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Funding

$ 9.2 M Project Funding 2025–2026

22 Coastal Region Projects

25 Columbia Region Projects

25 Peace Region Projects

Grant intake

Our annual grant intake is now open. Start by reading our regional guidance documents. Review our regional action plans and develop a project idea that aligns with the priority actions.

In our Columbia and Peace regions, all grant applicants must submit a notice of intent by Tuesday, September 9, 2025. This short project description is your first step and it’s part of how we are strengthening engagement of First Nations in the projects we fund.

Coastal Region grant applicants are not required to submit a notice of intent.

Key dates for grant intake

Contact our regional managers any time if you have questions about your grant application.

Manage your project

If you have an existing grant, read Next Steps for F26 grant recipients. Use our online grant management system to manage your project. Login here. 

Contact us if you have any problems logging in.

Manage your grant
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Start your grant application

Start by reviewing our regional guidance documents. 

Read our action plans for priority actions eligible for a grant. See maps of our Coastal Region, Columbia Region, and Peace Region.

Apply online by Monday, November 3 at 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT. In our Columbia and Peace regions, submit a mandatory notice of intent by Tuesday, September 9.

Start your application
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Year-round grants

 

We have three grants available all year, until funding is fully allocated. Apply any time for the following grants:

Community Engagement Grant

Land Securement Grant

Seed Grant

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Learn about our notice of intent

In our Columbia and Peace regions, a notice of intent is the first step in an annual grant application. Coastal Region grant applicants are not required to submit a notice of intent.

Find out more at our online information session on Thursday, August 7 at 10 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. MT.

Register now
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72 projects approved for 2025-2026

Our three regional boards approved $9.2 million for 72 projects in 2025-2026, including 22 projects in our Coastal Region, 25 in our Columbia Region, and 25 in our Peace Region.

The work being done through these projects support the FWCP’s vision of thriving fish and wildlife populations in watersheds that are functioning and sustainable.

A wide range of species and ecosystems will benefit from the projects approved in our Coastal, Columbia and Peace regions. Some projects will result in immediate benefits to species, others will fill important data gaps that will help define future conservation actions, and some are multi-year projects that build on work and results year-over-year. Regardless, all projects support our vision of thriving fish and wildlife in watersheds that are functioning and sustainable.

Learn more about the projects we’re funding in our Coastal, Columbia, and Peace regions. Read our project lists. See our project map.

FAQs

How do I apply for an annual grant?

Follow these steps:

1.    Review our regional action plans

Our regional action plans identify the priority actions eligible for FWCP grants (see the action tables in each action plan). Your proposed project must align with one or more priority action(s) in any of our regional action plans.

Our regional managers can help you align your project idea with a priority action(s) in our action plans.

2.    Develop a project idea to fulfil an action

Develop a project idea that aligns with one or more priority action(s) in any action plan(s) that will achieve the intended outcome(s). Be sure you have selected an OPEN or OPEN/DIRECTED priority action.

REMINDER!

Review relevant project reports and outcomes

Before developing your grant application, review our project report list for relevant work already completed. If there is a relevant project report, consider how, or if, the work you propose in your grant application will build on past work. The FWCP has posted more than 500 final reports on provincial databases, making our project results and data available to anyone. A searchable spreadsheet for all final project reports is available at http://fwcp.ca/results.html.

You may also wish to review relevant provincial databases for projects not funded by the FWCP to identify recommendations or reports that could support your grant application.
Species Inventory Database
EIRS: Environmental Information Resource System
EcoCat: Ecological Reports Catalogue
CLIR: Cross-Linked Information Resources

3.    Review our regional guidance documents

Each of our three regions—Coastal, Columbia, and Peace—are unique, and the requirements for grant applicants vary by region. To help with your grant application, we prepare updated guidance documents annually for each region.

4.    Start your online grant application

Start a grant application online and submit by Monday, November 3, 2025 at 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT.

In our Columbia and Peace regions, the first step is a mandatory notice of intent, due by Tuesday, September 9 at 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT.

5.    Complete all mandatory sections of the grant application

Be sure to complete all sections of the online grant application and fulfil all mandatory requirements. These requirements vary by region.

6.    Submit your online grant application by the application deadline

All grant applications must be submitted online by Monday, November 3, 2025 at 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT. We suggest you avoid submitting your application immediately before the deadline in case you need to make corrections or additions. We only review grant applications received by the deadline.

Tips for multi-year grant applications

  • If your project spans multiple years, you must apply for funding annually. Approval of annual FWCP funding for a multi-year project does not guarantee FWCP funding in future years.
  • If you are in year two or more of a multi-year project, you can save time by contacting us to request a copy of your previous application. This copy can be used to start the current year’s grant application.
  • If you are beyond year one of your multi-year project, your grant application must identify achievements and challenges encountered in previous year(s).

