INTRODUCTION
As more and more projects
are being considered to implement Actions in the Tayside Biodiversity
Action Plan, the urgent need for funding
needs to be addressed.
It is hoped this first Newsletter will prove
helpful in suggesting possible ways of locating such project funding.
This publication
is very much a ‘first attempt’ and all Partners – and
those interested in biodiversity issues – would be very
welcome to contribute to future editions. Comments on this First
Issue would also be most welcome so that we can improve on it
in the future.
If you know of any suitable sources of funding
that might be of interest to this Newsletter’s readers,
please send further details so that they can be included in the
next issue. Likewise,
please feel free to pass on this Newsletter to anyone who may
find it of interest.
The copy date for news for Issue 2 will be
31 January 2005.
Catherine Lloyd
Tayside Biodiversity Co-ordinator |
RURAL TAYSIDE GRANTS WEBSITE
www.ruraltayside.org
Originally created in October 2000, this Website
now hosts information on over 100 grants and organisations which
can help with funding
issues. The Website is intended to be used by individuals and
community groups in rural Tayside wishing to simplify the process
of looking for grants which are currently available.
Divided into 8 topic headings, brief descriptions are given about
the grants as well as details of who to contact for further information.
Grant headings include
Art, Culture and Sport
Business
Community Development
Environment
Heritage
Housing
A loose-leaf folder mirroring the information available
online has also been produced. Folders are currently available
at local
libraries and some Community Councils across rural Angus and
Perth & Kinross. |
BIODIVERSITY ACTION
GRANTS SCHEME
The Scottish Executive’s
Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme is intended to stimulate and
encourage a range of projects that will assist implementation of
the aims of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to protect and enhance
Scotland’s natural environment. Together with the Nature
Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy
has now established a coherent system of nature conservation for
Scotland.
Applications are now invited from a wide range of public
bodies, voluntary bodies and local groups to support projects that
benefit
biodiversity locally (or nationally) and involve action to implement
the new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. £200K a year (for
3 years) is now available.
All applications will be assessed by
a panel of biodiversity stakeholders reflecting the strong partnership
behind Biodiversity
Strategy. All applications will be assessed against a range of
criteria, covering:
Delivering the objectives of the Scottish
Biodiversity Strategy.
Delivering an inclusive approach, involving communities, making
connections between biodiversity and people and where appropriate,
offering good quality volunteering opportunities, especially
for young people.
New approaches to partnership working.
Involving wider social or economic benefits.
Be capable of wider replication.
Have clear objectives, defined outcomes and timescales.
Applications
are now invited – the application forms
and supporting documentation are available on the Scottish Biodiversity
Website at www.scotland.gov.uk/biodiversity
The deadline for receipt of applications is 1 September 2004.
Further
details and advice please call
Elaine McCall , Tel 0131-244-6602
e-mail elaine.mccall2@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
or
John Ramsay, Tel 0131-244-6519
e-mail john.ramsay@scotland.gsi.gov.uk |
CSV ACTION GRANT
Grants of up to £50 are made available to help with tool
purchase, equipment materials and refreshments for practical environmental
projects. You can register online or get more information from
www.actionearth.org.uk. If you have any questions or wish to discuss
project ideas then please contact: CSV Action Earth’s Scottish
Co-ordinator, Robert Henderson on Tel: 0131 6227766 or email: rhenderson:csv.org.uk.
For general information about registration, please contact Naseem
Akhtar, Action Earth Co-ordinator on Tel: 0121 328 7455 or Email:
naseem@csvenvironment.org.uk. |
AGGRESIVE LEVY
FOR COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL RENEWAL SCHEME
The Scottish Executive has allocated Forward Scotland £4.1m
for a three year period of 2004-2007. The broad framework and
level of funding available from the CERS grant programme are
specified in the policy directions given to Forward Scotland
by the Scottish Executive. The CERS grant scheme aims to support
a wide range of community based projects that:
Improve the local
environment for communities affected by past or present aggregate
extraction;
Involve the local community and demonstrate social and/or economic
benefit to the local community
Guidance notes are now available.
If you wish to register your interest in the new scheme, please
either call 0141 222
5650 or email:cers@forward-scotland.org.uk with your contact
details.
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SUSTAINABLE ACTION GRANTS
Grants for 2004-2005 and 2006-2007 are now available; further details
on the Scottish Executive website. Details can also be obtained
from: Sustainable Development Directorate, Scottish Executive Environment
and Rural Affairs Department, Area 1-H, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh,
EH6 6QQ. Tel: 0131 244 0395/1750. |
ANGUS ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST GRANT
SCHEME
The scheme covers all of Angus except the northernmost glens. Any
small scale project which fulfils at least one of the objects of
the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme will be considered; the project
must be approved by Entrust.
