Deadline: 24-May-21
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is seeking applications for the Nature Networks Fund to strengthen the resilience of Wales’ network of protected land and marine sites, supporting a green recovery for nature and communities.
Aims of the fund
Through the Nature Networks Fund they want to fund:
- Action that specifically benefits the management of protected habitats and species on Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and demonstrates the sustainable management of natural resources across Wales.
- Improvements on protected sites that local communities are able to actively participate in, and benefit from. An aim would be to support active involvement with a diverse range of people and communities (particularly under-represented groups) to increase the network of people engaged with nature, and building the resilience of their local ecosystems.
The Nature Networks Fund will also support the active involvement of communities in and around protected sites. Strengthening engagement with nature has direct health and wellbeing benefits for people, as well as improving the resilience of the sites themselves.
What do they mean by ‘green recovery’?
- reversing the decline in nature
- addressing the changing climate and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change
- tackling unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, through the circular economy
- economic recovery, through investment that supports job creation and new markets
- social recovery, by targeting action to those groups, communities and places that are most vulnerable, and/or have been hit hardest to address underlying inequalities and deprivation
Funding Information
- Grant range up to £50,000 and £100,000.
Expected Projects
- Activities must deliver direct benefits to the protected site network. This can include both directly on a site, and on surrounding areas that will improve the condition and connectivity of sites.
- Applicants must demonstrate that they are aware of, and working towards obtaining, the relevant permissions and licenses to carry out their project.
- Applicants will be expected to demonstrate that their planned project delivers against the management objectives for the relevant site.
- Approximately 90% of the total project costs should be capital. Up to 10% revenue funding is available to assist the delivery of the project.
- Applications for funding to support active community involvement would need to embed this in a project where the core focus is on restoration of protected sites. Applications focused only on the involvement aspect will not be eligible for funding.
Eligibility Criteria
- The scheme will be open to all individuals and organisations in Wales, provided that they have the right permissions, licences and consents in place to undertake activity on the protected site network or surrounding areas.
For more information, visit https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/application-guidance-nature-networks-fund