ECCC: Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (Canada)

Deadline: Ongoing Opportunity

The Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund – Emission Reductions Intake will begin accepting funding applications for projects starting during the 2025-2026 fiscal year on December 1, 2024 to conserve and restore nature is fundamental to mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Nature-based climate solutions (or natural climate solutions) will help Canada meet its 2030 and 2050 climate change mitigation objectives by reducing emissions from land management and strengthening resilience to climate change.

Nature-based solutions include actions to reduce the loss, restore, and improve the management of ecosystems. These actions can help to:

• Reduce GHG emissions from land management
• Store and capture carbon
• Mitigate the impacts of climate change
• Build resilience and improve water quality
• Provide critical habitat for Canada’s wildlife

Objectives

• The primary objective of the NSCSF is to reduce Canada’s net GHG emissions using natural climate solutions, while benefitting biodiversity and human well-being.
• More specifically, the objectives are to:
  • Avoid GHG emissions by halting or reducing the conversion of carbon rich ecosystems to another less carbon rich ecosystem (e.g. from a forest/grassland/wetland to cropland or an urban development)
  • Restore carbon storage and biodiversity in converted or degraded ecosystems
  • Reduce GHG emissions caused by natural resource use, including by implementing new forest harvesting management practices
  • Develop policies, programs or tools with key actors in priority sectors, and implement them to reduce GHG emissions and improve biodiversity
  • Measure and report on GHG outcomes from natural climate solutions
  • Provide biodiversity and human well-being co-benefits
  • Advance the federal commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous people
  • Advance science and knowledge on natural climate solutions in Canada

Types of Programs

• This initiative consists of three distinct, but related, programs:
  • 2 Billion Trees Program led by Natural Resources Canada
  • Nature Smart Climate Solutions led by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
  • Agricultural Climate Solutions led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Funding Information

• Funding will be allocated through contribution agreements for projects starting in fiscal year 2025-2026 (April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026) with project length varying between 1 to 5 years:
  • The minimum funding for this intake is $75,000 per project
  • The maximum funding available for a single project for this intake is $50 million allocated over a minimum period of 3 years (or $15 million per fiscal year)
  • For-profit organizations are limited to a maximum of $200,000 per fiscal year for a total of $1 million per project
• NSCSF has a match funding objective of 1:1.
• For non-Indigenous applicants,1:1 matching contribution (from non-federal sources) is sought ($1 confirmed match for $1 NSCSF funding). Preference will be given to projects with contributions that are equal or more than 1:1. Match funding can be cash or in-kind for the full amount and must be directly related to the delivery of the project. Evaluation of the project will consider match funding.
• Indigenous applicants are encouraged to describe any match funding they have contributed or obtained, but match funding will not be part of the evaluation of the project.

Expected Outcomes

• The program is tracking the following results:
  • Annual GHG emission reductions in 2030 (Mt CO2e)
  • Projected long-term (2050) greenhouse gas emission reductions (Mt CO2e)
  • Net change in policies driving ecosystem conversion relative to the land-base
  • Total area (hectares) conserved, managed or restored for greenhouse gas mitigation
  • Number of direct jobs created
  • Number of methodological improvements for the land sector implemented in each annual edition of Canada’s National Inventory Report on Greenhouse Gases
  • Number of Indigenous-led projects supported

Eligibility Criteria

• This intake is open to the following applicants:
  • Domestic or international not-for-profit organizations, such as charitable and volunteer organizations, professional associations, and non-governmental organizations
  • Domestic or international Indigenous organizations, governments, Individuals, boards, commissions, communities, associations, and authorities including:
    • Indigenous not-for-profit organizations
    • District councils, Chief councils, and Tribal councils
    • Indigenous research, academic, and educational institutions
    • Indigenous for-profit organizations
  • Provincial and territorial governments, municipal, and local governments, and their agencies (e.g., Crown corporations)
  • Domestic or international research, academic, and educational institutions
  • Canadian individuals
  • Domestic or international for-profit organizations, such as small businesses with less than 500 employees, companies, corporations, and industry associations
  • Local organizations such as community associations and groups, senior and youth groups, and service clubs

For more information, visit Government of Canada.