The effects of climate change connect us all. Our shared future faces great challenges – from food security to air quality, energy needs to access to clean water. There has never been a more urgent need for extraordinary solutions or more opportunity for collaboration, ingenuity and vision.
RBC Tech for NatureTM is our multi-year commitment to accelerate tech-based solutions that help preserve the world’s greatest wealth: our natural ecosystem. We work with partners to leverage technology and innovation capabilities to work to solve pressing environmental challenges. RBC Tech for Nature is a key element of how we are delivering on our climate strategy, the RBC Climate Blueprint. This strategy includes four key priorities: helping clients as they transition to net-zero, holding ourselves accountable, informing and inspiring a sustainable future, and advancing net-zero leadership in our own operations.
Technology and the Environment
The pressing environmental challenges of today are growing at a rate that often outpaces the solutions designed to address them. We recognize that technology offers immense potential to develop innovative solutions that provide new pathways to address those challenges. RBC is leveraging its technology capabilities in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and app development to work with charitable partners to help address water, climate and other environmental challenges. We are actively seeking partners who share our vision and are pursuing technology-based solutions.
Apply for Funding
Get support for your cause. Learn everything you need to know to apply.
Applications for 2024 are now closed.
Our RBC Tech for Nature Partnerships
The RBC Foundation has committed $100 million by 2025 to fund innovative environmental programs. We are proud to support more than 100 charitable partners implementing new ideas, technology and collaboration that aim to address some of the planet’s most pressing needs.
Focus Areas
Our funding is supporting technology-driven programs in three key areas:
Data
There is a lack of organized data on the health of our planet and how our actions affect it. We believe creating a common language about the environment through data will help enable more informed and meaningful decision-making.
Innovative Ecosystem
We believe there is a need to empower entrepreneurs, ventures and charities to launch and scale up game-changing solutions to work towards solving pressing environmental challenges.
Communities of Action
Each person holds more power than they know. We believe that through technology, we can empower individuals to work with their communities and positively change their behaviour to collectively contribute to a notable change for our planet.
The RBC Foundation Green Skills Scholarship
Looking to return to or re-skill for a career in the environmental sector?
The RBC Foundation Green Skills Scholarship could help you make an impact on environmental challenges. This scholarship awards up to 40 scholarships annually up to $5,000 to students, aged 25+, committed to returning and reskilling within buildings and construction, agriculture and food production, transportation, waste management and recycling, or renewable energy.
Featured Partners
Nature United
Advancing natural climate solutions with science, innovation and partnership
DataStream
A powerful blockchain-enabled platform for sharing information about freshwater health
Rideau Hall Foundation
Arctic Inspiration Prize and RBC North Star Accelerator Program
Wildlife Conservation Society Canada / Birds Canada / NatureServe Canada
Identifying and sharing data on key biodiversity areas throughout Canada
Aqua Action
Aqua Action: Innovative tech solutions for fresh water issues
MaRS Discovery District
Supporting Canada’s most promising startups
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Unleashing AI on Canada’s fresh water
Institute for Sustainable Finance (Smith School of Business, Queen’s University)
Aligning mainstream financial markets with Canada’s transition to a prosperous sustainable economy
Canadian Agri-Food Foundation
To promote excellence in the agriculture and agri-food industry in Canada
Apply for Funding
Get support for your cause. Learn everything you need to know to apply.
All applications under RBC Tech for Nature are assessed using a risk-screen and due diligence check conducted by the RBC Foundation.
Applications for 2024 are now closed.