Ecosystems and Oceans Science Contribution Framework
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) provides funding for ocean and freshwater science and technology in areas that support the mission of the Department to increase our understanding of ocean and freshwater environments.
The Department provides funding to projects that deliver scientific research and related scientific activities that support evidence-based decision making and increase public understanding of marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Offered by Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Amount
Business and industry recipients: shall not exceed 50% of eligible costs per project (up to 75% for most other recipients, up to 100% for Indigenous organizations); 2025-26 call: $100,000 to $300,000 per project (EPRS), up to $500,000 over 3 years with a maximum of $200,000 per fiscal year (MEQ), $75,000 to $500,000 per project (MCT)
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
Eligible recipients are science organizations engaged in the management, conservation, protection and promotion of oceans and freshwater including:
- Canadian post-secondary academic institutions
- Canadian non-governmental organizations
- Indigenous groups or organizations
- Canadian provincial, territorial, and municipal governments
- businesses and industry, including associations
- community groups
- Canadian not-for-profit organizations
- foreign governments and international non-governmental organizations
- foreign academic institutions
- port authorities
DFO cannot participate in writing a proposal and may not be a collaborator or a project team member within a project proposal put forward for consideration. Under the Policy on Transfer Payments, the government may not receive any goods, services nor assets as a result of a Transfer Payment. If a proposal indicates that the proposed project generates specific scientific information needed by DFO, the proposal will not be accepted. Our involvement in a funded project is restricted to providing scientific knowledge unique to DFO, if needed by the organization, to meet the objectives of the project.
About the funding
Environmental Preparedness and Response Science (EPRS) – 1 year funding
Funding will be available for 1 year (i.e., fiscal year 2025 to 2026). The program will be considering proposals between $100,000 and $300,000 per project.
Marine Environmental Quality (MEQ) – 3 years funding
Funding will be available for 3 years (i.e., from fiscal year 2025 to 2026 to 2027 to 2028). The program will be considering projects up to $500,000 over 3 years with a maximum of $200,000 per fiscal year.
Show all funding details
Marine Conservation Target (MCT) – 1 year funding
Funding will be available for 1 year (i.e., for fiscal year 2025 to 2026 only). The program will be considering proposals between $75,000 and $500,000 per project.
DFO is able to provide financial assistance for the following groups:
- Indigenous organizations or groups may be up to 100% of eligible costs per project
- Canadian not-for-profit organizations and community groups with 4 or fewer permanent employees, including no employees (0), may be up to 100% of costs per project, otherwise DFO assistance shall not exceed 75% of eligible costs per project
- business and industry recipients, including business and industry associations, shall not exceed 50% of eligible costs per project
- all other recipients shall not exceed 75% of eligible costs per project
For business and industry recipients, including business and industry associations, the maximum level of total Canadian government assistance (i.e. federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) for the same eligible costs shall not exceed 50% of total eligible costs per project.
For all other recipients, including port authorities, the total Canadian government assistance (i.e. federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) for the same eligible costs per project can be up to 100%.
Payments to eligible recipients may be used to offset reasonable costs of projects under contribution agreements, including eligible costs for:
- Salaries, stipends, scholarships, wages, and similar payments
- Only salary costs incurred as a direct result of the project (i.e., incremental salary costs) are eligible for DFO funding. Regular employees may not be funded by DFO, as these salary costs would be paid to the employee whether the proposed project is funded or not and therefore are not incremental to the project. Such non-incremental salary costs may count as the applicant's own contribution (in kind) towards the project
- Mandatory employee benefits
- Professional fees
- Rental and/or purchase cost of motorized vehicles (cars, trucks, ATVs, snowmobiles, outboard motors), boats, and boat trailers ("Motorized vehicles")
- Note: Any request to purchase motor vehicles must clearly demonstrate both project need, as well as value-for-money for the Crown, when compared to a comparable rental arrangement. Rental of motor vehicles is the preferred project delivery method for such expenses, for projects other than those focused on building Indigenous scientific capacity
- Purchase costs of laboratory and field equipment and instruments, including hydrophones and similar monitoring equipment, but excluding Motorized vehicles
- Rental and maintenance costs of laboratory, field equipment and instruments
- Rental cost of space, such as laboratory, rooms, office space and facilities
- Travel and related costs (consistent with the National Joint Council's Travel Directive)
- Conference and symposia costs, including registration costs
- Publishing costs
- Communication costs
- Data management costs
- Costs of materials and supplies
- Other costs that directly support scientific research and related scientific activities, pre-approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada up to a maximum of 10% of total eligible costs
- The organization should be able to clearly demonstrate how such costs directly support scientific or related science activities and that the cost does not fit into any other eligible cost category
- DFO may reimburse administrative support costs up to 15% of all eligible costs reimbursed by DFO. The total DFO contribution amount is inclusive of this administrative support. For example, if DFO is contributing $100k towards the eligible costs of the project (before overhead costs); the maximum that DFO will reimburse for overhead is $15k
Additional costs eligible only to Indigenous organizations or groups:
- Ceremonial costs, including any ceremonial offerings, gifts and/or feasts
- Honoraria for, but not limited to:
- Elders, and/or
- Indigenous knowledge holders in recognition of providing Indigenous knowledge or community knowledge relevant to the initiative
Similar programs
| Program | Type | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program: Access to Capital | Grant | Individual Indigenous entrepreneurs may receive up to $99,999 in funding assistance and eligible Indigenous community businesses may receive up to $250,000 (non-repayable equity contribution | Open |
| AgriScience Program – Projects | Grant, In-Kind Support | Up to $5 million per project and $10 million per applicant over the program's duration (2023 to 2028) | Open |
| Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program | Grant | Non-repayable contributions of up to 70% of eligible project costs (up to 85% for young producers), limited to each producer's maximum funding amount based on their share of provincial quota/production | Open |
