Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) are a nature-based solution for offsetting climate change impacts including drought and flood. They mimic beaver dams and act like speed bumps, slowing down water movement. Miistakis’ project will measure groundwater levels alongside installed BDAs to demonstrate measurable impacts to groundwater storage. Miistakis will partner with the Blood Tribe Land Management, Cows and Fish and Trout Unlimited Canada to monitor the impacts of BDAs in the foothills of Southern Alberta. Well installation and monitoring will begin with pre-BDA assessment in summer/fall of 2023 with analysis following 2 years of post BDA installation monitoring. 

Miistakis Institute for the Rockies

How Well Do We Know Beavers: Groundwater Monitoring of Beaver Dam Analogues as a Nature-based Solution

Siksika Housing has partnered with Form Innovations, a Cochrane-based housing CleanTech startup company which specializes in a new innovative energy efficient foundation system called Polarblock, to build two new energy efficient homes at Siksika Nation using the Polarblock system.  Siksika Nation members are not immune to the impacts of higher utility costs, and increased GHG emissions that result from inefficient homes.  These two new homes will help advance energy efficient housing at Siksika Nation to ensure future generations live in comfortable, warm, and energy efficient homes that will last for generations. 

Siksika Housing

From summer 2023 to 2024, Newo Global Energy will work in relationship with Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation to employ and support Nation members in the development of several solar and energy efficiency projects. By developing strong interpersonal relationships alongside attention to mind, body, spirit, and emotion, community members will be empowered to retain, within the Nation, the economic and employment benefits derived from these projects. Held within a healthy and strong community, climate transition will also become a conduit for connection to traditional knowledge, language, and healing. 

Newo

Build: Relationships, Retrofits, Reconciliation

Climate Caucus, in collaboration with the Recycling Council of Alberta, the Town of Rocky Mountain House, Community Energy Association Alberta, and Alberta Municipalities will develop a toolkit of Circular Economy (CE) initiatives for local governments. Resources will include a detailed toolkit with best practices, case studies, key contacts, sample bylaws, and implementation steps. Climate Caucus will also provide workshops for elected officials and municipal staff. The toolkit will help local leaders implement CE initiatives effectively with a goal to build momentum among elected leaders and provide resources and tools for staff.  

Climate Caucus Council

Circular Economy Tools and Pilot for Local Governments in Small Communities

Kainais’ skahkoyii, home to the Blackfoot people, includes over 38,000 acres of native grasslands, an important cultural resource, and significant tract of globally endangered temperate grasslands. These lands have been stewarded by the Blackfoot for millennia supporting spiritual and cultural practices. Grasslands on the reserve are under threat from multiple pressures, but enhanced management tools can help steward and safeguard these lands. Development of an invasive plant monitoring framework, and a range plant community guide will support land use decisions. These initiatives work in harmony to support holistic management of culturally significant native grasses and medicines on the Blood Reserve. 

Blood Tribe Land Management

Kainais’ skahkoyii range guide and invasive monitoring program

 In Alberta, vast portions of the Eastern Slopes lack permanent, legislated protection. Canada has committed to protecting 30% of lands by 2030, with new protections achieved in partnership with Indigenous governments and communities. This provides an exciting opportunity to center Indigenous voices, advance self-identified land-relation priorities of Indigenous groups, and build/strengthen relations between Indigenous people and the conservation sector in Alberta. We will work with the Blackfoot Confederacy and Stoney Nakoda Nations to advance their conservation visions, while engaging with allies/partners on decisions that threaten the region’s ecological integrity– advancing community-led conservation of Alberta’s source waters, habitat connectivity, and biodiversity. 

Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

Supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts in Alberta

With the Enhancing capacity for riparian management within Indigenous communities to increase socio-ecological resilience project, Cows and Fish will improve riparian management in Indigenous communities by sharing their expertise with landowners, land managers, and conservation staff. This will involve training on riparian health assessment, restoration, and management to increase knowledge and skills. The goal is to expand the impact of the project by having trained individuals share their expertise with their communities. The funding will support increased training demands from Indigenous environment and lands departments. Cows and Fish will tailor the training to the needs of each community, invest more time in relationship building to co-develop and deliver sessions, and incorporate diverse approaches to enable sharing of expertise and ways of knowing.

