The Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF) supports communities to implement natural and hybrid infrastructure projects that deliver multiple benefits. Natural infrastructure uses ecosystem features and materials (vegetation, sand, stone, water) to deliver conventional infrastructure outcomes. Hybrid infrastructure incorporates grey infrastructure elements to enhance or support natural infrastructure and ecosystem processes.

Announced in Budget 2021, NIF provides $200 million to support projects that recognize natural infrastructure solutions as win-win investments — delivering conventional services like flood protection and stormwater management while also providing cleaner air and water, temperature regulation, green space access and habitat connectivity.

Program Objectives:

• Increase the use and uptake of natural and hybrid infrastructure
• Build community awareness on the value of natural and hybrid infrastructure and delivery of multiple outcomes

Two Funding Streams:

The NIF delivers funding through two streams based on project scale:

Small Projects Stream:

• Projects with eligible costs from $30,000 to $3 million
• Maximum federal contribution: $1 million (contributions) or $250,000 (grants)

Large Projects Stream:

• Projects with eligible costs over $3 million
• Contact program directly for stream-specific requirements, timelines, and application process
• Details and intake timing to be confirmed with program

Community Services Requirement:

All projects are assessed on their ability to deliver one or multiple of five community services:

• Climate Change Resilience: Adapting to or transforming in response to anticipated or experienced climate hazards (erosion prevention, flood protection, temperature regulation, reducing costs and damages from climate hazards)
• Environmental Quality: Enhancing efficiency, productivity, and functionality of ecological processes to provide healthy environments (stormwater management, water filtration, groundwater replenishment, wastewater treatment)
• Access to Nature: Enhancing quality or quantity of healthy and safe natural systems to connect people to nature (increased public greenspace, active transportation, signage and design elements)
• Biodiversity and Habitat: Reducing fragmentation, loss, or destruction of important habitats and species (ecological connectivity, reduction of invasive species, increase in native species)
• Climate Change Mitigation: Increasing capacity of natural systems and processes to sink and store greenhouse gases (carbon sequestration, energy efficiency benefits)