard biodiversity, and provide stormwater management.

Key ecosystems are facing increasing threats due to climate change, which can impact water quality, impede conservation efforts, and reduce biodiversity.

Initiatives in this category will advance scalable, collaborative projects that harness Nature-based solutions to safeguard vital ecosystems. 

The Canadian Wildlife Federation with local Indigenous Nations, community groups, and other partners are working to restore freshwater connectivity in the Berland-Wildhay watershed.

This category encourages projects that build understanding and awareness of how sustainable agricultural practices contribute to Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and decarbonization. 
We welcome initiatives that explore the evolving role of agriculture in addressing ecological challenges, supporting innovation and learning in this crucial field.

Holistic Management Canada’s approach helps land managers predict changes, diagnose problems, and design solutions in contextually appropriate, adaptive and timely ways for the ecology, economy and society through this program.

Indigenous-led conservation is an effective and equitable way to safeguard habitat, reverse biodiversity loss and reduce the impacts of climate change.

Acknowledging the crucial role of Indigenous communities in conservation efforts, initiatives within this category will foster and empower Indigenous-led conservation approaches, ensuring the preservation of both cultural heritage and biodiversity.

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative is, by invitation, supporting Indigenous communities in pursuing Indigenous-led conservation and other initiatives to advance conservation while enhancing Indigenous stewardship of their territories across a significant portion of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes.

Historically and today there has been unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, where marginalized or underrepresented groups face disparities in accessing a clean and healthy environment and participating in environmental decision-making processes.

Initiatives in this category will yield positive environmental benefits while addressing environmental justice and/or lack of access for marginalized or underrepresented groups.

Current provincial ecological tools do not fully describe the plant communities on the Blood Reserve.  The Kainais’ skahkoyii Range Guide and Invasive Monitoring Program will fill this gap. These initiatives work in harmony to support the holistic management of culturally significant native grasses and medicines on the Blood Reserve.

There is a need for enhanced monitoring, measurement and reporting strategies to better understand and manage environmental factors such as water quality, air pollution and biodiversity.

Initiatives in this category will undertake and improve monitoring, measurement, and reporting plans.

Building Capacity for Community Aquatic Biomonitoring on Alberta’s Eastern Slopes is an ambitious grassroots project to develop the very first CABIN reference model for Alberta’s Eastern Slopes - an invaluable aquatic monitoring tool.

Reliable financing of environmental initiatives has been identified as an ongoing challenge.

Initiatives in this category will explore financial mechanisms that unlock the economic value of ecosystem benefits and/or provide essential funding to support a diverse range of projects, ultimately advancing our focus areas of NbS Solutions & Conservation, Climate Resilience & Emissions Reductions or Circular Economy.

The Deshkan Ziibiing Conservation Impact Bond is a financing mechanism Nature-based solution.  The bond is an innovative made-in-Canada mechanism bringing together Indigenous, conservation and investment leadership to deliver real impact.

The grant portal will open at 8:00 am MST on December 5th, 2024. EOIs must be submitted by 6:00 pm MST on January 20th, 2025. 

We strongly encourage applicants to meet with Alberta Ecotrust staff to discuss their initiative prior to submitting an EOI. Appointments can be booked through our website or by emailing grants@albertaecotrust.com.  During this time staff will:

Endeavour to understand the organization and initiative objectives and work directly with applicants to ensure the initiative fits within the focus areas and priorities.

Strive to connect initiatives with additional resources and partners if applicable.

Build relationships with applicants and work to improve the quality of applications.

Book a 30-minute call with Carolina or Diana. 

Alberta Ecotrust Staff will perform an EOI screen utilizing the evaluative criteria detailed in the Application Scorecard.

A short list of applicants will be invited to submit full proposals.

Direct feedback will be offered to unsuccessful applicants.

The full grant application period is from February 3 - March 3, 2025.

Alberta Ecotrust Staff will work closely with applicants to assist in technical and financial due diligence, providing feedback and direction from the EOI stage.

Environmental Advisory Committee makes funding decisions.

Successful applicants will be notified on April 11, 2025, and Contribution Agreements must be signed within three months of notification.

All unsuccessful applicants can request feedback regarding the decision and their initiative from Alberta Ecotrust staff.

Book a 30-minute call with our team and get specialized assistance. Book a call with our Program Specialists Carolina or Diana.

Environmental Impact Grant Application Scorecard 2024.pdf

Environmental Impact Grant Expression of Interest Questions - Public.docx.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).

Use the application portal to apply for grants when the portal is open. If you would like to access an application previously submitted to Alberta Ecotrust you can do so through the portal.

Initiative start dates often start after you have received your funding. Initiative start dates are often several months after the application deadline. For the Environmental Impact Grant, initiative end dates must be a maximum of 24 months after the start date (proposals for shorter initiatives are also accepted).

