A.P.E. Fund — Frequently Asked Questions

The A.P.E. Fund supports community-led projects that are designed and implemented through the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s Roots & Shoots program.

A.P.E. stands for Animals, People, and the Environment — and the projects that receive funding should demonstrate how they benefit at least one, and ideally all three, of these categories.

Applications open September 7th, 2026 and close October 5th, 2026.

Applications must be submitted by 9:59PM ET (local time) on October 5th, 2026. Late applications cannot be accepted.

Eligible applicants include organizations such as:

• Schools
• Registered charities
• Non-profit organizations
• Indigenous communities or organizations
• Municipalities
• Other incorporated community organizations

Applicants must indicate if they are a Qualified Donee or Non-Qualified Donee and provide your Charitable Status Number in the application. For additional information about QDs and NQDs, please review the Canada Revenue Agency website.

Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible to apply directly.

If you are an individual or informal community group, you may wish to partner with an eligible organization that can submit the application on your behalf.

Funding amounts are available at $500 and $1,000. Applicants should select the funding amount that best matches the scope, scale, and needs of their project.

$500 grants are intended for smaller-scale activities — such as field trips, new projects, educational activities, supplies, or one-time initiatives. These grants are a good fit for projects that can be completed with a modest investment and have a clear, focused impact.

$1,000 grants are intended for projects with a broader scope, larger number of participants, or greater resource needs. This may include larger community-based projects, habitat restoration, food-growing initiatives, multiple activities or events, or projects requiring additional materials and supplies.

Funding requests should reflect realistic project costs and clearly explain how the funds would be used. The proposed budget should demonstrate that the requested funding is necessary and appropriate for the project activities. Funding decisions will consider the feasibility of the project, the proposed use of funds, and the potential impact on animals, people, and the environment.

We welcome projects that create positive impacts for animals, people, and the environment.  We encourage you to come up with your own project, but some examples include:

• Pollinator gardens
• Habitat restoration (replanting, garbage clean-ups)
• Community gardens (food security/sovereignty) 
• Outdoor classrooms or environmental education initiatives
• Indigenous land-based learning and knowledge transfer
• Biodiversity projects
• Community stewardship initiatives
• Waste reduction and circular economy projects
• Youth-led environmental action

Projects should demonstrate measurable community benefit and align with the approach of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program.

Eligible expenses may include:

• Plants, trees, shrubs, and seeds
• Gardening, restoration, and habitat creation supplies
• Educational materials and project resources
• Equipment directly related to the project
• Event supplies/rentals
• Accessibility supports
• Travel to support project activities (mileage and bus rentals)
• Field trip fees (admission and speaker fees)
• Honoraria for Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community experts, where appropriate
• Other expenses that directly support the approved project

If you are unsure whether an expense is eligible, please contact us before submitting your application.

Overhead can be claimed during the final reporting process up to a maximum 10% of the eligible expenses. A grant of $1,000.00 CAD can claim up to $100.00 CAD (without receipts required) to remunerate staff time, operations costs, or other expenses related to conducting project activities.

The A.P.E. Fund is intended to support direct project implementation. The following expenses are generally not eligible:

• Travel subsidies for conferences, workshops, or events
  • Travel is eligible but must only be a portion of the project total
• Conference registration fees
• Tuition, course fees, or other educational program costs
• Scholarships, bursaries, or awards
• Salaries, wages, or ongoing staffing costs,unless explicitly approved
  • Can be charged under overhead and should not exceed 10% of total project expenses
• General organizational operating expenses (rent, utilities, insurance)
• Administrative or overhead costs unrelated to the project and at a maximum of 10% of eligible expenses
• Fundraising activities or events
• Political activities or lobbying
• Religious activities whose primary purpose is faith promotion
• Retroactive expenses (costs incurred before the funding agreement is signed)
• Equipment or purchases not directly related to the approved project
• Gift cards, prizes, or incentives (unless pre-approved)
• Alcohol
• Debt repayment or deficit reduction
• Projects that benefit private individuals or private property without a clear community benefit
• Expenses that have already been funded by another source (double funding)

If you are unsure whether an expense is eligible, please contact us before submitting your application.

Applications are reviewed by the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) and Programs staff, using an anti-racist assessment rubric that was developed by the Youth Advisory Council.

Applications are evaluated based on factors such as:

• Community need
• Project feasibility and timeline
• Potential positive impact for animals, people, and the environment
• Community and youth engagement reach
• Alignment with the Roots & Shoots model
• Budget and value for funding requested

Successful applicants will be contacted after applications have been reviewed. Funding decisions are expected to be communicated in late fall 2026.

Yes, successful projects will be issued a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) before funding can be released.

