Nature-based Solutions for Climate: apply for a habitat creation grant
How to apply for a grant for habitat creation using blended public and private funding.
Applies to England
The Nature-based Solutions for Climate programme offers one-off grants to partnership-led pilot projects. Projects must achieve habitat creation and restoration at a landscape scale - an area of at least 500 hectares in size.
About the programme
Successful applications will receive part of a £5 million pot from public funding.
The programme aims to:
- learn how carbon accumulates in, and is released from, different habitats across the country
- show how private and public funding can combine to achieve economically viable and long-term environmental objectives
- understand the benefits of considering nature-based solutions at the landscape scale
- provide evidence to inform future grant schemes
Who can apply
You can apply for funding as a partnership (not as an individual) if your project is based, or partially based, in England and led by a:
- not-for-profit organisation, including charities and environmental non-governmental organisations
- public body, including local authorities and national park authorities
- company or other business registered with HMRC, including sole traders, academic institutions, community interest companies and community benefit companies
You cannot apply for funding (but you could play a supportive role in the partnership) if you’re a:
- central government department or one of their executive agencies
- non-departmental public body
When to apply
The grant:
- opened on 7 July 2022
- closes at midday 29 August 2022
How to apply
- Login to Bravo Solution.
- Go to ‘View current opportunities’.
- Find ‘Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change at the Landscape Scale’ - project code 34729.
- Complete the invitation to tender (ITT).
You’ll also need to complete a:
- qualification questionnaire
- technical questions answer template (Annex E of the ITA)
How your application is assessed
Your application must include specific habitats, such as:
- native woodland
- peaty pockets
- hedgerows
- heath
- fen
- semi-natural grassland
Project proposals should consider multiple benefits, such as:
- water quality and water management
- local biodiversity
- access and community engagement
- wider habitat connectivity
The programme is competitive. We’ll award grants to the pilot projects that best meet the programme’s objectives.
If your application is successful
If you’re successful, you’ll need to match funds with a minimum of 15% of the total value of the grant awarded.
Partnerships must complete some of the work before March 2023. All funding from this grant will end in March 2024.
You cannot spend the grant on:
- buying land
- releasing a tenancy agreement
- activities related to any contractual or legal obligations
If your application is unsuccessful
If you’re unsuccessful, Natural England will tell you and direct you to a more appropriate grant opportunity where possible.
How the programme will work
Natural England will run the programme in collaboration with the Environment Agency, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the Forestry Commission.
The programme is co-sponsored by Defra and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and is funded through the HM Treasury Shared Outcomes Fund.
Natural England will work with successful pilot projects to carry out research and monitoring to compare carbon storage and uptake across different habitats of different ages. You must give access to Natural England staff or their designated agents to carry out this research.
The Environment Agency will work with partnerships to develop long-term funding strategies, including governance structures and funding models. Successful applicants will need to attend meetings and workshops to achieve this.
If you’ve any questions
Contact Natural England if you’ve questions about the application process or the programme.