Our ReNature fund seeks to support community projects focused on changes in land management that will lead to increasing space for nature.
ReNature funding supports land owners, land managers and community organisations to create new nature sites, and to manage existing sites better for biodiversity. We are looking for projects that will showcase positive management for nature in the community.
Projects could create wildflower meadows, heathland, hedgerow, areas managed as chalk grassland, more natural rivers or dewponds.
Applying for a ReNature Grant
The latest round of funding for ReNature grants is now OPEN until 20 October 2024.
Decisions on these applications will be made by end of November/early December 2024.
If you require advice to design your project, please contact the Grants Officer. South Downs National Park Rangers and specialist staff can inform applications, however, if your project needs detailed development you may be asked re-submit for the next round of decisions in February/March 2025. This is to allow the time needed for our staff to support you, which may include scheduling a site visit. In some cases you could be asked to seek external advice.
ReNature funding
Grants between £2,000 and £25,000 will be made by the South Downs National Park Trust (SDNPT). Applications will be judged on their proposed outcomes for biodiversity, value for money and ongoing management of the site as well as community outcomes. A grant panel will decide on applications over £5,000.
Important information about this funding:
- Projects that create new nature sites and offer landscape connectivity with existing nature sites are prioritised
- If funded you will be asked to submit environmental monitoring information, be responsible for maintaining equipment and built items (gates, fences etc) as well as carry out the actions in a maintenance plan.
- SDNPT will share information with the SDNP and external partners to monitor the outcomes of your project and publicise the fund.
- It will not fund typical organisational expenditure on salaries and overheads.
- It will not fund work already undertaken, recoverable VAT, fulfilling a statutory obligation or planning consent
Who can apply?
Local Authorities, Parish Councils, CICs, charities, and constituted voluntary groups can apply. Applications from commercial partners and private land owners are considered where projects are not-for-profit, however, the proposed benefits for biodiversity and cash/ management contributions will need to be considerable to be prioritised above other groups.
Projects with community benefit are more likely to be successful. The applicant must be the land owner or have the land owner’s permissions to carry out the project and actions in the management plan.
The site
Sites must be within the National Park boundary. If the site is already designated for nature, e.g. a SSSI, we will be looking at whether you propose bigger, better and more joined up habitat areas that offer connection to the wider landscape.
What will it fund?
You can apply for a combination of natural landscape features (such as trees and pond creation), built items (e.g. fencing), equipment and tools (where essential to successful ongoing land -management)
Where a project facilitator or training is essential to deliver a project, these costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For community organisations we can offer grant towards the first year of your management plan, where essential to establish the site.
Current ReNature projects include chalk grassland improvements on a Golf Course, reversion of recreational spaces to wildflower meadows and supporting the transition of an old arable field to grassland.
Image shows Lewes Golf Course – where for the last 2 years they have been using a cut and collect management system for their rough grassland. This has promoted the growth of wildflowers for pollinators and wildlife as well as giving substantial savings in time and cutting costs.
Credit – Tim Brewster
Guidance and Application
Please read the attached Guidance Document for full details about the funding before applying.
ReNature Funding Application form
Need more inspiration?
The following short film illustrates the nature recovery seen at the former Waterhall Golf Course.
ReNature Green Finance Fund
We are also providing seed funding to a selection of projects which are taking a whole farm approach to Nature Recovery.
Our seed funding is supporting landowners to explore options of ReNaturing their land through the sale of Ecosystems services.
Our first two pilots resulted in 97.5 ha recovered for nature and we are now working with Hinton Ampner, West Dean and the Ouse Valley Nature Reserve, to see if we can replicate this work.
Other sources
Green Finance Institute – Investment Readiness Toolkit. The Investment Readiness Toolkit is an online and interactive framework that takes nature-based project developers and enterprises along the eight milestones of a path to ‘Investment Readiness’, providing key considerations and case studies.
Credit Nature – Nature Impact Token. A Nature Impact Token is a digital asset that represents a certified fractional stake in a nature recovery project. Nature Impact Tokens connect investors with like-minded landowners to deliver investable nature recovery project for the benefits of nature, people and business.