Cows and Fish

Enhancing Capacity for Riparian Management Within Indigenous Communities to Increase Socio-ecological Resilience

Building Capacity for Community Aquatic Biomonitoring on Alberta’s Eastern Slopes is an ambitious grassroots project embarking on developing the very first CABIN reference model for Alberta’s Eastern Slopes - an invaluable aquatic monitoring tool whose benefits will ripple out into the community and be useful to First Nations and community biomonitoring groups, academic researchers, and all levels of government. By developing a robust model and building capacity for biomonitoring in local First Nations communities and watershed stewardship groups, this multi-year initiative will reduce economic barriers, increase social capital, and improve aquatic biomonitoring across the headwaters of Alberta.  

Oldman Watershed Council

Building Capacity for Community Aquatic Biomonitoring on Alberta's Eastern Slopes

Through a partnership between the Athabasca Watershed Council (AWC), Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA), and local Indigenous and community groups, this initiative will restore freshwater connectivity in the Berland-Wildhay watershed. Guided by a conservation planning framework, project partners will use spatial modelling and field assessments to quantify the connectivity status of the watershed for target fish species, set goals to improve connectivity, prioritize barriers for assessment, and implement strategies and actions to remove or rehabilitate them. This project aims to reduce habitat fragmentation and increase communities’ access to tools to help them contribute to improving freshwater connectivity in Alberta.

Watershed Connectivity Planning in the Berland-Wildhay

The City of Edmonton, with support from Alberta Ecotrust, are partnering to deliver research grants to help advance knowledge about how Edmonton can become an energy sustainable and climate resilient city.

Cities IPCC Legacy Research Grant | Alberta Ecotrust

This program is now complete. Read on to learn about the research results.

We know that Calgary and Edmonton need support to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That is why we offer funding to a variety of organizations for local low-carbon solutions.

Climate Innovation Fund Grant Program | Alberta Ecotrust Foundation

The application portal for the 2025 Climate Innovation Grant will open on January 13, 2025, and close on February 21, 2025. Join our mailing list to stay updated.

Through our Climate Innovation Fund, Alberta Ecotrust led and co-funded a pilot project with the Alberta Real Estate Foundation to explore the potential of digital home energy labels using Lightspark technology.

Digital Home Energy Labels | Alberta Ecotrust Foundation

Alberta Ecotrust is supporting innovation in digital home energy labels to accelerate the home energy revolution.

The City of Edmonton, with support from Alberta Ecotrust, are partnering to deliver grants to  invest in citizen-led urban solutions to climate change. This grant is no longer available.

EcoCity Edmonton Grant | Alberta Ecotrust

This program is now complete

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 | Alberta Ecotrust

The application portal for the 2025 Environmental Impact Grant is now open!

Alberta Ecotrust Foundation offers up to $10,000 for organizational capacity-building. The 2024 intake for our Springboard Grant opens on July 15 and will accept applications until Sept. 3, 2024.

2024 Springboard Grant | Alberta Ecotrust

Our Springboard Grant application intake is closed for 2024.  Please check back in June 2025 for 2025 program information.

See the stories from projects funded by our grant programs.

Supported Projects

Projects supported by our grant programs

How Well Do We Know Beavers: Groundwater Monitoring of Beaver Dam Analogues as a Nature-based Solution

Oldman River Watershed

Nature based Solutions and Conservation

Energy Efficient On-Reserve Housing

Siksika Nation

Climate Change

Build: Relationships, Retrofits, Reconciliation

Battle River Watershed

Overarching

Circular Economy Tools and Pilot for Local Governments in Small Communities

Province wide

Circular Economy

Kainais’ skahkoyii range guide and invasive monitoring program

Kainai First Nation

Overarching

Supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts in Alberta

Bow and Oldman Watersheds

Nature based Solutions and Conservation

Enhancing Capacity for Riparian Management Within Indigenous Communities to Increase Socio-ecological Resilience

Province wide

Nature based Solutions and Conservation

Building Capacity for Community Aquatic Biomonitoring on Alberta's Eastern Slopes

Province wide

Overarching

Watershed Connectivity Planning in the Berland-Wildhay

Athabasca Watershed

Nature based Solutions and Conservation