$35 Million for Marine Planning on BC's Strategic North Coast- Grants from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation

Since 2003, the San Francisco-based Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation has granted more than $100 million to environmental organizations operating in British Columbia. Of that, about $35 million was for their involvement in the Pacific No
rth Coast Integrated Management Area Initiative (PNCIMA) which has since become the Marine Planning Partnership for the North Coast of British Columbia.

In the summer of 2011, the federal government withdrew from the PNCIMA planning process. Media reported that the government's concern was that the process was being funded by a single, foreign foundation (read: the Moore foundation). After that, the Moore foundation re-wrote its $8.1 million grant to Tides Canada, adding an additional $131,828.  The Moore grants, before and after the re-write, are shown below.

Of the $35 million, $3 million was granted in 2012.  That included $2 million for the World Wildlife Fund Canada, and $1 million for First Nations groups on the  north coast of B.C:

• $324,413 for the Hartley Bay Village Council
• $266,184 for the Kitasoo/Xais-xais Band Council
• $314,472 for the Turning Point Initiative.

Funding for the PNCIMA Initiative is being paid out of the Marine Conservation Initiative of the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation.  As shown in the foundation's map (shown to the right), this initiative covers the coast of British Columbia, the west coast of the U.S., and New England, but not the coast of Alaska, nor the Gulf of Mexico, nor any other parts of the world.

Of all the foreign countries in the world, why would the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation chose to spend more than $100 million in Canada?  Why not in other countries of the world that are far more needy in terms of expertise and resources?

One of these grants, $2.1 Million paid to the World Wildlife Fund, was for "facilitating federal government commitment..."  Another grant was for "provincial government engagement."  Why is an American foundation funding Canadian environmental groups to influence the provincial and the federal government in Canada?

As shown in a map from the Living Oceans Society, the area covered by PNCIMA extends from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the southern border of Alaska.  This initiative covers the strategic, north and central coast of B.C. but not the south coast nor the coast of Vancouver Island. The area covered by PNCIMA is roughly the same as the area covered by the Coast Conservation Endowment Fund Foundation (CCEFF), commonly known as the Coast Opportunity Fund. (For another map, click here). This fund is specifically for First Nations.  In 2008, Tides Canada made a grant to the CCEFF for $27.3 Million - in a single grant.

$9 Million for First Nations

Of the $35 million, nearly $9 million was specifically for First Nations. These grants are listed below. In addition to these funds which were specifically ear-marked for First Nations, further funds  may have also gone to First Nations:

• $3,562,658 in 2007 for the Turning Point Initiative for First Nations Area-Based Management
• $247,727 in 2009 for the Turning Point Initiative for First Nations Marine Spatial Planning Leadership
• $2,404,350 in 2010 for the Turning Point Initiative for Integrating First Nations' Marine Spatial Plans
• $314,472 in 2012 for the Turning Point Initiative
• $1,162,974 in 2010 for the Nanwakolas Council Marine Spatial Planning
• $324,413 in 2012 for the Hartley Bay Village Council
• $266,184 in 2012 for the Kitasoo/Xais-xais Band Council

Here are links to the specific grants, by year: 

2006:

• $1,212,150 to Tides Canada Foundation for Increasing Environmental Non-Governmental Organization
• $1,656,083 to the WWF Canada for science and stakeholder participation in resource management
• $599,876 to the Rainforest Conservation Foundation for incorporating science into British Columbia’s resource management decisions
• $578,098 to Living Oceans Society for Increasing stakeholder participation in Area-Based Management
• $210,853 to the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, the B.C. Chapter, for Advancing MPA dialogue and practice

2007:

• $3,562,658 to the Turning Point Initiative Society for First Nations Area-Based Management
• $2,105,625 to the WWF Canada for Facilitating federal government commitment to Area-Based Management
• $889,946 to Tides Canada Foundation for Informing Area-Based Management

2008:

• $1,241,635 to Tides Canada Foundation for Securing the PNCIMA ABM process through an ENGO strategic plan
• $872,780 to the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Association for Securing Area-Based Management in the West Coast Vancouver Island coastal-marine ecosystem
• $239,835 to Living Oceans Society for Securing deep sea coral protection (as part of PNCIMA)
• $327,438 for Securing commercial fishermen's support of Area-Based Management

2009:

• $736,182 to Tides Canada Foundation for Developing an Innovative Oceans Partnership to support the PNCIMA Initiative
• $247,727 to the Turning Point Initiative Society for First Nations Marine Spatial Planning Leadership
• $132,249 to the David Suzuki Foundation for Sustaining an Area-Based Management Constituency for PNCIMA
• $112,421 to the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, B.C. Chapter, for Provincial government engagement in marine spatial planning

