Grants, Contests, & Awards
Last updated: April 1, 2023
Upcoming Dates
A+ for Energy Grant by Inside Education welcomes Alberta K-12 teachers to apply for the chance to fund your creative approaches to energy education. Preference is given to projects that demonstrate measurable greenhouse gas emission reductions and meaningful student engagement. Amount: $5000. Deadline: May 13, 2023.
Grants
Jan-June Deadlines
ATA Educational Trust Bursaries and Grants Program supports teachers in attending professional development workshops and events, specialist council conferences, and enrolment in courses of study to advance their knowledge and teaching skills. Amount: $500-$700. Deadline: May each year for courses.
Canada Post Community Foundation Grants provide funding for school programs that benefit children. Amount: Variable. Deadline: March each year.
The Earth Steward Teaching Awards recognizes exemplary contributions to sustainability education. Prizes: $1000 to the two winning teachers (one in elementary and one in secondary), as well as $1000 to each winner's school to be put towards a sustainability action project. Deadline: May.
Inside Education: A+ for Energy provides grants for projects focused on energy and GHG emission reduction. Amount: Up to $5000. Deadline: May each year.
Jack Leslie Youth Environmental Grant honours the positive impact former Mayor Jack Leslie had on the city and the environment, providing funding to youth in Calgary who are planning an environmental project. Amount: $1000. Deadline: January each year.
Nature Canada's Young Nature Leaders Grant is for young women (under 30) to develop and implement a youth-led, community-based project centered around nature and sustainability in Canada to celebrate the role that nature plays in our Canadian culture and identity. Amount: $1000. Deadline: February each year.
Nutrients for Life and Inside Education provide funding for schools to start or expand an indoor or outdoor garden. Amount: $500. Deadline: March each year.
TreeCanada: Greening Canada's School Grounds provides grants to green school grounds. Amount: Up to $3500.
World of 7 Billion: Student Video Contest is open to all middle and high school students worldwide. Students can create a video concentrating on preserving biodiversity, sustainable resource use, or protecting human rights. Participating teachers receive free curriculum resources from Population Education, and the student winners receive cash prizes. Deadline: February each year
Sept-Dec Deadlines
Alberta Environment and Parks: Environmental Student Action Challenge invites Alberta students from kindergarten to grade 12 to develop a school-based initiative or project that will minimize human impacts to the environment or help address climate change. Amount: Up to $1000.
Aspen Foundation for Labour Education: Aspen Grants offers grants to support projects that promote student engagement in social justice. Projects with environmental and social justice connections can also be funded. Amount: Up to $1500. Deadline: December each year.
City of Airdrie Eco Youth Award recognizes youth and provides financial aid to implement or enhance projects with an environmental focus. Youth may use a current project or propose a new project to enter the award competition. The project may cover any environmental topic and may include (but is not limited to): climate change, water, air, waste and recycling, soil, transportation, food, energy, etc.
City of St. Albert Environmental Initiatives Grant Program is a fun and easy way to encourage sustainability projects that align with the City of St. Albert’s Environmental Master Plan. Amount: Up to $5000. Deadline: October each year.
Government of Canada: Climate Action Fund for Canadian youth between the ages of 15 and 30 for activities that support climate change education.
Jane Goodall: Roots and Shoots Grants supports action projects that make the community better for animals, people and the environment.
World Wildlife Fund: Go Wild School Grants support community, classroom, and school initiatives related to wildlife conservation across Canada.
Multiple Deadlines Per Year & Year-Round Grants
Alberta Agriculture Education contains resources about starting a school garden and a list of funding opportunities.
Alberta Ecotrust provides funding for environmental nonprofit organizations.
Alberta Emerald Youth Grants empowers youth in Alberta to make their dream environmental projects a reality. Amount: $750.
Alberta Recycling Management Authority Electronics Recycling Program Apply to hold a roundup and raise funds with the electronics you collect.
ATA Educational Trust Bursaries and Grants Program supports teachers in attending professional development workshops and events, specialist council conferences, and enrolment in courses of study to advance their knowledge and teaching skills.
Calgary Foundation Neighbour Grants support projects that help people build their sense of inclusive belonging. Common projects include building gathering spaces, such as community gardens or naturalized areas. Amount: Up to $7500.
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) Action Challenge Contest is open to all students, clubs, community groups, and families. Complete environmental actions to earn points and compete with groups across Alberta! Examples of actions include environmental education, community clean ups, writing to local MP/MLA, posting recycling/composting posters around the school and community, fundraising for an environmental organization, planting a garden, etc.
Prizes: $500 Grand Prize, $300 Runner Up. Deadline: Two rounds: Sept-Dec and Jan-June.(will be available again in the fall of 2022)
Edmonton Community Foundation: Young Edmonton Grants funds projects by youth in Edmonton. The key to a successful application is an activity that is initiated, led, and organized by young Edmonton and area residents. Individuals (or groups), between the ages of 13 and 24 years, can receive funding to make their idea a reality. Amount: $500-3000. Deadline: Oct. 15 & Feb. 15
The Educational Partnership Foundation (TEPF) Environmental Actions Program supports schools running student-led projects and programs that make a measurable impact on energy use reduction or the natural environment.
FortisAlberta provides grants for schools, communities, and municipalities related to environmental education, energy efficiency, and naturalization.