The following organizations are not eligible to receive funding from Alberta Ecotrust:

For-profit and private sector entities, Municipalities, the Government of Alberta and provincial agencies, and academia unless they partner with a charitable and/or nonprofit organization who acts as the lead proponent for the initiative.

The following initiatives are ineligible for the Environmental Impact Grant:

Education-focused initiatives that do not link to a challenge statement within the focus areas or fail to link to a broader strategy, align with a theory of change or demonstrate a measurable impact.

Projects focused on greenhouse gas emission reductions in Calgary or Edmonton that would qualify for the Climate Innovation Grant.

Single, one-off, roof-top microgeneration, technology installations, building retrofits or new building initiatives without an accompanying approach to scaling up across a demographic or sector.

This grant is specifically intended to support projects directly related to the circular economy. Applications focused solely on recycling or waste education do not align with the grant's primary objectives and are ineligible.

Alberta Ecotrust recognizes that advocacy is an important function of the voluntary sector and supports activities focused on the good of the public and commons. However, we will not support or fund an initiative that targets or impugns the reputation of any individual, organization, or sector.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has recently made changes to the rules governing the political activities of charities. The CRA has lifted the quantitative limits specified in the Income Tax Act that a charity can only devote a limited portion of its resources (generally, about 10%) to non-partisan political activities that are ancillary and incidental to its charitable purposes. This is good news for charities and allows them to participate more fully in the democratic process of contributing to and improving public policy.

However, the rules prohibiting charitable organizations from devoting any part of their resources to the direct or indirect support of, or opposition to, a political party or candidate for public office remain in effect. Like all registered charities, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation (AEF) is subject to these restrictions. This includes any political activity we undertake ourselves directly, or those activities we indirectly support by providing grants. As such, any initiatives that undertake this type of activity will be ineligible for an Alberta Ecotrust grant. 

For more information, please read the Canada Revenue Agency guidance document CG-027 – Public policy dialogue and development activities by charities (Guidance), found here.

Eligible initiative Costs shall not include: 

Any cost that is not directly related to the Eligible initiative with reasonable limits on pro-rated Administrative Expenses

Any cost incurred prior to the receipt of an application for the grant funds

The Environmental Impact Grant has two stages: An Expression of Interest stage and a Full Application stage. 

Our EOI process is designed to be a low barrier allowing applicants to describe how their initiatives support the focus areas and challenge statements. All Expressions of Interest must meet the basic eligibility criteria and be submitted through the EOI application on Alberta Ecotrust’s grant portal. Expressions of Interest that meet eligibility criteria will be evaluated by Alberta Ecotrust Staff using the evaluation criteria detailed in the Application Scorecard. These criteria include Indigenous voices and equity; community benefits; scale and systems change; and organizational capacity (see the Application Scorecard for more details). Based on this evaluation, a short list of applications will be invited to submit a Full Application. 

Full Applications will require additional initiative and budget information. An interview may be accommodated at the Full Application stage to allow for flexibility in the application process. Final decision-making authority on Full Applications is delegated to the Environmental Grant Review Committee who will evaluate initiatives using the evaluation criteria detailed in the Application Scorecard. The Grant Review Committee is composed of representatives from the environmental community and industry; additional community members may be appointed as required by Alberta Ecotrust.  

Feedback will be offered to all unsuccessful applicants. 

A key component of our Grant Program is to support initiatives that have the ability to be scaled-up or integrate an approach to wide-spread adoption. 

A suitable initiative might involve developing a business model to expand across a segment of nonprofits. If looking at a specific feature of a building initiative, it could be suitable if it incorporated a new technology or innovation to be demonstrated, with the intention of replicating or setting a new standard. 

Up to $50,000. Funding initiatives across all Alberta in support of our charitable purpose and vision of healthy ecosystems for all Albertans. Focus areas: Climate resilience and emissions reductions, circular economy, and nature-based solutions and conservation

Environmental Impact Grant

Program Guidelines

Get up to $50,000

Are You Eligible?

Focus Areas Challenge Statements

Climate Resilience & Emissions Reductions

Circular Economy

Nature-based Solutions & Conservation

Overarching or Foundational

Environmental Impact Grant Timeline

December - January: Submit your Expression of Interest

January: Expression of Interest Screening

January - March: Full Applications

March - April: Application Review and Decision-Making

April: Award

May - Feedback for Applicants

Want to talk it through?

Resources for Applicants

Application Scorecard

Expression of Interest questions

Program Guidelines

Helpful Videos

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can I contact with questions?

How do I apply?

When should I start and finish my initiative?

What organizations are not eligible?

What initiatives are not eligible for funding?

What costs are not eligible for funding?

What is the decision-making process?

Can I apply for an initiative that would be one-off in nature, such as for an energy retrofit initiative for a nonprofit building?

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