Implementation projects: Adaptation in Action

• Completed application form
• Project workbook
• Community-scale climate risk assessment or climate adaptation plan (or a regional equivalent that includes the community)
• Feasibility study (or other supporting assessment) validating the project
• Flood exposure attestation (if outside the 100-year floodplain) or documentation describing flood-resilient design (if within the 100-year floodplain), for projects with new infrastructure

• The applicant must be a Canadian municipal government or an eligible municipal partner (e.g., municipally owned corporation, organization delivering municipal services, non-governmental or not-for-profit organization, research institute, Indigenous community).
• If the applicant is not a municipality, the project must be carried out in partnership with a Canadian municipal government.
• The project must be a climate adaptation implementation project designed to help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• The project must address a priority climate risk identified in the community’s climate risk assessment or an action in the climate adaptation plan (a regional assessment that includes the community’s priorities is acceptable).
• The applicant (lead municipality) must have a community-scale climate risk assessment or a climate adaptation plan.

Who is eligible?

• Canadian municipal governments (e.g., towns, cities, regions, districts, and local boards)
• Municipally owned corporations
• Regional, provincial or territorial organizations delivering municipal services
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and not-for-profit organizations
• Research institutes (e.g., universities)
• Indigenous communities

Who is not eligible

• For-profit organizations or private-sector entities (not eligible partners).
• Emergency response and/or disaster recovery projects (ineligible).

Eligible expenses

• Costs to write the LLCA application (up to $5,000, incurred up to 90 days before FCM receives the application).
• Project administration costs directly linked to the project (e.g., long-distance communication, document translation, printing/photocopying by outside suppliers, acquisition of documents used exclusively for the project, required permits or third-party certifications; for Operational Testing projects only, incremental utility costs tied to testing existing assets).
• Advertising and communications required to inform the public or evaluate the project (e.g., advertising development and media distribution, website development, public surveys).
• Professional, technical, consulting and contractor fees directly related to the project.
• Staff remuneration for time actually worked on project implementation (including participation in FCM-led capacity-building linked to the project); for Implementation Projects, incremental staff/administration costs to oversee activities (up to $250,000, unless the project is Operational Testing).
• Capital expenditures essential to the project (e.g., specialized system hardware/software; construction/installation, renovation/modernization materials and labour; for Operational Testing projects only, operations of facilities/structures needed for up to 18 months; tree planting costs up to $50,000 for Implementation Projects, including associated tree-planting infrastructure costs within allowed categories).
• Equipment rental costs for tools and equipment required for the project.
• Meetings and public gathering costs to communicate the project and collect feedback (e.g., facility and audio-visual rental; accessibility supports such as interpretation/shuttle/babysitting; food/drinks when part of cultural protocol; honoraria for Elders/knowledge keepers/cultural leaders; local cultural protocol costs).
• Transportation, shipping and courier charges to deliver materials and services essential to the project.
• Travel and accommodation necessary to complete the project (including to attend FCM-led capacity-building related to the project, up to $10,000 or 10% of eligible project costs, whichever is lower).
• Non-recoverable taxes (only the portion not eligible for a rebate).
• For non-municipal applicants only (Implementation Projects with eligible costs over $500K): cost of a required third-party financial audit.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Emergency response and disaster recovery activities and costs.
• Routine or ongoing operating costs that are not clearly for incremental operational testing (with measurable results) of existing assets.
• Community-scale climate hazard risk assessments and climate adaptation plans (and other planning not tied to implementing an eligible project).
• Land/building purchases and related legal/contract costs; temporary single-use hazard equipment (e.g., sandbags/deployable flood barriers).
• Routine operations and maintenance of existing infrastructure; like-for-like replacements or other pre-existing/routine work that doesn’t add climate resilience.

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada (eligible applicants include Canadian municipal governments and eligible municipal partners).

• Climate risk assessment / climate adaptation plan alignment (70%)
• Risk reduction potential (70%)
• Low-carbon adaptation (20%)
• Nature-positive adaptation (20%)
• Meaningfully address anti-racism, equity and/or Reconciliation (10%)

• Step 1: Readiness check
  • Complete the online Readiness check to determine whether your implementation project could be eligible and to learn about next steps.
  • Optionally, watch the recorded webinar “Learn how to build a strong Adaptation in Action implementation project application” for practical tips before contacting GMF.
• Step 2: Review guidance and prerequisites
  • Download and review the Application Guide (LLCA — Adaptation in Action — Implementation Projects & Feasibility Studies).
  • Review the prerequisites and supporting documents listed in Appendix C of the Application Guide.
  • Review the Eligible and Ineligible Costs document.
• Step 3: Contact GMF (support and guidance)
  • Contact a GMF representative to discuss your project and ask questions.
  • Use one of the provided options: email (gmfinfo@fcm.ca), phone (1-877-417-0550), or book a meeting with a GMF representative via the booking link.
• Step 4: Access the funding portal (account and login)
  • Log in to the FCM funding portal to access the pre-application form.
  • If needed, register for an account and sign in to the funding portal before starting the pre-application.
• Step 5: Submit the pre-application (required)
  • Complete and submit the pre-application form through the FCM funding portal.
  • Note that supporting documents are not required at the pre-application stage; they are submitted with the full application.
  • If you experience issues completing this phase, contact GMF using the email or phone number provided.
• Step 6: Receive eligibility confirmation (pre-application review)
  • Wait for a GMF representative to review the pre-application and confirm whether your organization and initiative are eligible to proceed.
  • Expect a response within five business days of the date GMF receives your pre-application form.
• Step 7: Complete the full application (portal submission)
  • If invited to proceed, access the full application through the FCM funding portal.
  • Complete the full application form.
  • Complete the project workbook template provided through the portal.
  • Attach all required supporting documents specified in the Application Guide (including a community climate hazard risk assessment or climate adaptation plan).
  • Submit the full application package to GMF through the portal.
• Step 8: GMF review process (project officer and peer review)
  • Work with the assigned GMF project officer who will review your full application for accuracy and completeness and may request clarifications.
  • Proceed through external expert peer review and GMF internal review as part of the funding assessment process.
• Step 9: Funding decision (approval)
  • GMF Council makes funding recommendations to FCM’s Board of Directors for funding approval.

• A GMF project officer reviews the full application for accuracy and completeness and works with the applicant to resolve any outstanding questions.
• The application is assessed through peer review and internal review: an external expert peer review panel evaluates implementation project applications, while feasibility study applications are assessed internally by GMF staff.
• GMF Council provides funding recommendations to FCM’s Board of Directors.
• FCM’s Board of Directors makes the funding approval decision.
• If approved, the applicant must meet GMF reporting requirements (e.g., progress reporting when applicable and completion reporting) as part of project follow-up.

• Applications are currently closed; funding is scheduled to open in 2026.
• Lead municipalities have a lifetime cap on the number of funded projects under the initiative, based on population size: <50,000 (1 implementation project and 1 feasibility study), 50,000–500,000 (2 implementation projects and 2 feasibility studies), >500,000 (3 implementation projects and 3 feasibility studies).
• For projects that include tree planting, tree planting costs are eligible up to $50,000; if tree planting costs exceed $50,000, applicants may submit a joint application to request additional tree planting funding through the “Growing Canada’s Community Canopies” initiative.
• Municipal applicants to LLCA Adaptation in Action may access free coaching services (up to 10 hours of personalized virtual coaching), offered between January 2025 and March 2026; GMF will select up to 100 municipalities to participate, regardless of whether their funding application is successful.