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Founded by TD Bank Group in 1990, the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) is a national charity that funds environmental projects across Canada.
The information below will help you better understand our approach to grant making and our process. We recommend that you read this entire page prior to submitting an application. If you are looking for information on our Leadership Program, please visit our TD FEF Leadership Program page.
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FEF Grant Overview
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Common Questions
Eligibility criteria
Organizations eligible to receive funding:
- Registered Canadian charities with a Charitable Registration Number (CRN)
- Educational institutions (primary/secondary/post-secondary)
- Municipalities
- Aboriginal groups
Projects eligible to receive funding:
The Foundation supports a wide range of environmental initiatives, with a primary focus on environmental education and green space programs.
Eligible projects include schoolyard greening, park revitalization, community gardens, park programming and citizen science initiatives. For a full list, please see the Common Questions.
Expenses that we do NOT fund
Internal or external salaries or other people-costs where they make up more than 75% of the amount requested (includes web design, graphic design, writers, translation, labour, etc.,)
- Capital costs or infrastructure (sheds, gazebos, solar panels etc.)
- Administrative or operating expenses
- Landscaping/beautification
- Ornamental structures
- Conferences
- Land acquisition
- Expenses related to advocacy activities
- Projects occurring on private land
- Scholarships, grants or bursaries
- Awards and prizes
- Playground equipment
- Mileage, accommodation, meal costs or other travel expenses
- Expenses incurred prior to the application date
- Advertising expenses (print media, radio, online, etc.)
- Postage and shipping costs
- Venue or equipment rentals
- Projects taking place outside of Canada
- Research projects
Submit your application for funding prior to the start of your project
When planning your project, please keep in mind that TD FEF has set deadlines and response times throughout the year. To ensure timely review of your application, please refer to the following schedule:
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Winter submission
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Summer submission
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Submission deadline |
January 15, 2019
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July 15, 2019
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Regional advisory board meeting |
March 2019
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September 2019
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Applicants notified |
April 2019
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October 2019
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Apply online
All grant applications must be submitted online.
Once successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement.
Applicants must attach a budget to their application form. Download a budget template and submit along with your application.
New for 2019!
We now have an application form that is specific to school projects. If you are an
elementary or secondary school (or equivalent), please apply below. Download a budget template and submit along with your application.
General Questions
TD FEF cannot provide funding for projects already underway. Submit your application for funding prior to the start of your project, taking into account when Regional Advisory Boards meet.
When planning for your project, please keep in mind that TD FEF has set deadlines and response times throughout the year.
To ensure the timely review of your application, please refer to the following schedule:
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|
Winter submission
|
Summer submission
|
|---|---|---|
Submission deadline |
January 15, 2019
|
July 15, 2019
|
Regional advisory board meeting |
March 2019
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September 2019
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Applicants notified |
April 2019
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October 2019
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Funding requests are needs based, and there is no set minimum or maximum amount for which you can apply. However, the majority of TD FEF grants are between $2,000 and $8,000.
We do not provide funding to individuals outside of the TD FEF Leadership Program. Please click here for more information.
TD FEF makes grants to eligible organizations directly rather than through individual fundraising activities. Therefore, we are unable to fund your effort.
TD FEF can only fund projects taking place in Canada.
All applications for funding are reviewed by one of six Regional Advisory Boards. These volunteer boards are made up of TD employees and environmental leaders from communities across the region.
When you submit a request you will receive an automatic email confirmation that we have received your application.
Applications for funding are reviewed two times per year. Please refer to the schedule for 2019 below to learn when organizations will be notified.
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Winter submission
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Summer submission
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|---|---|---|
Submission deadline |
January 15, 2019
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July 15, 2019
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Regional advisory board meeting |
March 2019
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September 2019
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Applicants notified |
April 2019
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October 2019
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We only accept applications that are submitted electronically. Please save a copy for your own records.
Application criteria for specific projects
TD FEF has specific application criteria for the following projects:
Community Garden projects need to contain a focus on at least one environmental issue in order to be eligible for funding. The application also needs to address the following questions:
- How is your organization addressing an environmental issue?
- Who is engaged in the project (local schools, Aboriginal groups, seniors, families, general community etc.)?
- Is there an educational or workshop component?
- Will the garden be accessible to people with disabilities or limited mobility?
- How will you engage the community?
- If associated with a school, how will the garden be maintained over the summer months? What is the maintenance plan?
- For new gardens, does your organization have permission to use the land?
- If planting vegetables, how will the crops be used?
Environmental Education projects should contain a focus on local environmental issues and identify why it is important to educate the public. For school projects, the project should focus on information that is appropriate to the target audience combined with a ‘hands-on’ educational component or workshop. In the application please address the following questions:
- For school projects, are there curriculum ties? If so, in what subjects?
- If the applicant is an environmental organization presenting to the school, have schools approached you requesting the program, or will you be initiating a new relationship?
- How does the education initiative support the teachers involved (if applicable)?
- What are the goals of the educational program? Is there any follow up with the participants following the activities?
- Is the education about environmental issues that are relevant to the local community? If it is focused on global or international issues, how is it being tied into the local environment?
- For community education projects, explain why it is relevant to the community
Outdoor classroom projects should address the benefits of having one for the school and how the entire school and possibly the community will use this space to take part in environmental learning. Applicants should address the following questions:
- How is the school and/or community involved with building the outdoor classroom? Will there be a dedicated space for learning activities?
- Has the applicant received permission from the school board?
- What courses/workshops will the outdoor classroom host? How will teachers be encouraged to use the space?
- Will there be a planting component to the outdoor classroom? If so, how will the plantings be maintained over the summer months?
- How will the outdoor classroom be shared with the community?
For tree planting and greening projects, there should be a focus on engaging the community as volunteers and on planting native species. Applicants should address the following questions:
- Where is the planting taking place? Why is the project needed at this point?
- Who is involved in planning the project and in carrying out the planting?
- How will the organization engage the community?
- Please provide a plant list in your application detailing what native or non-native plants will be used and why (e.g., increase pollinators, provide shade, etc.)
- Who owns and/or manages the property? Has the organization obtained permission to plant?
- How will the site/trees be maintained?
Applications for recycling and composting programs should include information about how the organization is going to encourage recycling/composting in a school and/or community. Emphasis should be on the program outreach and on how the organization will measure effectiveness. The application should also address the following questions:
- How will the organization educate the public about recycling/composting?
- How does the organization plan on encouraging recycling/composting?
- If the installation of recycling/compost bins is part of the project, what is the maintenance plan? Will the organization hire a service for disposing of the materials? How will you maintain funding for the program?
- If composting, how will the compost be used?
Applications for natural playgrounds should ensure elements requested are made of natural materials, such as rocks, logs, and sand. Applicants should address the following questions:
- If at a school, will there be any organized teacher training or professional development regarding natural playgrounds?
- Has there been any design work completed by a landscape architect or similar? Are the various elements integrated into one cohesive design?
- Was there any consultation with staff and/or students? Are there opportunities for student involvement in the project beyond use of the area as a play space?
- Is there a plan to measure or evaluate the use of the space?
For over 25 years, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation has worked to help protect the environment and green communities across Canada. By
TD Friends of the Environment Foundation – BN/Registration Number: 133702845RR0001