The MoU must be signed by someone who has the legal authority to bind your organization to an agreement, such as: Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer, School Principal (where applicable), Authorized signing officer, Band Administrator, or other authorized representative.

The MoU will be sent electronically through Adobe Acrobat Sign (Adobe eSign) to the person who you identified as the legal authority to bind your organization. Please ensure you keep an eye out for this, or “whitelist” the contact Alison Cuffley via Adobe Acrobat Sign (adobesign@adobesign.com).

Unfortunately, we cannot accept signatures from individuals who are not authorized to legally bind the organization, and the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada reserves the right to validate information submitted through the A.P.E. Fund to confirm that the signatory is a legal authority of the receiving organization.

Funding will be released once the signed MoU has been received and any required documentation has been completed by both parties.

Microgrants are not paid out to individuals or for-profit businesses. Funds can only be granted to organizations, schools, districts, or other non-profits. 

Microgrants will be paid out via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT/direct deposit) or Interac E-transfer. Each payment options has unique details, which are:

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT): Preferred option for security and expediting payment of the grant. An EFT moves money directly between accounts using standard information such as a bank account, transit, and institutional numbers. This is the quickest and simplest form of payment. The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada will require a back-up document confirming this information, such as a Void Cheque or Direct Deposit form, in order to process, along with the matching account name and number, transit number, and institution number. In the application or when you complete the banking details, if you are successful, please ensure the void cheque/direct deposit details match the banking details you put in. 

E-transfer: An E-transfer — specifically Interac e-Transfer — is a digital service used to send and receive money directly between Canadian bank accounts via email. In order to send the E-transfers, we will require the email assigned to the organization to be able to receive money, and auto-deposit must be set-up.

We will be unable to offer cheques or bank drafts, as all payments must be paid electronically moving forward. If you have any questions please reach out to the Roots & Shoots teams at rootsandshoots@janegoodall.ca.

Yes. All funded organizations are required to submit two final reports by May 30th, 2027.

Narrative Report: This report provides an overview of your project and its impact. It includes information such as:

• Project activities completed
• Outcomes and achievements
• Impact on youth and community
• Benefits for animals, people, and the environment
• Challenges and lessons learned
• Photos, where possible

Final Financial Report: This report outlines how the funding was spent. You can view a sample financial report here. It includes:

• A summary of project expenditures by budget category
• Your project activities to show how expenditures supported your project
• Disclosure of any unused funds, if applicable

Both reports are required to fulfill the terms of your funding agreement, and failure to submit either of the required reports may affect your organization’s eligibility for future funding.

Project activities must be completed prior to the submission of the required Narrative Report and Final Financial Report, both of which are due May 30th, 2027.

Activities may continue beyond this date — for example, a garden that needs maintenance throughout the summer — but all funds must be spent, and the majority of the project activities must be finished, before May 30th, 2027.

If unforeseen circumstances affect your project timeline, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your options.

We understand that, sometimes, projects evolve or you run into barriers that may delay or change your original idea. If your project activities or costs change significantly after your application has been approved, please contact the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada as soon as possible before proceeding.

We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to your project, but do require advance notice as changes may need to be made to your funding agreement or anticipated expenses. For financial compliance, the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada will need to provide written confirmation of any changes to your project in advance of funds being spent.

Situations where you should reach out include: 

• Delayed approval by a school board or municipality to conduct project activities on their properties
• Weather-related adjustments to outdoor activities 
• Significant adjustment to your budget due to other funding sources, changes in project activities, or specific equipment changing costs after your proposal was submitted
• Project lead leaving or going on a leave from your organization  

Yes, previous A.P.E. Fund recipients are welcome to apply again. To be eligible for future funding, your organization must have:

• Submitted, on time, completed and verified Narrative Report(s) and Final Financial Report(s) for any previous A.P.E. Fund grant(s)
• Met the reporting requirements outlined in your previous Memorandum of Understanding

Organizations with outstanding or late reports may be deemed ineligible for future A.P.E. Fund support until all reporting requirements have been satisfactorily completed.

Yes. Organizations may submit more than one application — however, each application must be for a distinct and unique project with a distinct and different lead. Applications for projects that are substantially similar or duplicate one another may not be considered for funding.

No, the A.P.E. Fund is intended to support community-based projects that create positive impacts for animals, people, and the environment. Funding cannot be used for:

• Conference travel
• Conference registration fees
• Tuition or educational program fees
• Graduate or undergraduate research completed for academic credit
• Other expenses that primarily benefit an individual rather than the broader community

If you have any questions about the A.P.E. Fund, eligibility, or the application process and they were not addressed here, please contact the Roots & Shoots team at rootsandshoots@janegoodall.ca. We’re here to help and happy to do so!