The application period for projects commencing in 2022-2023 is now open. It will close on January 25, 2022.

The  Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR) provides funding to support projects that increase the capacity of Indigenous organizations and communities to take part in the recovery of species at risk and in the protection of their habitat, and in preventing other species from becoming a conservation concern.

You will be required to complete the AFSAR online application form via the Grants and Contributions Enterprise Management System (GCEMS). See the GCEMS website to register an account and for more instructions to submit an AFSAR application.

If you want to submit a project proposal, submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to obtain feedback and to ensure your proposal aligns with program priorities and expected results for 2022-2023.

Please use the EOI template and submit your EOI to [email protected] by January 10, 2022. Early submissions are encouraged. It is recommended that you begin the registration and application process early in GCEMS after having discussed your project or received feedback on your EOI to ensure you are able to submit your application before the deadline.

For this call for proposals, projects can be up to three years, and there are no regional priorities identified for this year as in previous years. Your project must include at least one Schedule 1, Species at Risk Act (SARA)-listed species, and/or a species that has been assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as endangered, threatened, or of special concern but not yet been listed on Schedule 1 of SARA. Environment and Climate Change Canada will aim to have AFSAR funding decisions available by Summer 2022.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is responsible for administering the aquatic AFSAR program. Applicants wishing to pursue new aquatic AFSAR projects should contact the appropriate DFO regional coordinator directly.

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the recovery of species at risk and in preventing other species from becoming a conservation concern.