England Coast Path Establishment Fund (ECPEF)
Find out about grants to help land owners, managers and access authorities prepare approved stretches for public use.
Applies to England
You can apply for a grant to help with ‘establishment work’. This is work that’s necessary to make the stretch fit for use as part of the England Coast Path.
Get the grant handbook
Email ECPEF@naturalengland.org.uk to ask for the ECPEF handbook.
Natural England will check your eligibility to apply, then email the handbook to you. If you can’t receive the electronic version, they’ll post a copy to you.
The handbook tells you:
- who can apply
- how to apply
- what the grant can pay for
- what evidence you need to provide to make an application
- how an offer is made
- how you can claim payment
What the grant will fund
The grant can cover 100% of your establishment costs. It will pay for items that include:
- signs
- gates
- access management (such as drainage, surfacing works, cutting, planting)
The full list of eligible items is in the handbook.
Who can apply
You’re eligible if you’re:
- an access authority
- a land owner
- a land manager
How the grant works
The ECPEF grant is competitive. There’s no limit to the size of grant you can apply for.
Natural England will assess all applications to ensure they meet the selection criteria. They will award grants to submissions which represent the best value for money.
The Rural Development Programme for England funds the ECPEF grant.