£300,000 grants available for large-scale nature projects in Cambridgeshire
Grants of up to £300,000 for landscape projects that aim to benefit nature, aid biodiversity and enhance green spaces for communities will soon be available.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fund for Nature is about to launch its second funding round, opening for expressions of interest from 4 February.
Established through a grant from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, the fund is managed by Natural Cambridgeshire, the local nature partnership for the region, which is working on the ambition of doubling the quantity and quality of wildlife habitats in the county.
Expressions of interest are welcomed from landowners and farmers integrating productive land use with biodiversity goals, local authorities and public bodies enhancing community green spaces and conservation organisations planning large-scale habitat restoration projects.
Large projects that attract external investment, generate sustainable revenue and aim to be financially self-sustaining and deliver measurable benefits like climate change adaptation, health improvements, flood prevention, and water quality enhancement will be prioritised.
A webinar for prospective applicants will take place on Tuesday, 11 February, from 2-3.30pm, featuring updates on the first approved scheme, the Fleam Dyke Project, and guidance on the funding round. Register at https://shorturl.at/bYxcq.
Matthew Bullock, trustee of Natural Cambridgeshire and chair of the Fund for Nature Committee, said: “The Fund for Nature is focusing on large-scale projects to help farmers and landowners create habitats that support diverse species and restore wildlife in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It offers capital for these projects, which must be self-sustaining, matched by other contributions, and repayable. The goal is to promote the use of Green Finance, including biodiversity, woodland, carbon, and water credits, to help double Nature's footprint in the region.”
Visit https://naturalcambridgeshire.org.uk/projects/cpfundfornature2guidance/ for the application timeline, expressions of interest form, and guidance documents.
