Apply for Canoe Foundation Grant Programme – United Kingdom

Deadline: 31-Jan-24

If you have a project that will provide more access opportunities for paddlers (canoeists, kayakers and paddleboarders) and are in need of funding of up to £10,000, the Canoe Foundation wants to hear from you.

The Canoe Foundation is looking for projects across the whole of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) that will:

• Increase or enhance existing public access points to water for all forms of paddlesport
• Create launching and landing sites, to and alongside water, for all sectors of the community and all abilities, that are designed to be durable and use sustainable materials when applicable
• Protect and enhance the natural blue spaces they enjoy such as rivers or coastline
• Are “ready to go”. Planning permission must have been researched and granted or agreed in principle, and quotes for the work obtained. They also need to see support from relevant local groups or partners (for example a letter of support from them), and evidence that the group has tried to get funding from other organisations or matched funding in place

Funding Information

• Funding of up to £10,000.

Specifically, they’re looking to fund:

• Launch and landing platforms, ramps or steps
• Improvements to pathways and accessible routes to the water’s edge
• Designated or essential additional parking for water users
• Works that create more sustainable access points
• Access improvement projects that actively engage and allow water users to protect/enhance the waterway or riverbank environment (e.g. by preventing bank erosion)
• Signage and information that promotes positive behaviour (e.g. Countryside code, “Check, Clean, Dry”, warnings of hazards or guidance on appropriate routes or trails)
• Projects that would benefit more than one user group
• Projects that benefit or provide opportunities to a wide range of paddlers rather than facilities limited to members

Eligibility Criteria

• The Canoe Foundation welcomes applications from:
  • Paddling clubs
  • Community groups
  • Parish Councils
  • Local Authorities
  • Anyone in the UK with an active interest in improving access to water and protecting the environment
  • Organisations or partnerships with local paddlesport groups who will continue to support the use of the facilities on an ongoing basis

For more information, visit Canoe Foundation.