Joyce Gemmell Jessen Habitat Conservation Fund ~
- The information on this page was last updated on: June 17, 2025
Grant Deadline: August 1, 2025 (11:59pm)
Joyce Gemmell Jessen Habitat Conservation Fund held at the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation accepts applications for projects or land acquisition/conservation grants. Applications must be received by the Community Foundation on or before August 1st each year for review. Requested grant amounts can vary each year.
The purpose of the grant is to support projects that preserve and conserve Saskatchewan’s native flora and fauna.
Successful grantees are required to submit a Final Grant Report (using the Final Grant Report Form) within twelve (12) months of the date the grant was processed. The report will indicate all progress related to the goals and evaluation measures identified in the proposal application.
Grant Amount (Project): $17,000
Grant Amount (Land Acquisition/Conservation): $35,000
Please note: Guidelines and criteria may change before the application process opens for the August 1 deadline.
If you encounter any issues applying or reporting through the Foundation’s Online Grant Portal, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss alternative options.
Guidelines and Criteria
In order to be eligible to apply for a grant, an organization must be a registered charity, qualified donee as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) or have an affiliation agreement with and a letter of endorsement of the program from a qualified done such as a registered municipality.
Priority shall be given to specific proposals related to:
- Land Acquisition
- Prairie Restoration
- Habitat Preservation
- Natural Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation
- K-12 Ecosystem Education
Grant Funds shall NOT be used for:
- Operating or capital deficits
- Publication of books, magazines, films, tapes or other media of communication including funding computers, computer software, etc.
- Establishment of endowment funds
- Investment
- Retroactive funding for past project expenses
- Individuals
- Political Activities
- Continuing or multi-year commitments
Preference is given to projects that affect work at the local level, encourage local partnerships, and leverage additional sources of funding.
Organizations with any overdue reporting may be ineligible to apply to or receive new funds from the Foundation.
How to Apply
- Submissions are to be made by using our Online Grant Portal.
- Create a login profile with your contact information and that of your organization.
- Before applying, please review the application guidelines and contact the Foundation if you'd like to verify your eligibility.
- Before finalizing your application through the Online Grant Portal:
- Download and complete the required Grant Budget & Cost Form to prepare for uploading it as part of your application.
- Have your Financial Statements and Annual Report ready to upload as part of a complete application.
- Have any other relevant materials, in electronic form, ready for upload.
- The Foundation may request additional details if necessary.
- The Joyce Gemmell Jessen Habitat Conservation Fund is a competitive grant program. Requests for support typically exceed available funds, and not all worthy requests may be supported. Applications are assessed by the Fund Advisor, with final decisions approved by the Foundation.
- The Foundation will inform applicants of its final decision by email ([email protected]).
- All decisions regarding applications and interpretations of guidelines and policies are final.
- The Foundation reserves the right to update and revise its program information at any time.
Application Checklist
To be considered a complete application, the following documentation must be received by the Community Foundation by the deadline:
- Complete and submitted Online Application Form
- Project budget – Grant Budget & Cost Form (revenues and expenses must equal to "0")
- Project Plan (one page document that outlines the implementation of the project with key activities & timelines)
- Annual financial statements, preferably audited if the organization has been in existence for more than a year
- Copy of your most recent annual report, if available
- All pertinent material that the applicant feels will help in the evaluation of the application.
- Agreement with partner (re. charitable status), if applicable
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The Joyce Gemmell Jessen Habitat Conservation Fund Story
Joyce Gemmell Jessen was born in Moose Jaw during the “Dirty 30s.” Her parents, Frank and Jean Gemmell, farmed near Tuxford before moving to Moose Jaw, and Joyce spent many summers swimming in Buffalo Pound Lake or at her uncles’ and aunts’ farms nearby.
The idea of establishing an endowed fund at SSCF to promote land conservation and the restoration of the prairie ecosystem was an easy decision for Joyce.
After completing medical technologist training at Moose Jaw’s Providence Hospital, Joyce moved to Chicago, Illinois where she met and married John David Jessen. Even then, the rolling hills and wide prairie skies of her home province were never far from her thoughts.
The prairies are just a part of who I am – I’m a prairie girl.
“I’m a local girl ‘done good.’ This is a way to celebrate my roots, give back to the community, and to share the beauty of the prairies with future generations,” she said. “Saskatchewan’s native prairies are a fragile, disappearing ecosystem. In the 1930s and ‘40s, we didn’t know what our farming practices did to the soil. We didn’t understand how the roots of native grasses held the land together or how birds and wildlife depended on the delicate balance of vegetation, water, and open spaces. I’m thrilled that the Joyce Gemmell Jessen Habitat Conservation Fund will leverage community partnerships and greater understanding of this amazing environment.”
