2026 Biodiversity Fund Eligibility & Application Process

The Biodiversity Fund supports projects that preserve and restore habitats, assist vulnerable species and ecosystems, plan for environmental change, and promote research and education in the Duluth-Superior region.

The fund aims to protect the region's biodiversity through conservation, preservation, and restoration of natural resources for the benefit of future generations.

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Grant Size & Duration

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The Biodiversity Fund is designed to support both small, targeted efforts and larger, multi-year initiatives that protect and strengthen biodiversity in our region.

• Small Grants:
  Awards may support one-year projects ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 for focused activities such as pilot projects, planning efforts, community engagement, research, or early-stage restoration work.

• Large & Multi-Year Grants (NEW THIS YEAR):
  The Fund may also support larger initiatives of up to $50,000 per year for up to three years, for projects that require sustained investment to achieve meaningful, long-term impact. ‍
  
  • Multi-year requests should demonstrate:
    
    • A clear long-term vision with defined milestones that allow progress to be assessed prior to subsequent years of funding each year
    • How the work will scale, adapt, or deepen impact over time
    • Strong partnerships, stewardship plans, or systems-level outcomes
    • A plan for sustainability beyond the grant period

2026 Biodiversity Grant – Timeline  

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February 9 | Letter of Intent (LOI) open

March 9 at 5 PM | LOI close

‍March 30 | LOI notifications sent - Invitations to apply extended

April 27 at 5 PM | Applications close

‍June 17 | Approval by Boreal Waters Board of Trustees

‍June 18 | Notifications to applicants  

June 25 | Payments issued

July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 | Grant period (maybe up to 3 years)

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What We Mean by Biodiversity

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Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, encompassing the diversity of genes, species, and ecosystems and the complex relationships that sustain them. Biodiversity underpins ecosystem stability, climate resilience, and human well-being by providing essential services such as clean air and water, natural food systems, nature-derived medicines, and climate adaptation and regulation.

This grant recognizes that healthy natural ecosystems and sustainable native plant and animal communities are deeply interconnected — environmental degradation often exacerbates social inequities and instability of communities of habitats and ecosystems. Community-led solutions strengthen ecological outcomes.

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Biodiversity Fund Priorities

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Funded projects should demonstrate strength in several of the following areas. Not every project must address all principles, but competitive proposals will show clear alignment across multiple dimensions.

1. Upstream & Preventative Focus

• Projects address root causes rather than symptoms.

• Prioritize prevention, restoration, and long-term solutions

• Reduce risk and vulnerability for people, species, and ecosystems

• Anticipate environmental and social change rather than reacting after harm occurs

2. Collaboration & Community Voice

• Projects are grounded in authentic partnership.

• Build cross-sector collaboration (e.g., nonprofits, Tribal Nations, schools, governments, researchers, community groups)

• Center the expertise and leadership of people with lived experience, including Indigenous knowledge and local ecological expertise

• Share power in design, decision-making, and implementation

3. Equity-Centered Impact

• Projects advance equity for both people and place.

• Prioritize historically marginalized communities and/or vulnerable species and ecosystems

• Focus resources, decision-making power, or stewardship closer to impacted communities

• Recognize how environmental harm and social inequity intersect

4. Systems, Policy & Practice Change

• Projects have transferability and relevance beyond a single site or program.

• Improve institutional practices, policies, land-use decisions, or resource flows

• Strengthen community-level systems related to housing, food security, climate adaptation, education, or conservation

• Demonstrate potential for replication, scaling, or broader adoption

5. Sustainability & Capacity Building

• Projects plan for impact that lasts beyond the grant period.

• Strengthen organizational, community, or ecosystem capacity

• Build skills, infrastructure, stewardship, or long-term management plans

• Promote ongoing care, monitoring, or adaptive management of natural systems

6. Evidence of Change & Learning

• Projects contribute to shared learning and understanding.

• Use data, research, community knowledge, or storytelling to demonstrate impact

• Measure ecological, social, or systems-level outcomes

• Share lessons learned to inform future equity-, resilience-, and biodiversity-focused work

Eligible Biodiversity Activities (Examples)

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Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Habitat preservation, restoration, or protection

• Support for vulnerable species or ecosystems

• Community-based environmental research and initiating

• Environmental education rooted in local, native ecosystems

• Planning and adaptation efforts addressing climate and environmental change

Letter of Intent (LOI) Questions

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‍1. Organization & Connection to Place

Briefly describe your organization and its mission. What is your connection to the land, water, species, or ecosystems you work with? Who are the primary communities or partners involved in this work?

2. Project Overview

What biodiversity-related project or initiative are you seeking funding for?
Please include the project’s goals, location (geography or ecosystem), and the timeframe for the proposed work.

3. Funding Request

How much funding are you requesting, and for how many years (up to three)?
If requesting multi-year support, briefly note how the scope or focus of the work may evolve over time. A detailed budget is not required at this stage.

4. Ecological & Community Impact (High-Level)

Describe the difference this project would make for biodiversity and/or ecosystem health, and how it may also benefit people or communities. Who or what will benefit (species, habitats, communities), and where will this impact occur?

5. Biodiversity Fund Alignment
Boreal Waters prioritizes biodiversity projects that contribute to lasting ecological and community change. Please describe how your project aligns with the Biodiversity Fund.

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Eligibility

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We welcome applications from a range of nonprofit organizations, including:

• Established nonprofits with a proven track record and infrastructure to deliver impact

• Smaller or emerging organizations, especially those rooted in and led by the communities they serve

• Collaborative efforts or fiscal sponsorships involving community-based groups

We recognize that organizations vary in size and structure. We are especially interested in supporting:

• Organizations led by or serving historically marginalized communities

• Community groups with deep local ties, even if they are newer or less formally resourced

• Efforts that demonstrate strong potential for impact, sustainability, or community ownership, regardless of size

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization must meet both of the following criteria:

1. IRS Classification

The organization must be classified by the IRS as one of the following:

• A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

• A Section 170(c)(1) public entity (e.g., governmental agencies, public schools)

• A Section 7871 Tribal government

• A church

• An organization with a fiscal sponsor that is classified under one of the above categories

‍2. Geographic Area

The organization must serve communities within the Boreal Waters Community Foundation’s service area.

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Questions?

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At this stage, we are not scheduling individual meetings,phone calls, or responding to project-specific email inquiries, as the LOI process is designed to serve that purpose. If clarification is needed during review, we will reach out directly.

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For assistance with the grant portal or technical submission issues only, please contact Senior Community Impact Associate Kursula Harris at kursula@borealwaters.org.