The Bee BC Program offers funding to enhance bee health throughout the province.

The provincial program supports small scale regional/community-based projects to research, explore, field-test and share information about best management practices associated with bee health in British Columbia.

The program will enhance bee health related activities and enhance information sharing amongst beekeepers. The Program is providing up to $7,000 of grant funding per project and it is expected that participants will contribute a minimum of 20 percent towards the total cost of the project, in-kind contributions are eligible.

Applications open: May 29 – June 30, 2023.

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Program Overview

Eligibility

Timeline

Application

Program Overview

The Bee BC Program will enhance bee health throughout the province of British Columbia. Bee health is important, not only for the production of honey, but also for the contribution that bees make to the pollination of many crop species and to the wider environment.

The six-year $300,000 provincial program will support small scale regional/community-based projects to research, explore, field-test and share information about best management practices associated with bee health in British Columbia. The program will enhance bee health related activities and enhance information sharing amongst beekeepers.

The program provides up to $7,000 of grant funding per project. Project activities outside this time frame will not be considered. It is expected that participants will contribute a minimum of 20 percent towards the total cost of the project, in-kind contributions are eligible.

Note: Beekeeping (having an apiary, owning, transporting bees or beehives) is a regulated activity under the Animal Health Act and there are registration requirements. See here for the Bee Regulations in the Animal Health Act.

Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria

The program assists regional or community-based beekeeping associations, beekeepers with permitted hives and First Nations to undertake small-scale or community-based projects that contribute to the overall health of bees in the province.

To be considered eligible for this Program, applicants must be:

  • Regional / community beekeeping associations or groups
  • Beekeepers with permitted hives
  • Groups of beekeepers with permitted hives
  • First Nations / Indigenous Peoples Organizations

Eligible activities include the research, exploration, field-testing, implementation and sharing of best practices and techniques to promote healthy bee colonies and the implementation of best management practices related to bee disease monitoring, response and treatment.
Note: both conventional and new/innovative bee health best management practices are eligible. Examples of eligible activities include:

  • The purchasing of a new piece of equipment and implementing it into your bee health strategy
  • Implementing a best management practice such as beehive equipment irradiation
  • Introducing pollen substitutes and/or supplements into your bee health strategy
  • Seeding and planting new bee forage that offers nectar and pollen.

Ineligible activities include projects that are not directly focused on bee health, or the regular or on-going maintenance of bee colonies. Examples of ineligible activities include:

  • Regular activities related to commercial honey production
  • Business development activities; defined as activities that are directed towards generating income during the life of the project / or after the project completion.
  • Marketing, promotional or market development activities
  • the purchase of standard equipment to maintain a bee colony

Eligible costs are those that are incurred for researching, exploring and/or field testing a conventional or new management strategy for bee health. Examples of eligible costs include:

  • Costs for new equipment, technology that enhance bee health
  • Transportation costs of beehive equipment for irradiation
  • Costs for pollen substitutes and/or supplements
  • Costs for seeding and planting of new bee forage

Communication materials including social media, must be submitted to the IAF Client Portal for Funding Acknowledgment approval before being shared with the public. If you have any questions about funding acknowledgements and approvals, please contact our Communications Team at communications@iafbc.ca. 

The following activities and costs are not eligible for reimbursement. For clarification on items not listed below, please contact program staff.

  • Any cost not specifically required for the execution of a project
  • Normal costs of establishing or maintaining a bee colony or commercial honey operation, including costs associated with the purchasing of bees and costs associated with maintaining compliance with requirements of law that pertain to current business operations
  • Queen bee rearing as an income generating enterprise
  • Beekeeper and/or staff wages, salaries, benefits, stipends, etc.
  • Purchase of land, building and facilities
  • Lease of land, buildings and facilities
  • Financing charges, loan interest payments, bank fees, and charges
  • Any cost, including a tax that is eligible for a rebate, credit or refund (including a refundable portion of the Government Sales Tax)
  • Gifts and incentives
  • Permits and approvals
  • Legal fees
  • Costs incurred before the approval of the project or after the project completion date
  • Costs related to activities that directly influence or lobby any level of government

Application Details

Applicants must schedule project activities within the program funding cycle: July 15, 2023 to February 29, 2024. Applications are evaluated using a competitive process.

