All across Canada, people and organizations inspire us 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.

This $1,000 grant will support project implementation in 2026, celebrating the role that nature plays in our Canadian identity.

You can read about previous winners here.

Call for Proposals — Open January 12, 2026

We invite individuals to submit proposals for their youth-led nature projects.

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

Application Requirements

Interested applicants should submit either:

• a two page essay or
• a short video (in English or French)

Your submission should outline your proposed project. 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

Successful recipient(s) may be matched with Women for Nature mentors selected according to the scope and location of the winning project.

The successful project winner(s) will also be asked to share their experience and results in a blog or video, which may be published by Nature Canada and shared widely through our website and additional media channels.

The Young Nature Leaders Grant Application Timeline

• Deadline: Submissions must be received no later than 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) on February 20, 2026.
• Results: All applicants will be notified of the Selection Committee’s decision by April 30, 2026.
• Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.

Nature Canada is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds in order to reflect the broadest range of expertise, perspectives, cultures, and lived experiences in our collective work.

Eligibility

This Young Nature Leadership grant is administered by Nature Canada. Nature Canada employees, children, or relatives of employees are not eligible for this grant.