Advancing actions to address climate change
The Coastal Habitats Hub aims to advance actions that address climate change by supporting the effective and equitable implementation of nature-based climate solutions in coastal ecosystems across Canada. To help move coastal NbCS from knowledge to action, the Hub is developing state of knowledge reports on our focal habitats, case studies and project spotlights, and habitat roadmaps that help identify pathways for future action.
In the meantime, explore current funding opportunities to support coastal conservation, restoration, research and capacity-building projects.
Reports summarizing the current state of knowledge for habitat extent, change, and carbon flux across Canada’s kelp, seagrass and salt marsh ecosystems.
These roadmaps will guide practitioners through planning and implementing coastal NbCS projects from start to finish.
These case studies and spotlights will share methods, experiences and lessons from NbCS projects protecting, restoring and stewarding coastal ecosystems across Canada. Have a project, method or lesson to share? We accept everything from short, informal pieces to detailed case studies and can help you develop your story for the Hub community.
–— DISCOVER
Featured funding opportunities
Explore funding opportunities that support coastal and climate work. We also feature funding calls in our quarterly newsletter to help you stay informed about new opportunities as they arise. Know of a funding opportunity that should be shared with our community? Reach out and we will help feature it through the Hub.
| Fund Name | Funding Organization | Application Due Date | Funding Amount | Specific Location | Fund Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton North Community Foundation Grants | Carleton North Community Foundation | 01-Feb-27 | Not specified | Carleton North area, NB | The Carleton North Community Foundation provides annual grant funding across a range of community priorities including arts and culture, education, beautification, economic development, recreation, health and wellness, and environment. |
| Carthy Foundation | Carthy Foundation | Ongoing (rolling submissions) | Variable (case-by-case) | Canada | Urban environmental sustainability, environmentally sustainable agriculture, youth employment transitions, and young adult entrepreneurship initiatives that are strategic and have broad impact |
| Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program | Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) | Rolling intake (no fixed deadline) | Approximately $7,500,000 annually | Canadian North — including Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Northern Quebec (Nunavik, Eeyou Istchee), and Labrador. | Supports climate change adaptation projects to assess risks, plan and implement adaptation measures, and increase resilience of community assets in northern regions, including hazard mapping, adaptation plans, bylaws and structural upgrades |
| FCM Funding Opportunities | Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) | Ongoing / varies by specific opportunity | Varies by opportunity (project-based funding) | Canada | Multiple funding streams supporting municipal infrastructure, sustainability, climate adaptation, energy projects, community climate resilience, and pilot/capital studies across Canada, delivered through FCM and its Green Municipal Fund (GMF), including project planning, feasibility, pilot projects, capital financing, net-zero transformations, community energy systems, and climate adaptation support. |
| First Nation Adapt Program | Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) | Ongoing (rolling intake) | Up to approx. $250,000 per project (part of ~9.75M total) | First Nations south of the 60th parallel | Supports climate change adaptation and resilience projects led by First Nations including risk assessments, adaptation planning, community-driven implementation actions |
| Funding for Translation of Abstracts | ArcticNet | 01-Feb-27 | Up to $1,000 (per abstract; typical) | Canadian North | Supports translation of research abstracts (plain language up to 600 words) from English or French into an Indigenous language spoken in Canada to enhance accessibility and respect Indigenous language continuity, for research conducted in the Canadian North |
| Indigenous Community-Based Climate Monitoring Programs | Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) | Rolling / no deadline | Approximately $8,000,000 per year (total program funding) | Canadian North and Indigenous traditional territories | Supports Indigenous-led community climate and environmental monitoring projects that blend Indigenous Knowledge Systems and western science to track climate change impacts, build capacity, and address data gaps |
| Max Bell Foundation Development Grants | Max Bell Foundation | Ongoing (rolling intake) | $3,000-$6,000/month | Canada | Supports project-based grants to inform public policy decisions in Canada across education, health & wellness, environment, and civic engagement/public institutions |
| Max Bell Foundation Project Grants | Max Bell Foundation | Ongoing (rolling intake) | $10,000-$200,000 | Canada | Supports project-based grants to inform public policy decisions in Canada across education, health & wellness, environment, and civic engagement/public institutions |
| R. Howard Webster Foundation Grants | R. Howard Webster Foundation | Ongoing (rolling intake) | Not specified | Canada | Provides grants to qualified donees for unique projects that benefit Canadian society across arts and culture, education, environment, medical/health services, and social services, with applications accepted year-round. |
| Stewardship Operations Funding | Coast Funds | - July 10, 2026 - October 2, 2026 | Varies by Nation allocation (multi-year operational funding) | BC | Provides ongoing operational funding to support First Nations-led stewardship programs, including Guardian programs, monitoring, conservation planning, and management of lands and waters in the Great Bear Rainforest, Great Bear Sea, and Haida Gwaii |
| Stewardship Project Funding | Coast Funds | - July 10, 2026 - October 2, 2026 | Varies by project (multi-year funding available) | BC | Provides project-based funding for conservation initiatives led by First Nations in coastal British Columbia, including research, habitat restoration, stewardship programs, monitoring, and conservation capacity building to sustain ecological integrity and Indigenous stewardship |
| Sussex Area Community Foundation – Community Grants | Sussex Area Community Foundation Inc. | Second Wednesday in March; Second Wednesday in September | $500–$7,500 | Sussex and surrounding area, NB | Provides twice-yearly community grants to qualified donees for projects benefiting the Sussex area, with priority areas including environment, health, education, arts, social services, and community well-being |
| TD Friends of the Environment Foundation Grant | TD Friends of the Environment Foundation | 15-Dec | Needs-based (majority $2,000–$8,000) | Canada | Supports grassroots environmental and green space projects including environmental education, outdoor classrooms, community gardens, park revitalization and native tree planting |
