Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust are working as a partnership to deliver this exciting new opportunity to landowners, organisations and communities over the next three years.
Eligibility for Natural Networks
- Natural Networks can offer support to projects that will directly enhance biodiversity for example, creating wildflower meadows, reedbeds, or new ponds
- we cannot generally pay for equipment, ongoing management or public access and interpretation
- the grants are aimed at land that has previously been unable to receive environment grant schemes so sites cannot be eligible for, or already receiving, Countryside Stewardship payments
- sites need to have free and ongoing public access
- this can be in terms of Public Rights of Way or more formal status, such as a public park
- alternatively, applicants must be able to show that the site is regularly and freely open to the public
- the grants are aimed at small and medium businesses (SMEs), third sector organisations and public bodies (e.g. Local and Parish Councils)
How we can help?
- Worcestershire County Council will check your eligibility for the scheme
- Worcestershire Wildlife Trust will then visit your site to carry out a Biodiversity Enhancement Assessment, evaluating its existing biodiversity value and recommending ways to enhance it
- your project will be presented to an appraisal panel, who will decide whether to award a Natural Networks grant to your project
Grant information
- Natural Networks can fund up to 45% of a project’s cost
- the minimum grant payable is £2,000, the maximum grant is £200,000 (which must equal 45% or less of your project cost)
- grants must be cash-matched
- payments will be made in arrears and applicants must demonstrate that they have completed works and obtained relevant planning permissions, drainage consents, etc. prior to funds being disbursed
- funds must be disbursed before the end of June 2021
Who can I contact for more information?
Katie Ainsworth
Programme Manager
Telephone: 01905 843992
Email: sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk
Lucy Mayo
Programme Assistant
Telephone: 01905 846741
Email: sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk
How is the Project Funded?
The project is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. For more information visit the European Growth Funding website (opens in a new window)
Who can I contact for more information?
Katie Ainsworth
Programme Manager
Telephone: 01905 843992
Email: sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk
Lucy Mayo
Programme Assistant
Telephone: 01905 846741
Email: sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk
How is the Project Funded?
The project is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. For more information visit the European Growth Funding website (opens in a new window)