Apply to the PEI Climate Challenge Fund

The 2025/2026 intake for the Climate Challenge Fund has now closed.

For detailed information about the PEI Climate Challenge Fund and the application process, download the PEI Climate Challenge Fund Guidelines and Criteria. Please feel free to send any further questions you may have to: ClimateChallenge@gov.pe.ca. The 2025-26 Climate Challenge Fund will support projects that will start in April 2025 and that will finish before March 31, 2027. 

What is the Climate Challenge Fund (CC Fund)?

In 2020, the Government of Prince Edward Island established an annual Climate Challenge Fund (CC Fund). The CC Fund is intended to support developing innovative solutions to the threat of climate change.

The goal of the CC Fund is to empower people of different backgrounds, experiences, and expertise, who work across sectors and in different communities throughout the Island, to contribute to climate action in PEI. Projects supported by the CC Fund will contribute to climate action by adapting to the projected impacts of climate change, and/or reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing opportunities for sequestration. (the removal and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere). 

The primary objectives of the CC Fund are to support projects that: 

• foster the increased participation of Island-based companies, researchers, communities and/or community-based organizations in climate action;
• generate new knowledge and ideas with the strong potential to strengthen the Island response to climate impacts and/or strengthen or influence provincial public policy;  
• maximize the number of people across the Island reached by the projects funded by this program; and 
• eliminate systemic barriers to climate action.

Who can apply to the Climate Challenge Fund?

The CC Fund will accept applications from: First Nations, Municipalities, Businesses, Academic Institutions, Organizations representing culturally diverse communities, and Not-For-Profit organizations doing projects in Prince Edward Island. Applicants will only be considered for one project per intake.

CC Fund contributions will be limited to a maximum of $100,000 per project.

What kind of projects are eligible for funding?

The CC Fund will support projects that align with the goals and objectives of the 2040 Net Zero Framework and the Building Resilience: Climate Adaptation Plan. 

Proponents should be able to demonstrate how their project addresses a need or gap in current services or programs in their community(ies) related to climate action in PEI.

All projects approved for 2025-26 funds must be completed by March 31, 2027.

The CC Fund will consider any project that:

• Increase resilience through adaptation to a changing climate;
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
• Increase opportunities for carbon sequestration (i.e. the removal and storage of carbon from the atmosphere) and storage of carbon on land or in aquatic ecosystems (i.e., blue  carbon);
• Improve our understanding of climate change impacts, opportunities or solutions, including research and data collection; 
• Promote public education, awareness, training or professional development related to climate change; 
• Seek to actively redress inequities and discrimination intensified by the negative impacts of climate change or that may remove an unfair barrier to mitigation efforts; and/or
• Demonstrate an innovative or novel solution to address a challenge(s) associated with climate change.

Priority areas of focus for 2025-26 delivery of the CCF include emphasis on the following:

Mitigation/Net Zero:

• Clean transition of aquaculture and fisheries;
• Engagement, outreach, and climate literacy on the themes of climate and energy; and
• Research and analysis related to zero emission vehicle fleet conversion.

Adaptation:

• Building community resilience to extreme heat (Action 17) or storm preparedness (Action 1), including emphasis on low-income and rental housing (Action 9);
• Adaptation in climate-sensitive industries (Action 13), including:
  • on-farm climate action assessments or adoption of climate smart agricultural practices;
  • commodity-specific climate action planning;
  • climate adaptation approaches in the fisheries/aquaculture sector; and
  • tourism sector climate risk assessments
• Understanding the effectiveness of nature-based solutions (Action 22);
• Children- and youth-focused climate action initiatives (Action 26).

A full list of the eligible and ineligible expenditures are listed in the PEI Climate Challenge Fund Guidelines and Criteria 

The Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to recognizing, respecting and safeguarding the rights of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities and the need to address social and racial equity as a fundamental response to climate change. Priority will be given to initiatives that actively redress inequities and discrimination intensified by the negative impacts of climate change or that may remove an unfair barrier to climate action. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ability, geographic location, income level, education level, first language, marital status, immigration status or other populations who will be disproportionately experience the negative impacts of climate change and face barriers to climate action.

