Targeted Research Grants

You can apply for the following Targeted Research Grants through the annual Research Grants Program.

Architek Sustainable Urban Environment Grant
Sustainable Buildings Canada Grant
Günter A. Schoch Grant for the History of the Profession
Northern Research Grant
Donald Graham Communication Grant

The grants jury reviews all grant applications to ensure that they meet the general award criteria and then determines whether a project is eligible for funding from this specific grant. Applicants can specify that they wish to be considered for this funding.

Funding

Professional Category: Grants up to $12,500 per project are available
Student Category: Grants up to $5,000 per project are available

1. Architek Sustainable Urban Environment Grant

Architek Group of Companies is committed to advancing sustainable practices in the built environment through innovative solutions in green roofs, living walls, green facades, and water conservation technologies. This grant supports pioneering research in sustainable landscapes for urban settings, focusing on design solutions (and including metrics) that address challenges related to urban green roofs, green walls, and water management in Ontario.

Architek believes in the necessity of creating built environments that foster sustainable site development, climate resilience, and enhance the human experience. The Architek Sustainable Urban Environment Grant aims to fund research leading to positive sustainable outcomes.

Topics

Examples of research to be supported by this grant (including, but not limited to):

Hard Performance Data: such as thermal imaging: urban heat island reduction, HVAC and energy savings from green roofs, stormwater retention before/after (blue/green vs. green-only), biodiversity gains (pollinators, birds), noise reduction benefits
Lifecycle Cost & ROI: Cost vs. savings over time (energy, stormwater fees, roof lifespan), Payback timelines (5/10/15 years), Public health offsets & improved asset value
Policy & Procurement Tools: Case studies of successful mandates/incentives, Strategies to prevent green system cuts in tendering
Design & Implementation Guides: Practical how-to’s, plus what to avoid, Real-world best practices and failures

Criteria

The Grant is open to Ontario based individuals or design firms. Individuals require a minimum of four (4) years of related professional work experience. The Grant is also open to PhD candidates doing directly related research.

Conditions

Grants may be considered for two phases of work, awarded via two separate applications to the Research Grants Program. Applicants may reapply for a second grant and are encouraged to define the rationale for a second phase of their work. In the case of an anticipated two phase program, the phases are as follows.

Phase One Research, Phase Two Solutions. ($5,000 minimum for each phase)
Phase One Grant may be awarded and completed and the applicant may apply for a second
Phase Two Grant once the terms of the Phase One Grant are fulfilled

2. Sustainable Buildings Canada Grant

This grant is for the research and development of a white paper focused on landscape architecture and related sustainable site development practices. This grant was established by Sustainable Buildings Canada under the auspices of LACF in 2023.

SBC believes that our survival depends on taking aggressive steps to fight climate change. They believe that it's imperative that we design, build and operate better built environments. As such, this bursary is intended to fund research that promotes positive sustainable outcomes.

Criteria

The white paper will provide research on landscape architectural practices and projects that promote the ‘next level’ of sustainability. Such projects should aim to achieve high performance outcomes in the built environment, encompassing a range of possible results including but not limited to healthy spaces, lower energy and water use, clean and renewable energy and positive behavioural outcomes.

The white paper will be published on the SBC website, and the successful grant applicant(s), will have the opportunity to present their findings/white paper as a speaker at a future SBC event. The minimum length (word count) of the white paper will vary, depending on the topic and degree of research and is to be commensurate with magnitude of the financial award.

3. Günter A. Schoch Grant for the History of the Profession

This bursary is dedicated to “landscape architectural research into the history and status of the profession in Canada." A project is eligible for funding from this bursary when it consists of research into the history and status of the profession of landscape architecture in Canada including its organizations and notable practitioners.

Günter Schoch, MALA, FCSLA, emigrated to Canada from his Germany in 1953 and soon after gained employment with the Winnipeg Board of Parks and Recreation. He made many valuable contributions as a practitioner throughout his career until his retirement in 1989. Günter served for 20 years as MALA Treasurer (1978-97) and eight years as MALA’s first Executive Director (1989-97). At the national level, he accepted the office of LACF Treasurer in 1992, when he also became Secretary-Treasurer of the College of Fellows and held these positions until 2008. Günter Schoch passed away on September 7, 2017. He was 88 years old. The MALA established this grant under the auspices of the LACF in 1994 in recognition of the extensive legacy of Günter A. Schoch, and his enduring contribution to the profession in general, and in particular, to the MALA.

4. Northern Research Grant

The objective of this research grant is to promote research in Northern Canada (regions north of the 55th parallel).

Eligibility

To be eligible, the research topic must pertain to North of the 55th parallel in Canada and must meet at least two of the following criteria:

Increase the body of knowledge of landscape architecture and related professions as it pertains to the North.
Increase the visibility of landscape architects and the profession in the North.
Make positive change for the peoples of the North
Support the CSLA position on climate change that encourages its members to lead by enhancing resilience, encouraging positive transformation and promoting sustainability in all projects and activities.

Special preference is to be given to applications that incorporate expertise and knowledge of local First Nations, Métis and Inuit in meaningful, respectful and wholistic ways into the research project, including research and ensuring the outcome of the research is shared back to the communities and participants, and priority may be given to projects that focus on adaptation to and mitigation from climate change.

Licensing Requirement

All applicants should show that the project will be in conformance with all research requirements of the chosen jurisdiction; for convenience, these are some applicable websites:

5. Donald Graham Communication Grant

Through excellence in communication, this grant aims to further the understanding and importance of the core values of the profession of landscape architecture.

Criteria

The Donald Graham Communication Grant is awarded to communication projects across diverse media and means including publications, videos, websites, multimedia events, conferences, community development initiatives, public participation, events, exhibitions, conferences, etc. Excellence in communication is the primary criteria.

Projects should also meet at least one of the following criteria :

Demonstrate clarity, creativity and innovation;
Be widely accessible, pertinent and timely;
Make a difference to target audiences.

Special preference is to be given to applications that propose projects that will be implemented in the short term. This does not however exclude providing funding for long-term projects in early planning stages provided interim results are communicated to target groups.

Donald Walter Graham OALA, AAPQ, FCSLA, ASLA was a pioneer landscape architect in Canada. After graduating from the Harvard School of Design in the late 1950s, he founded the firm of D.W. Graham and Associates, Landscape Architects, in Ottawa and for over 40 years, planned and designed responsible green spaces for urban and regional landscapes, locally and internationally. Not only was he a relentless communicator, he was a mentor and teacher to many and left a lasting impression both on the land and the people he worked with. He passed away in November 2017. Donald remains an honoured member of the Frances Blue Legacy Circle. The proposal to create the Donald Graham Communication Grant, under the auspices of LACF was initiated by the Graham family in November 2017 to commemorate Donald's life and legacy. Beyond his many years advocating for the profession through the CSLA, he was also a key figure in establishing LACF during the 1980s and one of the founding members of the AAPQ.