European Open Rivers Grant Programme – Apply Now!

Deadline: 14-Apr-23

Applications are now open for the European Open Rivers Grant Programme with the majority of support directed to preparing for and removing small dams from rivers.

Categories

• Category A grants: programme supported dam removals
  • These grants will support a range of interventions that lead to the removal of small dams in catchments that offer the highest potential for river restoration and ecosystem recovery. Category A is divided into four subcategories:
    • Category A1 Catchment development
      • Supporting the identification and strategic selection of small dams that could later be removed via a grant from the programme. These grants may also support outreach to the local community to explore removal potential. Catchment development projects must demonstrate a direct connection between the activities included in the grant and the future removal of priority barriers.
      • Note: Catchment development grants are intended for areas that offer very high potential for the restoration of river flow and biodiversity (ecologically valuable areas) but where there is currently low capacity, resources, and attention to dam removal. This means that these grants are not available in countries which already have a history of dam removal, and/or which have more advanced inventories and support for dam removal. The following countries are excluded from applying for catchment development grants: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
    • Category A2 Preparatory work
      • Supporting the development of essential work required to prepare for the removal of a small dam supported by the programme, for example, feasibility studies, preparation of technical design documents, and securing permissions and permits.
    • Category A3 Dam removal
      • Demolition of a barrier. No preparatory work required / preparatory work already funded by a third party.
    • Category A4 Dam removal
      • Demolition of a barrier. Preparatory work previously funded by the programme.
• Category B grant: enabling others to remove dams
  • This grant will support preparatory work when funding for the dam removal (demolition) can be sourced from an alternative funder.
  • Category B Preparatory work Supporting the development of essential work required to prepare for the removal of a dam, for example, feasibility studies, preparation of technical design documents, ad securing permissions and permits. The completion of the work will result in the dam being removed by a third party. The only difference from Category A2 grants is that the programme will not support the demolition.
  • The early research indicated that it was sometimes possible to secure funds for demolition but not for preparatory work and this was holding back the ability of some river managers to remove a dam.

Funding Information

• For most grants, they do not have a maximum permissible value although they apply a maximum cap of €100,000 for catchment development projects.
• Duration: The programme runs a 9-month grant cycle for category A1, A2 and A3 grants and for category B grants.

What is not supported?

• Expensive projects that have low ecological significance. They aim to support projects that open up at least 10km of river and a minimum of 5km. This means that they are unlikely to support projects in highly fragmented areas.
• They are less likely to support projects in rivers with poor ecological status as the ecological gain following removal is likely to be low, or take a long time to be realised.
• Post dam removal restoration, unless it is expected that without mitigating restoration activities, the dam removal would result in negative impacts e.g. changed hydrological regime that could cause flooding elsewhere, the release of invasive species, etc.
• Partial removal of a dam. The full vertical extent of the barrier must be removed to be eligible for funding. The programme is only interested in the complete removal of a barrier/the full removal of the ‘barrier effect’, so that rivers can flow naturally again
• Barrier purchase.
• Catchment development projects in countries where dam removal is already taking place and is already an established river restoration measure.

Eligibility Criteria

• They recognise that projects often involve a diverse range of partners and contributors including NGOs, government, academia, the private sector, community groups and individuals. They welcome and encourage applications from diverse consortiums and collaborations. However, they have specific criteria for who can be a coordinating partner.
• A coordinating partner is the applicant to the programme, and they will take a lead in managing the project.
• They will receive and manage the grant finances, sign a grant contract with the programme, and take responsibility for the effective delivery of the project. They will usually be based in the country of implementation. Non-resident coordinating organisations will need to be able to justify that their role is essential e.g. there is no suitable national coordinating organisation in the implementing country.
• The following organisations may apply to the programme for Category A and B:
  • A charitable organisation.
  • An organisation with not-for-profit status.
• They expect most applicants will be organisations with an environmental focus and a track record of restoring rivers / ecological work. They recognise that public and private organisations and community groups may wish to apply and they encourage their participation in projects as partners but will not accept unsolicited applications from these groups. These groups may contact the programme to explore options if they are not able to identify a suitable NGO coordinator for a project.
• Projects must be implemented in Greater Europe and coordinating partners must be registered in Greater Europe.

For more information, visit Open Rivers Programme.