Grant and Funding Programs Offered by The Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC)

The Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) is a leading non-profit land trust dedicated to conserving biodiversity across the province. Since 1971, the organization has built a large portfolio of conservation areas by purchasing and receiving donations of ecologically significant private lands, often in partnership with governments, foundations, and other conservation groups. These properties protect critical habitats for species at risk, wetlands, estuaries, grasslands, forests, and other sensitive ecosystems throughout British Columbia.

Beyond acquiring and managing land, NTBC acts as a targeted grant maker and scholarship provider. Through its Scholarships & Funds portfolio, the organization supports graduate students, researchers, practitioners, and community groups whose work advances habitat conservation and ecological restoration in B.C. This includes two long-standing scholarships linked to major universities and dedicated conservation funds managed directly by NTBC.

The Bert Hoffmeister Scholarship at the University of British Columbia and the Dr. Ian and Joyce McTaggart-Cowan Scholarship at the University of Victoria are endowed awards established by The Nature Trust in honour of prominent conservation leaders and former board members. These scholarships are administered by the universities and focus on fields such as forestry, environmental studies, endangered species recovery, and ecological restoration. The website lists many years of recipients, demonstrating sustained financial support to graduate-level research that relates to conservation issues in British Columbia.

The Brink/McLean Grassland Conservation Fund is a grant program administered by The Nature Trust of British Columbia. Created to continue the legacy of two scientists who devoted their careers to B.C.’s grasslands, the fund promotes applied research, habitat restoration, and stewardship activities that improve management of native grassland ecosystems. The page outlines numerous funded projects over multiple years, ranging from invasive-species studies and species-at-risk research to rangeland health assessments and community-based stewardship initiatives. Prospective applicants are invited to discuss project ideas with NTBC staff, confirming that the fund serves as an ongoing source of project-based financial assistance.

NTBC has also established an endowment-based Rain Garden Fund to support community rain garden projects. This initiative addresses stormwater management, aquatic habitat protection, and public awareness by funding local groups to design and build rain gardens in schools, parks, churches, and neighbourhoods. The website lists a series of completed rain garden projects across different years, illustrating how the fund channels donor contributions into small-scale, community-led green infrastructure and habitat enhancement works.

Through these scholarships and funds, The Nature Trust of British Columbia supports a diverse set of beneficiaries: graduate students at B.C. universities, researchers and consultants, First Nations and community organizations, local stewardship groups, and conservation NGOs. While its core mission is to secure and manage conservation lands, NTBC’s grant-making activities fill important gaps by funding applied research, monitoring, restoration, and education projects that complement its land base. Combined with its broader partnerships and conservation programs, this positions NTBC as both a major landholder and a focused provider of financial assistance for biodiversity conservation and community-based environmental initiatives in British Columbia.