Introducing the Watershed Security Fund
The Watershed Security Fund has launched its first phase of support for watershed projects and initiatives to help communities respond to urgent and long-term watershed needs. The Fund’s initial grants stream will accept applications from June 3rd to June 26th, 2024. A larger intake and funding stream is planned for late 2024 or early 2025.
In this inaugural year, grant funding will prioritize projects and initiatives within British Columbia, focusing on reconciliation, ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable economies. Projects will support healthy watersheds across various areas of watershed-based work, recognizing their interconnected nature.
The funding themes include:
Watershed Collaboration, Planning, and Governance
Watershed and Ecosystems Restoration
Nature-based Infrastructure
Watersheds & Food Systems
Monitoring and Assessment
Land & Water-based Learning, Intergenerational Knowledge
In this first year, the Fund’s Grants Program will start flowing commitments of $7-$10 million to communities, spread across two grant intakes in 2024/25, to address urgent and long-term watershed security needs. Together with the Grants Working Group, we endeavour to build a foundation of work, systems, and approaches that transfer over and evolve into the long-term multi-year grants program offered through the Watershed Security Fund.
There are widespread needs and interests in watershed funding across the province which far exceed available funds. Given the small size of our funding envelope in 2024/25, three funding streams have been identified with some limitations on the maximum grant size.
Stream 1: Headwaters – Applications up to $50,000
Emergent, early forming, or smaller projects or those at exploratory and learning stages, partnerships and relationship building.
Scope: project design, research & planning, initial partner conversations & readiness buildingStream 2: Creek – Applications up to $150,000
Small to medium scale, further along in design, development, collaboration, and implementation than headwaters.
Scope: community engagement, detailed research planning, partnership, and project development; smaller scale implementation and shovel ready projects.Stream 3: River – Applications up to $500,000
Larger scale, stronger foundation of prior work and partnerships, collaboration, and readiness to implement.
Scope: Partnerships in place, plans and projects or initiatives are well developed and ‘implementation’ or ‘shovel’ ready.
The Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) and the First Nations Water Caucus (Water Caucus) – with the First Nations Fisheries Council (FNFC) – are honoured to collaborate as partners in this inspiring, impactful, and healing work. Together we provide interim stewardship and support the co-development of a permanent entity for the Fund.
Learn more at www.watershedsecurityfund.ca and by following @FNFC_BC or @REFBC on social media.
You can also watch recordings of their informative webinars below:
