Community Wildfire Prevention Grants

As part of our Wawanesa Climate Champions commitment to help build more resilient communities, we are proud to partner with FireSmart™ Canada and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) to offer our Community Wildfire Prevention Grants.

This year, we are offering six grants of up to $40,000 each to help communities across Canada understand and reduce their risk of loss from wildfire.

Funding can help communities assess risks, plan and prioritize actions, build local capacity, engage and educate residents, address barriers to action, strengthen partnerships, and implement practical wildfire prevention and risk-reduction activities.

Submit your grant application by December 18, 2026 at 11 p.m. PT for consideration. We will announce grant recipients and award funding in March 2027.

Apply now for Wawanesa's Community Wildfire Prevention Grant.

Steps to apply

Letter of Support

To ensure your proposed project responds to a local wildfire risk and aligns with broader wildfire prevention efforts in your community, provide a signed Letter of Support from your local fire department or other authorizing organization.

Letter of Support template

Budget Template

Review the funding requirements and complete the Budget Template to demonstrate how the funds will be used and how each expense supports the proposed project.

Budget template

Application form

Once your documents are prepared, use the link below to fill out the application form and submit your grant funding request by the application deadline.

Apply now

Project eligibility and criteria

What activities can the grant be used for?

The grant funding is intended to foster a culture of wildfire prevention and risk-reduction action in your community by supporting projects that address local wildfire risks and help communities reduce potential wildfire impacts and losses.

Funding can support:

Assessment and planning

Understanding local wildfire risk, identifying priorities, and developing or updating a community wildfire resiliency plan or equivalent.

Prevention

Reducing the likelihood of wildfire, such as through education, engagement and behaviour change.

Mitigation

Reducing the potential impacts of wildfire, such as through fuel and vegetation management or property-level risk reduction.

Projects need to align to one of FireSmart Canada’s seven disciplines and demonstrate a clear need for funding.

Knowing your risks is a great place to begin:

A Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP), or an equivalent plan in your province or territory, can help your community understand its wildfire risks, identify priorities and determine where to take action. Grant funding can support both developing or updating a plan and implementing priority actions. For information on wildfire planning in your area, reach out to your provincial or territorial FireSmart Canada liaison or use the FireSmart Community Planning template as a guide.

New this year:

Grant funding may also be used for up to $20,000 in project-specific term support staff hired exclusively to help deliver the proposed project. Regular salaries, wages or other costs for individuals already on your organization’s payroll are not eligible.

Grant funding may also be used for up to $10,000 in incentives that help community members overcome barriers to taking wildfire risk-reduction actions.

TIP: Project delivery team members are encouraged to complete the free FireSmart 101 and FireSmart Ambassador training to build their understanding of wildfire risk reduction and support project delivery.

Funding cannot be used for an organization’s normal operations or for activities already funded through other partner programs.

The following are not eligible for funding through this program: equipment for wildfire response or suppression and prescribed or cultural burns. A detailed breakdown of eligible and ineligible expenses can be found in the downloadable Budget Template.

Who can apply?

Any of the following applicants may apply:

Fire Departments
Municipalities
Indigenous Communities
Non-Profit/Charitable Organizations
Home/Neighbourhood Associations

Who is not eligible?

A privately held for-profit company or corporation
Individual land/property owners requesting a grant for single dwelling or residential property prevention projects

Previous recipient communities may apply where the proposed project is distinct from previously funded work and demonstrates a clear next step in community wildfire risk reduction.

Applications from communities disproportionately affected by wildfire risk and impacts may be prioritized.

How will the grants be selected?

Application submissions will be evaluated by a committee of select Wawanesa employees and wildfire prevention subject matter experts from FireSmart^TM Canada and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR).

Applications will be assessed based on:

wildfire risk and community need;
how well the proposed project addresses identified local risks and barriers;
whether the project is feasible within the proposed timeframe and budget; and
potential to support continued wildfire risk reduction

When can project work begin?

Project activities must begin on or after April 1, 2027, and projects must be completed within 12 months.

Where can projects take place?

Projects submitted for grant funding must take place within Canada.

FAQ

How much grant money can I apply for?

Applicants can apply for up to $40,000 per project.

How many grants will be awarded?

Six grants of up to $40,000 each will be awarded, for a total of up to $240,000 in funding.

What does a strong application include?

Wildfire Risk and Community Need

Evidence or local knowledge of wildfire risk
Clear description of local wildfire hazards, risks and community context
Demonstrated need for funding, including consideration of community vulnerability and geographic risk

Risk Reduction and Action

Clear connection between the proposed project and identified local wildfire risks and needs
Activities that reduce wildfire risk at the individual and/or community level
A plan for ongoing action and long-term management of wildfire risk
Alignment with community wildfire and emergency plans or land-use planning

Community Engagement and Education

Understanding of local barriers to action
Inclusive approaches to outreach, education and engagement
Meaningful involvement of residents, local leaders and community partners

Community Leadership and Capacity

Support and commitment from community and local leaders
Demonstrated capacity to plan, coordinate and deliver the proposed project

Collaboration and Lasting Impact

Opportunities to build local knowledge, skills and capacity
Partnerships that leverage local strengths, resources and expertise
Potential for project benefits and activities to continue beyond the grant period

Budget and Financial Planning

Clear, detailed budget
Direct connection between proposed expenses and project activities
Demonstrated value and responsible use of funds

What must be included with my application?

Applications are considered complete when they include the following:

Letter of Support from your local fire department representative and/or fire chief, or other authorizing organization
Completed Budget Template
Completed application form

Who can provide my Letter of Support?

Your Letter of Support should be provided by your local fire department or another appropriate community authority. The letter helps confirm that your proposed project responds to a local wildfire risk and aligns with broader wildfire prevention efforts in your community.

How long does it take to complete an application?

Before completing the application, please ensure you have a clearly outlined project that will help reduce wildfire risk in your community. You must also attach a signed Letter of Support from your local fire department or other authorizing organization, as well as a completed Budget Template for your application to be considered complete.

The application should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Can I start my application form and save it or edit my application at a later date prior to submitting?

No. Once you begin the application form, please be prepared to submit it in its entirety.

You may want to draft your application responses offline before beginning the online application.

Do I need to have a Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) to apply?

No. A CWRP or equivalent wildfire plan is not required to apply, but applicants should have an understanding of their local wildfire risks. Grant funding can support developing or updating a plan, implementing priority risk-reduction activities, engaging and educating residents, addressing barriers to action, and strengthening local partnerships.

Can the grant pay for a wildfire hazard and risk assessment or community wildfire plan?

Yes. Eligible costs may include technical expertise, community engagement, relevant data gathering and mapping, risk assessment, planning and prioritization required to produce or update an actionable community wildfire plan.

Can I use the grant to hire someone to help deliver our project?

Yes. Grant funding may cover up to $20,000 for term support staff hired specifically to help deliver your wildfire prevention project, such as a trained summer student. Funding cannot be used to cover salaries or other costs for existing employees on your organization’s regular payroll.

Can grant funding be used for community incentives?

Yes. Up to $10,000 of grant funding may be used for community incentives that help community members overcome barriers to completing eligible wildfire risk-reduction activities. This may include rebates, subsidies or cost-sharing arrangements.

The applicant organization is responsible for administering, tracking and reporting the incentive program. If your project includes community incentives, you must complete the Community Incentives section of the Budget Template.

When are applications due?

The application period is open now. Submit your application by 11 p.m. PT on December 18, 2026.

When will grant recipients be announced?

Applicants selected to receive a grant will be contacted in March 2027.

What if I still have questions about my application or the application process?

Please contact communityimpact@wawanesa.com with any outstanding questions.

2026 Wildfire Grant Recipient Communities

Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, AB

Helping residents understand their wildfire risk and take action through education, home visits, neighbourhood engagement, tool-lending kits and community clean-up events.

District of Squamish, BC

Addressing barriers to action by completing wildfire mitigation at high-priority homes and creating local examples that help residents understand practical steps they can take to reduce risk around their properties.

Town of The Pas, MB

Bringing three neighbouring communities together to develop a coordinated wildfire plan, including risk assessment, fuel mapping, emergency response planning, and community outreach.

Rural Municipality of Big River No. 555, SK

Taking practical action to reduce wildfire risk through vegetation management around residential areas and important community assets, including public education events.

Tips from a previous Wildfire Grant project

Here are a few lessons that may help as you develop your project:

Listen to your community.
Understand what residents already know, what actions they are taking and what may be getting in the way of further action.

Identify local champions.
Find trusted community members who can build awareness and encourage others to get involved.

Build a network of support.
Engage local organizations, businesses and service providers that can help residents understand and take wildfire risk-reduction actions.

Know the risks.
Use a formal plan or leverage local knowledge and information to understand the greatest community wildfire hazards and risks.

Make action manageable.
Help residents understand the steps they can take now and over time to reduce wildfire risk, recognizing that progress can happen one step at a time.

Start where the risk is greatest.
Prioritize actions in higher-risk areas and apply lessons learned to inform and expand efforts across the community.

Build wildfire knowledge.
Educate yourself and your community on FireSmart best practices and how wildfire impacts communities – this can be done at no cost by completing the FireSmart 101 online course.

Firesmart, Intelli-feu and other associated Marks are trademarks of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Application submissions will be evaluated by a committee of select Wawanesa employees and a committee of wildfire prevention and mitigation subject matter experts from FireSmart™ Canada and ICLR. This Community Wildfire Prevention Grant program is subject to the Wildfire Prevention Grant program Terms & Conditions. By applying for a grant, all applicants are aware of and accept all of the Community Wildfire Prevention Grant program Terms & Conditions.