At present, we are a grant-making foundation, not an operating foundation. As a grant-making foundation, we do not just give money away, we invest it, and we carefully monitor our investments to ensure they meet our return expectations.

In the past 8 years we have invested in more than 60 distinct groups in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $1,000,000 per grant. We fund long term projects with some large and established environmental groups, but we also like making many short-term grants to small community groups. We only fund qualified donees as outlined by our charitable rules and regulations (see CRA guidelines).

We invest in four broad areas that help fulfil our mission:

1. Land, Water and Ocean Conservation. We support establishment of parks and reserves where natural ecosystems can be maintained as closely as possible. This includes support to land and ocean conservation organizations. Protecting lands and seas from human interference is the purest form of nature conservation and environmental protection. But we accept the need for large areas to be used for human activities provided it minimizes long-term effects on biodiversity and the environment.
2. Scientific Research into Environmental Issues. We support scientific research into environmental issues and endangered species. Good action should be supported by good science. Better and more cost-effective environmental protection is better informed by science-based decisions. We provide funding to academic, governmental and non-governmental organizations doing research into topical issues concerning nature and the environment.
3. Public Engagement. We support education on the importance of protecting nature and the environment. We support programs that teach the connection between healthy ecosystems and healthy humans. We support teaching people who have only known urban environments to love and protect nature - if humans have never experienced the glory and importance of nature, how can they nurture it? And we support programs that let humans rejoice in nature’s beauty and diversity. The more that people love nature, the better it will be protected.
4. Public Policy. We support enlightened governmental policy that serves protection of the environment and preservation of biodiversity. Public dialogue and advocacy is important in achieving these big goals and we support debate and policy development to that end.

We also hope that the Sitka Foundation will be a model for other people and groups interested in taking direct and immediate action to tackle current issues affecting nature and the environment. We see global warming, ocean acidification, species extinction, excessive non-renewable resource consumption, unsustainable economic growth, population growth and irreversible soil and groundwater loss (to name a few) as major issues confronting human society. More funding, more effort and more voices need to take action to reverse the most drastic damage being done to our earth, to make it more livable and sustainable for all future generations – humans and all other species on our planet.

Process:

The Sitka Foundation only grants to qualified Canadian donees. To begin the application process, please use this form. After a follow-up conversation by phone or in person, applicants may receive an invitation to complete an application form which will be sent to them electronically. Please note that an invitation to apply does not guarantee funding. Please do not submit a full proposal without contacting the Sitka Foundation for a preliminary conversation.

Timing:

The Sitka Foundation reviews all complete and qualified applications on an ongoing basis with approximately four grant review meetings taking place per year. Due to calendar fluctuations a specific date cannot be provided to applicants. The Sitka Foundation does not have a large staff and appreciates your patience and understanding around our process.

Themes:

Successful applications have highlighted high needs, clear objectives, thoughtful planning, and passionate implementation that further environmental conservation in Canada. It is also important that applicants outline how they will evaluate and report on the success of their initiative or project. Collaborative projects and those demonstrating sustainability of funding are encouraged. Please refer to our philosophy to ensure your organization fits in our mandate.

Budget and Multi-Year Requests

Please discuss these topics during your initial conversation with the Sitka Foundation. Multi-year grants are funded at the invitation of the Sitka Foundation after a successful one year grant cycle. At all times they will be considered equally with one-year grants. Likewise, we recognize that budgets vary greatly according to scope and size of the applicant. The Sitka Foundation expects that applicants will tailor their requests as most appropriate to the size and needs of their organization.

Requests That Will Not Be Funded:

Requests that generally will not be funded could be for:

• general fundraising campaigns
• significant administrative, capital or operating costs
• endowment funding
• funding of scholarships or fellowships
• political activities
• emergency needs or for a deficit
• purposes other than those listed under the Sitka Foundation’s mandate
• organizations who do not have a Canada Revenue Agency registered charitable number and individuals

The Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis, is an iconic tree to the West Coast of North America and the fourth largest tree species in the world. The tallest tree in Canada is a Sitka spruce in Carmanah Forest on Vancouver Island. This gigantic tree's bioregion stretches from northern California to Alaska. Mostly recognized for growing to be the tallest and largest spruce, the Sitka has also been an icon in historical and popular culture. It has played a spiritual role, as seen in the mythical Golden spruce of Haida Gwaii and in indigenous culture, but is also a very useful tree in the timber industry. Prized for its strength and straight, often flawless grain, the Sitka has been used in shipbuilding industries and early aeroplane construction and is also a prized wood for musical instruments. The Sitka spruce is also the star character of the children's book, Maxine's Tree, by Diane Carmel Léger. The Sitka spruce was chosen as the symbol and namesake of the Sitka Foundation because of its beauty, its dominance in the rainforest and coastal forests, and its iconic status as a natural symbol to be revered. It has also been extensively logged and exists in a small fraction of the territory it once inhabited. It is an important symbol to many in the Pacific Northwest.

Just as environmental projects that succeed, take root, and spread across the land in the form of community engagement, so the Sitka spruce has been transplanted across the world from its native region to areas such as Denmark, Norway, Great Britain and New Zealand. It is hoped that the ideas, mission, projects and partnerships of the Sitka Foundation also spread from community to community.

The second part of Sitka's logo is a roughly painted circle which can be interpreted as an encapsulation of the earth and a realization of the circularity of life.