Applicants will categorize their project as mitigation or adaptation to ensure funding is equally distributed.  Some projects may be described as low-carbon resilience projects (projects that result in GHG reductions or sequestration and build climate change resilience).  In this case, applicants can choose to categorize their project as a low-carbon resilience project.

What types of projects were funded in previous years?

To date, the Climate Challenge Fund program has provided support for 78 different projects from organizations from across the province, including First Nations, Municipalities, Not-For-Profit organizations, Businesses, and Academic Institutions. 

Visit Climate Challenge Fund Projects to see a list of the projects that previously received funding.

When do I need to submit my application?

Complete applications must be received by 11:59 p.m.(AST) on December 2, 2024.

How long will it take to fill out this application form?

The length of time it takes to complete the online form will depend on the information you have about your project.  The information required for the application is listed below.  It is recommended that this information is gathered before you begin the application.  The PEI Climate Challenge Fund Guidelines and Criteria describe the information that is required for an application.

What information will I need to include in my application?

You will be asked to include the following information in your application:

• Organization name, type, and registration number (for businesses and not-for-profit organizations), and primary contact information;
• A name (Title) for your project and a clear description of the proposed project (100 words);
• Additional information is needed if your project is site specific or if the project involves a building structure;
• A description of the main project tasks or phases, how the work will be completed, the project team members and organizations involved, and a description of the goals or final outcome of the work; 
• Identify the pillars and themes of the 2040 Net Zero Framework and/or the Building Resilience: Climate Adaptation Plan that your project aligns with and briefly explain. (max. 100 words per objective);
• A description of how the project fills a need or gap in current programs and services, and the potential consequences of inaction (max. 200 words);
• A description of the lasting value and impacts from the project (max. 200 words);
• A description on the communications plan for your project, and how your project will influence others to take climate action, or contribute to building capacity or learning opportunities (max. 200 words);
• A description of how your project addresses inequities and discrimination intensified by the negative impacts of climate change and/or how the project may remove unfair barriers to climate action (max. 200 words);
• A description of how the project will involve the people or communities it intends to support (max. 200 words);
• Demonstration of support from the people or communities the project intends to support, or from partners or participants;
• Organization information (mandate, past work experience, project team etc.) to demonstrate the organization’s capacity to complete the proposed project (max. 200 words);
• Estimated project timeline and tasks/phases (complete the CC Fund Timeline and Budget Worksheet);
• Project Budget (eligible and ineligible costs) and information on other sources of funding (complete the CC Fund Timeline and Budget Worksheet);

What is the Climate Challenge Fund Timeline and Budget Worksheet?

Your project timeline and budget information should be submitted on the Climate Challenge Fund Timeline and Budget Worksheet, which is available for you to download in .xlsx and .xls formats.  The worksheet will need to be completed in advance and uploaded as part of your online application.  

• Climate Challenge Fund Timeline and Budget Worksheet (xlsx format) 
• Climate Challenge Fund Timeline and Budget Worksheet (xls format)

Who will review my application?

A Climate Challenge Working Group (CCWG) has been established to evaluate proposals and make recommendations to the Minister on the fund recipients. Members of the CCWG will include staff from the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action. Staff from other government departments and/or members of external organizations may be consulted in the evaluation process on applications relevant to their area of experience and/or expertise. The CCWG will review all applications in accordance with the criteria that are set out in the PEI Climate Challenge Fund Guidelines and Criteria.    

How will project applications be evaluated?

Each project application will be weighted based on the evaluation criteria. The following is a breakdown of the relative weighting across evaluation criteria for proposals:

• Project information (determines eligibility for the Climate Challenge Fund);
• Project objectives (40%);
• Collaboration, community engagement and equity (40%);
• Organization capacity and experience (10%);
• Project timeline and budget (10%) 

For a detailed breakdown of the criteria of each of the above stated outcomes, please see the PEI Climate Challenge Fund Guidelines and Criteria.  

Who do I contact for more information?

Additional information about the PEI Climate Challenge Fund can be found in the PEI Climate Challenge Fund Guidelines and Criteria.  

You can also email questions to ClimateChallenge@gov.pe.ca