Honda Canada Foundation grants provide funding for educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and other, tax exempt, national institutions in the fields of family, environment, engineering and education.
Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF): Action Project Funding provides funding for students and teachers to engage their school and community in an action project. Funding is available for schools, individual classes, and school groups/clubs. Action projects must be interactive, educational, and address local sustainability issues. Consider also joining the Youth Forums for professional development, student workshops, and a grant! Amount: $500.
Solar for Schools Program is a program provided by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre that provides rebates to Alberta School Boards who install photovoltaic systems (PV) on their school.
The Nature Calgary Education Grant funds projects in Calgary schools to appreciate, observe, study and respect nature in the Calgary area.
TD Friends of the Environment Foundation grants support projects in a variety of areas, including schoolyard greening, community gardens, recycling and composting. Amount: $2000-$8000. Deadline: January and July each year.
Contests
Aiming for Action Contest, in partnership with Earth Day Canada, EcoSchools, and others, provides funding and other prizes to help support environmental projects for youth age 14-30. Amount: $500 for 14-18 year category, $1500 for 19-30 category. Deadline: January-February each year.
Alberta Envirothon Competition involves teams competing about their knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management. The competition tests teamwork, problem solving, and public speaking skills. It also showcases career opportunities.
Alberta Recreation & Parks Association: JOY in Nature Contest Are you part of a group (school, youth group or club) of youth between the ages of 13-19? Do you live in Alberta? Enter for your group to be selected for a multi-day learning experience.
Canada's Coolest School Trip is open for classes to win a trip to one of Canada's national parks (locations vary each year).
Caring for Our Watersheds What can you do to improve your watershed? Students in grades 7-12 can win $1,000 for themselves and their school with an idea that would improve their watershed. Open to schools across Alberta.
The Classroom Energy Diet Challenge is a competition between Canadian classes from Kindergarten to grade 12 to increase awareness and knowledge about energy use among Canadian students (in both official languages). Students complete challenges for the chance to win prizes for their class.
Earth Sciences Canada: Where Challenge is a national contest for students aged 9 – 14. Students are asked to discover answers to these questions: What on Earth is in your stuff and Where on Earth does it come from?
FOCUS! Student Climate Change Video Contest is open to students in Grade 7-12 and post-secondary.
The Greenest School in Canada Competition is looking for schools that are weaving sustainability education into their curriculum and bringing programs and activities to students that encourage awareness about the environment.
GreenLearning Challenges offer a wide variety of learning units in varying topics for Grades 3-12. Challenges explore energy efficiency, climate policy, flooding, renewable energy, and circular economies. Amount: 1st prize $1000, 2nd prize $500, 3rd prize $250.
Ingenious+ Innovation Challenge is a contest for youth age 14-18 anywhere in Canada for a chance to receive $1000 plus mentorship and learning opportunities to grow your innovation. Eligible submissions have the option to move on to a national competition to be considered for an additional $10,000.
League for Green Leaders Program invites students from Grade 3-8 to compete with peers around the world in a series of fun activities to learn about climate change and easy actions they can take. See curriculum connections.
SEEDS Connections: Green Schools Program allows schools to record the number of environmental projects their students participate in. Schools who complete 100 projects become recognized as a Green School, and may go on to achieve Jade Status (250), Emerald Status (500) and Earth School Status (1000).
Superpower Your School Contest schools who take eco-initiatives can share their story to enter for the chance to receive technology to help superpower your school.
World of 8 Billion: Student Video Contest is open to all middle and high school students worldwide. Students can create a video concentrating on preserving biodiversity, sustainable resource use, or protecting human rights. Participating teachers receive free curriculum resources from Population Education, and the student winners receive cash prizes.
Awards for Students
The Alberta Emerald Foundation: Emerald Awards provides awards to youth, classrooms, schools, and school boards for leadership and creativity in addressing environmental matters.
APEGA Innovation in Education Awards challenge students to identify and generate an innovative solution to an issue or challenge faced by residents in their community. Up to $5000 is available for each initiative.
FOCUS! Schools Take Action to Change Climate Change Leadership Award recognizes the central role that schools play in modelling and inspiring positive environmental action with a monetary award.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is available to young people between the ages of 14-24. The Award empowers young people to learn and grow through non-formal education, all while working towards a globally recognized accreditation.
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes honours young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet.
John Muir Award is an environmental award that encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration. Three challenges are at the heart of the award – discover, explore, and conserve.
Youth of Distinction Award (YODA) recognizes Calgary youth, 12-18 years of age, for the remarkable ways in which they have chosen to live. The awards focus on leadership, friendship, overcoming personal challenge, and community service.
Awards for Environmental Educators
Alberta Emerald Foundation encourages all Alberta individuals, organizations and corporations to participate in its awards program.
The Calgary Awards are presented each year to celebrate and recognize outstanding achievements and contributions made by Calgarians, and include the Environmental Achievement Award.
EECOM Awards of Excellence in Environmental Education and Communication are given out by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM).
FOCUS! Teachers Excellence in Environmental Education and Communication Awards recognizes Excellence in Environmental Education, Communication, and Inspiration by Canada's amazing teachers.
Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) of the ATA gives awards for environmental excellence each year.
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship (GTF) is a professional development opportunity for pre-K–12 educators. An annual competitive application process is used to select educators and host them for a life-changing, field-based experience.