granting program

Project summaries (2 paragraphs) are to be submitted at two points each year (May 1st and November 1st). Email is preferred. Please show the amount of funding requested.

Based on the suitability of these summaries to the program mission, full proposals are solicited (submission by May-15, November-15 respectively, selection by month end), length 2 or 3 pages. Content will include:

• a summary of the organisation's history
• a project description including staffing, budget and time lines
• how the project results will be evaluated and communicated
• the amount of funding requested and a statement of other funding in hand or sought for the proposed work
• whether the applicant is a registered charity and is able to accept marketable corporate shares as payment

The total amount of funding available depends in part on underlying investment performance but is expected to be in the range of $125k to $150k annually. The scope of projects supported is therefore limited. A short report of the project achievements relative to plan (including financial) is required within one month of completion, with brief quarterly reports for longer projects. Depending on the proposals received in a given solicitation, there may be no projects funded. The program retains the right to support any initiative seen as consistent with its mission.
The program supports work that is based in sound science, responds to the needs of specific ecosystems, and focuses on achieving meaningful, long-term conservation results. The program favours projects that engage the stakeholders and have the potential to create tangible results.
Some types of projects are generally not supported by the program. These include capital acquisition of land (though small amounts may be considered at strategic points in time), development of trails, buildings or equipment, payment of overhead expenses, extensive travel, primary/basic research,
scholarships, school-based projects, curriculum development, films, conversion or "greening" of small urban or suburban spaces, multi-year projects, long-term policy development projects and community or individual initiatives that are not connected to broader activities.

contact

Sage Environmental Program
Attn: Graham Smith
450 Brookside Road
Brookside, NS, B3T 1T3

Specific Interests

The three primary areas of interest for the program are outlined below.

1. Protected Areas
In keeping with the aim to maintain healthy ecosystems throughout the province, the program will support efforts to protect, preserve and sustain ecosystems in areas with significant opportunities for conservation, with an
emphasis on relatively intact forests, wetlands, waterways, coastal and marine areas. Priority areas for this program include the existing areas protected under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act, public lands recognized as candidates to become protected, and wildlife corridors connecting such areas (on public or private lands).
Specific activities funded may include:

• development and promotion of conservation planning and design
• applied scientific research
• participation in land use planning processes
• community outreach and public awareness
• collaboration among diverse groups working directly to foster conservation on the ground

2. Compromised Areas
The program may support activities that work to maintain biodiversity in areas of Nova Scotia that are already developed to varying degrees by industrial or residential interests. These lands and marine areas face a series of challenges to their ecological integrity.
The goal is to ensure the health of these areas and the species that depend on them by supporting efforts that enhance scientific understanding of biodiversity, endeavour to preserve and protect threatened habitats, and engage communities in activities that maintain and enhance ecosystem health.
Activities supported by the program in this area may include the following (preferably more than one):

• stewardship programs
• restoration and enhancement programs and policies
• applied scientific research and mapping
• public awareness

3. Emerging Issues:
Urban Growth and Development
The program will consider initiatives that respond to emerging issues which represent unique opportunities to protect and enhance the environment.

An example is the critical issue of managing urban growth and development in the Halifax area.
The program is interested in supporting efforts to create sustainable land use patterns, protect adjacent rural and natural landscapes, and promote infrastructure efficiencies.
Activities supported by the program in this area may include the following (preferably more than one):

• sustainable land use planning
• applied research
• sustainable transportation initiatives
• public awareness

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