Call for Applications: ACA Research Grants (Canada)

The ACA Grants Program aims to aid Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) in the delivery of its mission. Grants made to partners are intended to enhance and supplement ACA activities.

ACA Research Grants fund high-quality research projects on wildlife, fish and habitat which inform the effective management of wildlife, and fish populations, and their habitat in Alberta.

Funding Priorities

• All applicants to the ACA Research Grants should be aware that this grant is fully funded by the hunters and anglers of Alberta. All proposals should be able to demonstrate how the proposed project will aid ACA in meeting its mission of conserving, protecting, and enhancing wildlife, fish, and habitat for all Albertans to enjoy, value, and use. To help direct potential applicants the following list of priority areas has been developed. While the ACA Research Grants will accept applications that do not relate to these suggested areas, projects that address one or more of these priority areas will have a higher probability of being funded than those that do not:
  • Research activities specifically listed on provincial recovery plans for Alberta’s Endangered species (to be done in cooperation with recovery teams).
  • Evaluate the impacts of non-native species on the persistence of native species.
  • Develop and validate inventory tools to determine the relative density and range of wildlife and fish species using innovative detection technologies (e.g., DNA/eDNA, camera traps, and drones).
  • Evaluate the effect of agricultural runoff, pesticides, herbicides, or pharmaceuticals on fish or wildlife species’ food availability and/or quality in agricultural landscapes.
  • Evaluate the effect of recreational access (mode, timing, and duration) on wildlife and fish populations, and habitat.
  • Investigate methods to reduce the spread and/or impact of wildlife or fish-related diseases.
  • Evaluate the impact of various harvest management regimes on fish or wildlife genetics or demography (e.g., fish size limits, and three-point or larger elk requirements).
  • Support social science studies of hunting and angling related to demography, attitudes, norms, and practices.
  • Evaluate the effect of biological solutions of carbon sequestration on grasslands and treed lands.
  • Evaluate approaches for improving the abundance of pollinators in agricultural landscapes.
  • Work toward clarifying status of formally designated data deficient species.
  • Demonstrate the efficacy of alternative wetland restoration and mitigation techniques.

Project Duration

• Project activities for 2025-26 grants, must take place between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026.

Eligible Activities

• ACA Research Grants are available for:
  • Research projects that meet and further the ACA mission:
    • ACA conserves, protects and enhances fish and wildlife populations and their habitats for Albertans to enjoy, value, and use.
  • Projects that contribute to the priorities as outlined in Funding Priorities 2025-26.
  • Priority is given to projects that demonstrate a “self-help” attitude, i.e., partner contributions, matched funding dollars, and public involvement.
  • Research projects that clearly meet ACA funding criteria and demonstrate initiatives that have a wider relevance and further the practice of conservation.

Ineligible Activities

• ACA Research Grants are not available for:
  • Projects outside of Alberta.
  • ACA and Federal and Provincial Government employee projects.
  • Grants are not normally offered towards profit-making activities.
  • Overhead costs.
  • Emergency funds or deficit financing.
  • Travel to conferences and seminars, unless part of a larger project supported by ACA.
  • General fundraising.

Eligibility Criteria

• Anyone qualified to conduct high-quality research (with the appropriate insurance) can apply if they have a suitable research project, with the exception of Federal or Provincial Government employees and ACA staff. Graduate student and post-doc projects must be submitted by the project supervisor (i.e., faculty member). A graduate student can, however, apply directly to the ACA Grants in Biodiversity; this is often a better option for graduate student projects, due to the level of competition in the ACA Research Grants. You cannot apply with the same project to both the ACA Research Grants and ACA Grants in Biodiversity.

Ineligibility Criteria

• ACA does not fund applications where the federal or provincial government employee is the principal investigator/researcher (Principal Investigator is considered the lead on a project) or the Principal Investigator/researcher is a federal or provincial ministry. Federal or provincial government employees may be part of the project but must not be responsible for the majority of the project. If your primary position is with the federal or provincial government, you cannot apply from another organization.

For more information, visit Alberta Conservation Association.