The ORCBC launches the 2026 intake for the Outdoor Recreation Fund of BC

Image: Powell River Educational Services Society (2024 Fund recipient)

The Outdoor Recreation Council of BC is now accepting applications for the 2026 Outdoor Recreation Fund of BC. Beginning December 8, 2025, eligible groups across the province can apply for funding for trail and outdoor infrastructure upgrades, stewardship and education initiatives, and inclusive programming.

This is the third intake for the grant program. To date, it has funded outdoor recreation projects in 61 communities, resulting in volunteers building 264 kilometres of trail, cleaning up 20,000 square metres of land and water, and educating more than 100,000 British Columbians.

“The Outdoor Recreation Fund has already supported an incredible mix of projects, from Indigenous-led stewardship and youth programs to new trail signage and community climbing access,” says Tomke Augustin, Grant Program Manager for the ORCBC. “Each intake shows just how creative communities can be when they have a bit of support. It is exciting to see small rural clubs, First Nations, and larger regional partners all moving projects forward.”

The Outdoor Recreation Fund of BC invests in the places British Columbians live and love to explore. With a $10 million endowment from the Province of British Columbia, the fund provides grants to nonprofits, charities, local governments, and Indigenous governments for projects that enhance trails, campsites, paddling access, and stewardship activities in communities across the province. The program is managed by the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, a provincial non-profit that supports and connects outdoor recreation groups, builds volunteer capacity, and champions public access to BC’s land and water, representing more than 200,000 recreation users across the province.

In its first two intakes, the fund disbursed more than $500,000 to projects that ranged from youth programming to trailhead parking lots. The 62 awarded projects included 13 Indigenous groups and took place in communities from Sooke to Tumbler Ridge, Fernie to Bella Bella. Most of the work to date was done by volunteers who contributed more than 14,000 hours of work, valued at nearly $300,000.

It’s money well spent, says Eric Vanderkruk, Board Chair of ORCBC.

“Volunteers are the backbone of outdoor recreation in B.C. and this fund is really a celebration of what they can achieve,” says Vanderkruk. “Whether it is brushing a trail, teaching safe boating, or hosting an adaptive hike, volunteers are the ones leveraging grant dollars to create meaningful impacts in their communities.”

Both intakes were heavily oversubscribed, he says. In total the fund has received 410 applications requesting $3.45-million. Grants range from $2,000 to $10,000. The ORCBC expects to disburse $300,000 in the 2026 cycle.

“No group should hesitate to apply if they have a ready-to-go project that will help people get outside, care for local places, or make participation more inclusive,” Augustin says.

The application window is from December 8 to January 20, 2026. More details about eligibility, guidelines and deadlines are available at https://www.orcbc.ca/grants-for-outdoor-recreation