Closed
Source verified July 23, 2026
Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program)
Support for offshore wind community engagement
Latest source updateLast Update: July 5, 2026Latest change: The offshore wind grant content was expanded from a brief overview to a full applicant guide with new eligibility, funding, deadline, and submission details.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 5, 2026
Latest change: The offshore wind grant content was expanded from a brief overview to a full applicant guide with new eligibility, funding, deadline, and submission details.
Applicant Guide Added for Offshore Wind Grant Round 1
The source content now shows an Applicant Guide for Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding - Round 1, replacing the earlier brief program overview. It adds explicit eligibility rules, eligible and ineligible activities and expenses, assessment criteria, and submission instructions, and it shows the call as Closed with a proposal deadline of December 18, 2024. Funding terms are now detailed, including maximum program funding of $10,000 per project per fiscal year for up to 3 fiscal years, 100% of total project costs, and a 100% stacking limit with other Canadian government sources. The guide also makes the target scope more specific for Indigenous and coastal communities in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, including fishers and related associations in the Accord Areas.
Funding available
$ 20,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Canada
Who can apply
Indigenous applicants based in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador, including Indigenous communities or governments, Tribal Councils or similar entities, national or regional Indigenous councils, tribal organizations, and Indigenous majority-owned and controlled for-profit or not-for-profit organizations
See full eligibility
Overview
Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding supports Indigenous and coastal communities in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and eligible Canadian organizations to build capacity for offshore wind engagement. It funds information-sharing, awareness, knowledge-building, facilitation, and community consultation activities linked to offshore wind development.
Find open grants for your business
Explore open funding programs that match your business and project.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Strengthen organizational capacity
- Raise awareness or mobilize a population
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Research
- Environment
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Civic and Advocacy Organizations
- Business Associations
- Professional Associations
Target groups
- Indigenous peoples
- Rural / Remote communities
- Community leaders
Revenue structures
- 100% donations / grants
Scope
- Regional
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Activities that support Indigenous and coastal communities and/or organizations increasing their knowledge and information related to offshore wind development, including future government-, regulator-, or private sector-led consultation, engagement, and science-based efforts
- Hiring external legal, professional, technical, or commercial services to provide information and share knowledge related to offshore wind development through meetings, workshops, and similar activities
- Engaging a third party to facilitate and support engagement with governments, regulators, offshore wind developers, and experts in fields relevant to offshore wind development
- Activities that support Indigenous and coastal communities’ ability to engage on and inform marine data collection activities related to potential future offshore wind development
- Hosting community meetings or workshops, and facilitating the sharing, collection, and conservation of Indigenous and community knowledge related to areas where offshore wind development may occur
Documents Needed
- Proposal budget template and questions 11-13
- Supporting documentation, such as letters of support or Band Council Resolution
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Indigenous applicants based in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador, including Indigenous communities or governments, Tribal Councils or similar entities, national or regional Indigenous councils, tribal organizations, and Indigenous majority-owned and controlled for-profit or not-for-profit organizations
- Indigenous applicants located in other provinces that fish and/or harvest in the Canada-Nova Scotia and Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador offshore areas
- Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as regional and community development corporations, research associations, industry associations, and fishers in the Canada-Nova Scotia and Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador offshore areas under the Accord Acts
Eligible expenses
- Salaries and benefits for employees on the applicant organization’s payroll, for the actual time spent on the project
- Professional and contracting services, including legal costs when the Program determines they are necessary
- Printing services and translation; data collection services, including processing, analysis and management; and facility expenses for seminars or conference room rentals, excluding hospitality
- Honoraria and costs associated with an Indigenous ceremony, where the applicant is an Indigenous organization
- GST, PST, or HST costs, net of any tax rebate to which the applicant is entitled; and travel expenditures, including meals and accommodation, based on National Joint Council rates
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- In-kind costs
- Proposal preparation costs
- Capital expenditures, construction costs, and building renovation costs
- Lost income, purchase of land, and costs associated with the protection of intellectual property
- Salary benefits unrelated to the project, such as employee bonuses, and any costs incurred outside the Total Project Costs period
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada-Nova Scotia and Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador offshore areas under the Accord Acts
Selection criteria
- How well the Project addresses overall OWP Program and Grant Funding objectives
- The ability and capacity of the Applicant to deliver the Project, based on the proposed Project team and its individual and collective experience and expertise
- Clearly described and achievable Project timelines and milestones, detailed budget with verifiable cost estimates, and clearly described risks to the success of the Project and mitigation strategies, where applicable
- Complete proposals will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis during the Call for Proposals or until such time as the funding has been allocated
- Up to 40% of Grant Funding will be reserved for Indigenous applicants for the Call for Proposals
How to apply
- Read the proposal questions and prepare your responses in a separate document
- Complete the online proposal application form with your prepared responses; only proposal forms submitted through the online application process will be accepted and evaluated
- Review the proposal budget template and questions and prepare your budget in either Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx or .csv)
- Submit your proposal budget template and any supporting documentation by email to offshorewindpredevelopment-predeveloppementeolienextracotier@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
- Include Offshore Wind Grant: Budget Template and Supporting Documentation in the subject line
- If you do not receive an automatic reply, send a follow-up email to the OWP Program
Processing and Agreement
- Following the assessment phase, all applicants will receive a funding decision by email
- Proposals selected for funding consideration will go through a due diligence process to confirm final details needed to draft the grant agreement
- The OWP Program will sign grant agreements with selected applicants that outline the required documentation for payment
- Grant payment(s) will be made on an annual basis, following agreement signature
- A final narrative report, using the preferred format of the applicant, is due three months after the project completion date in the grant agreement
Additional information
- No Member of the House of Commons shall be admitted to any share or part of the grant agreements, or any resulting benefit
- Applicants will comply with the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders
- Grant agreements will include requirements for public information products, news releases, public announcements, and other events
- Proposals may also be shared with other Government of Canada initiatives
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) Program
What is the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program)?
Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding supports Indigenous and coastal communities in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and eligible Canadian organizations to build capacity for offshore wind engagement. It funds information-sharing, awareness, knowledge-building, facilitation, and community consultation activities linked to offshore wind development.
How much funding can be received?
Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) Funds up to 100% of admissible expenses, capped at $20,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) program?
To be eligible for the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) program, you must:
Legal entity validly registered or incorporated in Canada
Project must contribute to offshore wind information-sharing or knowledge-building
Expected outcomes must be defined at the outset
What expenses are eligible under Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program)?
Activities that support Indigenous and coastal communities and/or organizations increasing their knowledge and information related to offshore wind development, including future government-, regulator-, or private sector-led consultation, engagement, and science-based efforts
Hiring external legal, professional, technical, or commercial services to provide information and share knowledge related to offshore wind development through meetings, workshops, and similar activities
Engaging a third party to facilitate and support engagement with governments, regulators, offshore wind developers, and experts in fields relevant to offshore wind development
Activities that support Indigenous and coastal communities’ ability to engage on and inform marine data collection activities related to potential future offshore wind development
Hosting community meetings or workshops, and facilitating the sharing, collection, and conservation of Indigenous and community knowledge related to areas where offshore wind development may occur
Who can I contact for more information about the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program)?
You can contact Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) by email at owpp-ppee@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.
Where is the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) available?
The Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) program is available the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia.
Is the Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant Funding – Call for Proposals (Offshore Wind Predevelopment Program) is a Grant and Funding