| International Postdoctoral Fellowship | Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) | 28-Feb-27 | Salary + research support (varies by fellowship; multi-year) | Canada | Supports early-career PhD holders to conduct interdisciplinary, collaborative ocean and climate research with Canadian and international partners, including international exchange and co-supervision between institutions |
| Industry Postdoctoral Fellowship | Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) | Rolling (open until funds allocated) | Salary + research funding (multi-year; varies by project) | Canada | Supports early-career PhD researchers to work with industry, government, or NGO partners on applied ocean and climate research projects, fostering innovation, commercialization, and knowledge exchange between academia and partners |
| University Climate Knowledge Mobilization Events Program | Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) | Closes when funds allocated | Up to $2,500 per event | Canada | Supports climate-focused events at PICS universities that advance research dissemination, education, and knowledge mobilization through workshops, conferences, and engagement activities |
| Community-Led Research Program | Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) | Tier 1: Open until funds are fully allocated Tier 2: Closed | Not specified (tiered funding structure; multi-phase) | Canada | Supports Indigenous- and community-led research projects focused on the ocean–climate–people nexus, prioritizing community leadership, co-development of research, and partnerships with academic institutions to address climate and ocean challenges |
| Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) | NSERC / CIHR / SSHRC | Set by institution (typically Jan–Feb) | $6000 (plus host institution contribution) | Canada | Supports undergraduate students to gain research experience through paid placements with faculty supervisors, typically over a 14–16 week term, encouraging careers in research and graduate studies |
| ECOP (Early Career Ocean Professional) Ambassador Program | SOI Foundation (Sustainable Ocean Initiative Foundation) | 01-Mar-27 | $2,000 | Canada | The ECOP Canada Ambassador Program empowers Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) to be key drivers of ocean sustainability. |
| Adaptation in Action – Feasibility Studies | Green Municipal Fund (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) | October 6 - December 15, 2026 and March 30 - June 29, 2027 | Funding varies by population size and project scope (up to 80–100% of eligible study costs) $70,000 max | Canada | Provides funding for feasibility studies assessing climate adaptation projects that improve long-term community resilience, including flood mitigation, heat resilience, wildfire adaptation, and infrastructure protection, with strong emphasis on equity and inclusive engagement |
| Climate-Ready Plans and Processes | Green Municipal Fund (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) | October 6 - December 8, 2026 and March 30 - June 15, 2027 | Up to $140,000 | Canada | Provides funding for municipalities and partners to develop climate risk assessments, adaptation plans, and climate-resilient municipal processes and management systems that strengthen long-term community resilience and equitable climate adaptation |
| Adaptation in Action – Implementation Projects | Green Municipal Fund (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) | October 6 - November 24, 2026 and March 30 - June 1, 2027 | Up to $1,000,000 | Canada | Provides funding for implementation projects that help communities reduce climate risks and improve long-term resilience through on-the-ground adaptation actions such as flood mitigation, wildfire resilience, heat adaptation, and climate-resilient infrastructure |
| Youth in Natural Resources (YNR) | ECO Canada | Rolling | Up to 75% wage coverage (up to $23,800) | Canada | Provides wage subsidies and training support for employers hiring youth into natural resources and environmental sector positions, helping young professionals gain experience in energy, forestry, mining, earth sciences, and clean technology |
| Opportunities Fund | Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) | Open until funds are fully allocated | $30,000-$75,000 | Open to current faculty and research staff at Dalhousie University, Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, Universite Laval, and Memorial University of Newfoundland, including early career researchers, mid and late-career researchers, and postdoctoral fellows. | The Opportunities Fund enables short-term, collaborative research and knowledge mobilization activities focused on the ocean-climate-people nexus. Supported by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund through the Transforming Climate Action (TCA) program, it will allow researchers to respond rapidly to time sensitive opportunities (usually leveraging a substantial amount of external funding) and collaborate with external partners and collaborators from government, industry, and other institutions. |
| Climate Emergency Grant Program | Indigenous Stewardship Fund | Rolling | $25,000+ per person | BC | The Climate Emergency Grant Program supports First Nations in BC to respond to urgent environmental emergencies affecting ecosystems and species in their territories. This program is intended to enable timely action when urgent environmental threats arise and require immediate intervention. |
| Intact Climate Resilience Grants | intact | 18-Dec-26 | Up to $225,000 | Canada | Municipalities and Indigenous communities are experiencing firsthand the impacts of extreme weather. The Intact Climate Resilience Grants provide up to $225,000 to support practical, community-led resilience projects that help reduce flood and wildfire risk and strengthen community readiness. |
| Build Communities Strong Fund Local Impact Stream | Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency | Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis | Up to $1 million per project | Atlantic Canada | The Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) is a federal infrastructure program that supports projects that strengthen communities, improve public infrastructure, and support long-term economic growth across Canada. The BCSF supports projects that: - improve, build, or renew public infrastructure - strengthen community resilience and economic growth - support climate adaptation and sustainability - promote inclusive and equitable access to infrastructure |
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–— CONTACT US
We'd love to hear from you
Please reach out if you have any questions, opportunities, resources or feedback you’d like to share.
The Coastal Habitats Hub team includes WWF-Canada, the Hakai Institute, the RAD Network, the EcoFlux Lab at McGill University, and the University of Victoria’s Blue Carbon Canada Program.
The Coastal Habitats Hub is funded in part by Environment and Climate Change Canada.