Deadline: February 20, 2026
Applications are open for the Young Nature Leaders Grant 2026. Women for Nature have established a grant/bursary for a young person to develop and implement a project to celebrate the role that nature plays in our Canadian culture and identity.
All across Canada, people and organizations inspire through their leadership and devotion to the natural world. They commit their time and energy not for recognition but for impact. They choose to protect, engage, and advocate on behalf of nature, acting as a strong voice for young people’s futures.
Women for Nature are leaders who care deeply about nature and want to inspire others to make a difference. In particular, they want to encourage, foster and nurture youth (under 30) to demonstrate their leadership for nature. To that end, the Young Nature Leaders grant/bursary has been established for a young person (under 30) to develop and implement a youth-led, community-based project centered around nature and sustainability in Canada.
Grant
- The $1,000 grant will support project implementation in 2026, celebrating the role that nature plays in the Canadian identity.
Eligibility
- They invite individuals to submit proposals for their youth-led nature projects.
- This Young Nature Leadership grant is administered by Nature Canada. Nature Canada employees, children, or relatives of employees are not eligible for this grant.
Special consideration in 2026 will be given to projects focused on:
- Oceans and marine conservation
- Ecological restoration
- Protected areas and habitat stewardship
- Indigenous-led conservation initiatives
- Work that can be supported by our Women for Nature network who can offer volunteer time or promotional support
- Projects that can be filmed, for social media use, shared with Nature Canada and any other project corporate sponsors
Selection Criteria
Project ideas will be evaluated by a volunteer Grant Selection Committee based on the following criteria:
- Potential impact and benefits of the project
- Public engagement and reach
- Possible involvement of Women for Nature members
- Creativity and clarity of the proposed project
- Effective use of the grant
- Engagement of underrepresented and diverse communities
- Must occur within Canada and adhere to CRA spending guidelines for charities
- Only one submission per applicant
Application
Interested applicants should submit either:
- a two page essay or
- a short video (in English or French)
For more information, visit Young Nature Leaders Grant.