2010:

• $8,413,822 to Tides Canada Foundation for Supporting PNCIMA. NOTE: This grant was re-written after the federal government of Canada backed out of PNCIMA. Click here. 
• $2,404,350 to the Turning Point Initiative Society for Integrating First Nations' Marine Spatial Plans
• $1,162,974 to the Nanwakolas Council for the Nanwakolas Council Marine Spatial Planning
• $893,881 to Tides Canada Foundation for British Columbia Marine Conservation - Small Grants Fund
• $729,613 to WWF Canada for Tools and solutions to advance Marine Spatial Planning
• $429,482 to the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, B.C. Chapter, for Technical Analyses for Marine Spatial Planning
• $327,438 to the T. Buck Suzuki Foundation for Securing commercial fishermen's support of Area-Based Management
• $287,777 to Living Oceans Society for Technical Analyses for Marine Spatial Planning

2011:

• $455,120 to Tides Canada Foundation for Collaborative Scientific Analysis in British Columbia
• $315,430 to the David Suzuki Foundation for Technical Analyses for Marine Spatial Planning
• $576,614 for the Turning Point Initiative Society for Communications and Training for Marine Spatial Planning
• $328,742 for the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation for Commercial Fishermen and Marine Spatial Planning
• $1,618,049 for the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Association for 
  West Coast Vancouver Island Marine Spatial Plan Implementation

2012:

• $2,045,066 to the World Wildlife Fund Canada, "To advance conditions and relationships that facilitates healthy oceans and the use of Marine Spatial Planning in Canada."
• $324,413 for the Hartley Bay Village Council, "In support of scientific and technical analysis to test implementation of the Gitga’at First Nation marine spatial plan."
• $266,184 for the Kitasoo/Xais-xais Band Council, "In support of technical analysis and youth engagement to implement the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation marine spatial plan."
• $314,472 for the Turning Point Initiative, "To support Coastal First Nations Stewardship Directors and the Network to achieve their resource management objectives in developing and implementing land and marine use plans and agreements."

Other Grants f0r Marine Planning in B.C.:

• $111,620 in 2009 granted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission for "Incorporating best practice guidelines into Area-Based Management efforts in British Columbia and Massachusetts."
• $872,780 in 2008 to the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Association for Securing Area-Based Management in the West Coast Vancouver Island coastal-marine ecosystem
• $1,618,049 in 2011 granted to the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Association for West Coast Vancouver Island Marine Spatial Plan Implementation.

By organization:

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, B.C. Chapter:

• $210,853 in 2006 for Advancing MPA dialogue and practice
• $112,421 in 2009 for Provincial government engagement in marine spatial planning
• $429,482 in 2010 for Technical Analyses for Marine Spatial Planning

David Suzuki Foundation

• $132,249 in 2009 for Sustaining an Area-Based Management Constituency for PNCIMA
• $315,430 in 2011 for Technical Analyses for Marine Spatial Planning

Note: The Moore Foundation also granted $471,972 to the David Suzuki Foundation for "Reframing Marine Conservation in British Columbia."  This grant does not specifically mention PNCIMA.

Living Oceans Society:

• $578,098 in 2006 for Increasing stakeholder participation in Area-Based Management
• $239,835 in 2008 for Securing deep sea coral protection (as part of PNCIMA)
• $287,777 in 2010 for Technical Analyses for Marine Spatial Planning

Rainforest Conservation Foundation:

• $599,876 in 2006 for incorporating science into British Columbia’s resource management decisions

 Tides Canada Foundation:

• $1,212,150 in 2006 for Increasing Environmental Non-Governmental Organization
• $889,946 in 2007 for Informing Area-Based Management
• $1,241,635 in 2008 for Securing the PNCIMA ABM process through an ENGO strategic plan
• $736,182 in 2009 for Developing an Innovative Oceans Partnership to support the PNCIMA Initiative
• $8,413,822 in 2010 for Supporting PNCIMA
• $893,881 in 2010 for British Columbia Marine Conservation - Small Grants Fund
• $455,120 in 2011 for Collaborative Scientific Analysis in British Columbia

T. Buck Suzuki Foundation:

• $327,438 for Securing commercial fishermen's support of Area-Based Management

World Wildlife Fund Canada:

• $1,656,083 in 2006 Science and stakeholder participation in resource management
• $2,105,625 in 2007 for Facilitating federal government commitment to Area-Based Management
• $729,613 in 2010 for Tools and solutions to advance Marine Spatial Planning

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Updated November 7, 2012