Eligible grant applicants include: First Nations, communities, and businesses; consultants, agencies, non-government organizations, individuals, and academic institutions.

All successful grant applicants must be able to provide:

  1. a WorkSafe BC clearance letter; and
  2. proof of commercial general liability.

Description

Project summary: Project title, project summary statement, and project urgency
Project details: Species that will benefit, detailed project description

Applicant information
Applicant information: Organization, project contact, signing authority, collaborators, project supporters, and project volunteers

Project information
Project location information: Map, location description, project coordinates (latitude and longitude)
Alignment with action plan(s): Primary action plan, sub objective, action type, alignment with priority action and intended outcome(s), and optional alignment with secondary action plan
Single or multi-year project: Project duration, provide overview of project achievements and challenges for ongoing multi-year projects
Project phases: Start-up, fieldwork, data entry and analysis, community engagement (i.e., define how you plan to share your project results and involve others in your proposed project), draft reporting, and final reporting
Benefits: Benefits to fish and/or wildlife
Ongoing maintenance: Is ongoing maintenance required to sustain benefits?
Effectiveness monitoring: Do you have an effectiveness monitoring plan if your project involves restoration/enhancement?
Community engagement: What are your plans to share results and engage with First Nations, stakeholders, and others?
Permits and approval: BC Hydro-owned lands, proximity to BC Hydro facility, landowners, required permits, and approvals
Funding: Is this a resubmission of a previously “not approved” application?

Project budget
Budget:
• Labour expenses, materials, equipment, transportation, and field expenses
• Project administration costs
• GST section
• Additional revenue (i.e., other funding sources, in-kind and volunteer contributions)

More details are available in our regional guidance for grant applicants.

Proposals

A six-page (maximum) project proposal is required for all annual grant applications only. 

Letters of support
Include mandatory letters of support for your project in our Coastal Region. Letters of support for your project are optional in our Columbia and Peace Regions, but they can be used to strengthen your grant application. If you choose to submit letters of support along with your grant application, please ensure the letter author(s) clearly indicate their support for your proposed project and specify their involvement (i.e., actively involved, engaged in project planning and/or delivery, providing in-kind and/or cash support, or supporting the project in principle). A letter of support should come from an organization, First Nation, or government agency, and it should demonstrate how the support is relevant to your project.

Experience
Project contact experience: It is mandatory to include the experience and credentials of the project contact. We encourage you to provide the credentials and experience of key team members so we can properly evaluate your grant application. Please note if your proposed project activities involve ‘reserved practice’ according to the Professional Governance Act make sure you have team members with the appropriate credentials to perform or oversee the work.

Our action plans guide FWCP investments in fish and wildlife projects, and are referenced annually by our regional Boards to track progress toward implementation, set annual priorities, and guide decision-making in setting out and approving the annual operating plan for each region. Actions in our action plans are eligible for FWCP funding and align with our vision, mission, and geographic scope.

Coastal Region Watershed Action Plans

Columbia Region Action Plans

Peace Region Action Plans

How are annual grant applications evaluated?

All grant applications go through a three-stage review process that ends with a decision by our three regional boards.

Stage 1: review by FWCP office

  • Project eligibility: Does the proposed project align with our project eligibility criteria?
  • Proponent status: Is the project proponent in good standing with FWCP? If applicable, are past project deliverables complete?
  • Completeness: Have all grant application requirements been fulfilled?

Stage 2: review by technical committees and First Nations Working Groups

Fish and wildlife technical committees in each region review each grant application for technical merit. In our Columbia and Peace regions, First Nations Working Groups also evaluate grant applications.

Results from the technical committees (all regions) and First Nations Working Groups (Columbia and Peace regions) reviews are provided to each board to assist in their review and decision-making in stage 3.
During this stage, our technical committees (all regions) will be evaluating grant applications for:

  • Alignment with the priority action(s) and the intended outcome (see priority action table in each action plan): Are there clear objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound?
  • Technical design: Are the methods and approaches for the proposed project acceptable and appropriate? Are there direct benefits to fish and/or wildlife?
  • Urgency: What are the implications if the proposed project is approved, or is not approved?
  • Budget: Are the charges for fees and expenses appropriate? Is there a demonstrated good value for the money?
  • Relevant credentials and experience of the team members, and roles of individuals on the project: Does the project team have the skills, expertise, and capacity to carry out the project? Are the right people in the right roles?
  • Community engagement: Does the project include a community engagement component (e.g., project involves volunteers, an outreach event, etc.)?
  • Overall quality of the grant application: Is it a clear, easily understood grant application and project proposal with strong linkages to the priority action(s) and intended outcome(s)?