There is one annual application window. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. All applications received by the deadline will be collectively reviewed and evaluated based on merit. The application timelines for the 2023 – 24 fiscal year are as follows:

  • Application Window: May 29 – June 30, 2023
  • Application Deadline: June 30, 2023 at 16:30 PST
  • Project Start Date: July 15, 2023

Applications will be accepted through the IAF Client Portal.

Applications will be evaluated using a competitive process. Please review the material in this guide, especially the evaluation criteria.

During the application window, IAF staff are available to answer any questions regarding eligible activities and costs. Please send any inquiries to beebc@iafbc.ca

Applicants are encouraged to include only activities that they are confident will be completed on time and within budget limits.

After the application window has closed, the IAF team will meet to review applications and make funding decisions. Rest assured your application will be considered by knowledgeable industry peers.

Note: Only top scoring applications will receive funding and project funding is capped at $7,000 per project. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Selection Criteria

  • Projects that clearly demonstrate alignment with the Bee BC Program objective
  • Projects with clear and immediate benefits to bee health and/or the beekeeping industry
  • Projects with clear community-based beekeeper involvement, including partnerships with local, regional, or First Nations governments, or projects which engage youth
  • Projects that have a defined methodology and clear measurables outlined in their research approach
  • Projects with applicant cash contributions

All submitted applications will be assessed on the following criteria:

  • Eligibility and alignment to program purpose and objectives
  • Strength of the project framework
  • Resources to execute the project effectively

Notifications & Obligations

If the project is approved, IAF will inform the applicant of the details of the decision and any associated terms and conditions. The applicant then enters into an agreement with IAF which outlines the obligations of each party.

Funding is application and project-specific and must be used for the approved project and related expenses. Funds are non-transferable.

Project activities requiring financial resources cannot commence until the contribution agreement has been signed by both the applicant and IAF.

Communication materials being funded by the program need to be pre-approved by the IAF communications team. Items not pre-approved by IAF Communications will not be funded.

Projects funded in the 2023-24 intake may begin on or after July 15, 2022 and must be completed by February 29, 2024. No extension to project terms beyond February 29, 2024 will be considered. If the project is not approved, the applicant will receive a response from IAF.

Once the contract with IAF is in force, requests for changes to program activities must be made in writing to IAF. IAF must approve the changes for expenses to be deemed eligible.

The funding recipient may have opportunities or situations arise which make it difficult to proceed with a pre-approved project/activity. Should this happen, immediately contact your IAF program manager.

Program participants are required to submit a final report to IAF. Program reporting will be completed on IAF’s Client Portal.

Program Timeline

May

Applications open May 29, 2023.

June

Applications close on June 30, 2023.

July

Project Scoring, Assessment, Adjudication and Contracting

February

Project implementation – July 15, 2023 through to February 29, 2024

Application Process

Applicants will apply through the IAF Client Portal. The application process will consist of:

  • Create a personal profile (name and email)

  • Organization information, including:
    • Name
    • Contact details
    • Type of organization
    • BC ID / CRA numbers
    • Primary contact
    • and more

Select Bee BC Program from Funding Opportunities, and provide:

  • Project start & end dates
  • Select project activities from the eligible activities list
  • Provide description of key activities, who will undertake work, and timeline
  • Alignment with program priorities
  • Performance measurement information
  • Funding request / project budget

Applicants may provide supplementary materials in support of their application (e.g. letters of support, CV’s, quotes). These appendices can be uploaded through the IAF Client Portal as attachments to the application.

IAF staff are available to answer questions regarding eligible activities, costs and/or the application process. IAF may also contact applicants for additional information or clarification to assess or strengthen their application.

Applicants can contact bee(at)iafbc.ca with any questions about the program or to receive support in developing their application.

Applicants are encouraged to include only activities they are confident will be completed on time and within budget limits.

Need help with IAF’s Client Portal?

We’ve created a number of tutorials and FAQs about the IAF Client Portal to help you navigate this resource successfully.

Ready to Apply?

Application window: May 29, 2023 to June 30, 2023 at 16:30 PST.

Resources

Bee BC Program Guide

For a PDF version of the program details please download the Program Guide.

Note: All details are presented on this webpage

Have a Question?

Our team is here to support you, contact us today!

BC Bee Website

Interested in previous projects? Visit the Bee BC website for featured projects and more information on bee health in BC.

Funding provided by:

CAP Logo, Province of BC Logo, Government of Canada Logo

Please note: the Government of BC may, from time to time, give instructions to IAF in relation to the delivery and administration of this program. IAF must and will comply with those instructions.