During this stage, our First Nations Working Groups (Columbia and Peace regions) will be evaluating grant applications for:

  • Inclusion of Indigenous knowledge.
  • Incorporation of First Nations cultural values and perspectives.
  • Approach to sharing project results with First Nations communities.
  • Engagement of First Nations in the proposed project, where appropriate.

Stage 3: review by board members

The three regional boards review each grant application for projects proposed in their region. The boards consider the results of all stage 1 and stage 2 evaluations and make decisions on which grant applications will be approved with conditions. The regional boards evaluate the grant applications and are responsible for all project and funding decisions in each region.
During this stage, our regional boards will be evaluating grant applications for:

  • Alignment with the FWCP’s vision, mission, and any applicable regional guidance.
  • A clear and well-defined approach that aligns with the priority action, as stated in the relevant action plan(s).
  • A strong linkage between the proposed project and the intended outcome(s) as stated in the relevant action plan(s).
  • First Nations engagement is part of the review and evaluation of all grant applications. We recognize engagement may not necessarily result in First Nations involvement, but you will be required to document your engagement efforts in your grant application and provide a rationale why you may not have First Nations involved in your proposed project.
  • Community engagement: Does your proposed project include a community engagement component? Demonstrated effort to engage with First Nations, stakeholders, and other communities of interest.
  • Partnerships: The FWCP values partnerships and encourages grant applicants to identify and involve project partners and/or funding partners to leverage FWCP funds. Inclusion of project and funding partnerships other than FWCP.

What projects are eligible for an FWCP grant?

Each FWCP region has a set of action plans that identify the priority actions eligible for FWCP grants (see the action tables in each action plan).

We fund five types of projects and our action plan tables identify priority actions by project type:

  1. research and information acquisition;
  2. habitat-based actions;
  3. species-based actions;
  4. monitoring and evaluation; and
  5. land securement.

Your proposed project must align with one or more priority action(s) in any of our regional action plans.

Each priority action is identified as OPEN, OPEN/DIRECTED, or DIRECTED.

DELIVERY METHOD
OPEN                           Eligible for a grant. Go ahead and apply!
OPEN/DIRECTED       Eligible for a grant. Go ahead and apply!
DIRECTED                    Not eligible for a grant. Do not apply for a grant for this action. Our regional boards will address DIRECTED projects through other funding mechanisms.

We fund and support the following types of actions, which are consistent with our mandate:

  • Fund actions to create, restore, or otherwise improve the function of ecosystems that have been impacted by BC Hydro activities.
  • Fund actions to create, restore, or otherwise improve the function of alternate ecosystems that provide a better opportunity for investment.
  • Fund specific management actions for species of interest as identified by recovery teams and action/implementation groups.
  • Fund baseline inventory that contributes to the development of habitat- or species-based actions within action plans.
  • Fund monitoring programs designed to measure the effectiveness of FWCP-funded habitat- and species-based actions.
  • Contribute to all aspects of managing co-operatively managed conservation lands.

We do not fund or support the following activities, which are beyond our mandate:

  • Fund core activities of government or non-government agencies or programs.
  • Lead the development of species recovery goals.
  • Fund, co-ordinate, or lead national recovery teams for species at risk.
  • Develop policy related to land or wildlife management.
  • Administer government regulations.
  • Engage in enforcement and compliance activities, except in relation to co-operatively managed conservation lands.
  • Fund programs designed exclusively to address government objectives.

Why does FWCP offer fish and wildlife grants?

The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) is a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations, and public interest holders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams.

The FWCP was established to compensate for impacts to fish, wildlife, and their supporting habitat, resulting from the construction of BC Hydro dams.

BC Hydro has water licence obligations in the Columbia and Peace regions, and has made voluntary commitments to address the construction impacts of dams in the Coastal Region. BC Hydro fulfils the applicable obligations through the work of the FWCP.

The FWCP is funded annually by BC Hydro. The FWCP directs those funds towards projects that address priority actions across its three regions to fulfil its mission, and work towards its vision of thriving fish and wildlife populations in watersheds that are functioning and sustainable.

The Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) conserves and enhances fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams. The FWCP is funded annually by BC Hydro. The FWCP directs those funds towards priority actions across its three regions to fulfil its mission and work towards its vision of thriving fish and wildlife populations in watersheds that are functioning and sustainable.

By funding projects to support fish and wildlife populations in our Coastal, Columbia and Peace Regions, the FWCP is fulfilling BC Hydro’s applicable water licence obligations and voluntary commitments to compensate for fish and wildlife impacts.