Contact Roy Madden, Director, Angus Environmental Trust for further
information: Tel. 01307 473540 or email:
maddenr@angus.gov.uk |
THE BIFFAWARD BIODIVERSITY
CATEGORY
Biffaward, a multi-million pound environment fund managed by the
RSNC, which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste
Services, has launched a new biodiversity category. This move follows
ENTRUST's introduction of Object DA into the LTCS.
One of the key
elements of the new criteria is that general public access to project
sites would not need to be demonstrated.
As a result, appropriate organisations will be able to apply
for projects that seek to conserve habitat on private land.
The
Biffaward biodiversity category will have two main aims:
1) to
maintain and recover species in their natural habitat
2) to conserve and promote biological diversity through the provision,
conservation, restoration or enhancement of natural habitat.
Projects
can apply for between £5,000- £50,000 and
should be in line with Biodiversity Action Plans or other relevant
programmes.
As with all Biffaward categories, projects must be
within 10 miles of a Biffa operation to be eligible to apply
for funding.
Biffaward will be looking for projects that demonstrate effective
partnership working and include research, recording, monitoring
and education.
For further details, please visit www.biffaward.org
The Hanson
Environment Fund introduced their new Biodiversity category in
January 2004. |
The BTCV’s
CHESTNUT FUND
Start-up grants of up to £100 are available to support the
administrative costs of setting up a community group involved in
environmental conservation work. Support grants of up to £300
allow community groups to begin or extend practical conservation
work. The applicant group must take out Associated membership with
BTCV (£25), to be eligible to apply.
Contact the Community
Groups Co-ordinator, BTCV Scotland, Balallan House, 24 Allan Park,
Stirling, FK8 2QG; tel: 01786 479697 or
email: scottish-groups@btcv.org.uk |
THE CROWN ESTATE’S MARINE
STEWARDSHIP FUND
This fund provides grant-aid to practical projects which contribute
to development of best practice, and make a significant contribution
to the environmental management and stewardship of the Marine Estates.
Community groups, voluntary and other organisations can all apply
for 100% funding for a project. Proposals that bring together a
range of partners to ensure community benefit are encouraged. All
the projects supported by the Fund must be related to Crown Estate
land, either by demonstrating good management of particular Crown
Estate property, or enhancing stewardship of the Crown Estate's
foreshore and seabed by furthering best practice in coastal and
marine management.
There is no set limit to the funding that can
be applied for; however, the normal maximum request is £10,000
in one year or £30,000
over 3 years. Contact David Philip, The Crown Estate, 6 Bell's
Brae, Edinburgh, EH4 3BJ (david.philip@crownestate.co.uk) or check
the website: www.crownestate.co.uk |
ALLOTMENTS REGENERATION INITIATIVE
The Allotments Regeneration Initiative has received further funding
from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and is inviting further applications
under the scheme. There will be 3 funding streams:
Flagships Grant
Scheme - funding infrastructural works on allotment sites that
have the potential to return to vibrant use (i.e.
currently underused or derelict). Between 15 and 30 grants from £2500
to £25000 will be made. Priority will be given to projects
that engage people currently under-represented on allotments
or disadvantaged people in general. Previous grants within the
initiative have mainly gone to local authority led projects as
a result applications will no longer be accepted from local authority
led initiatives but they must come from allotment associations
or other non-statutory bodies.
Mentor Network - to build a network of volunteer mentors to provide
support for allotment regeneration - mentors will be trained
to make presentations to groups, local authorities and similar
associations. Volunteer mentors will receive training in Birmingham
but all expenses will be reimbursed.
Beer and Buses - enabling people to visit successful allotment
sites and find out what is possible. The programme was launched
in June 2004 and will provide bursaries for visits to other allotments.
Sites can also be listed in a Good Site Guide - by sending a
100-200 word description of why your site should be included.
Details from:
http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari/ariround3.htm |
SEEKIT
The Scottish Executive's Expertise, Knowledge and Innovation Transfer
fund is open to applications. Public bodies are eligible to apply
for funding (local authorities, LECs, Universities etc.) for projects
that will promote co-operation in research & development and
knowledge transfer between SMEs and the Scottish public sector
science base. Innovative proposals that will deliver productive
knowledge transfer outcomes will be welcomed. It is expected that
most projects funded will be able to attract co-finance from European
Structural Funds such as Objective 2 ERDF. Support will be given
to actions which:
Develop knowledge transfer links between research
institutions and SMEs
Disseminate new & existing knowledge, processes and technologies
Encourage the effective commercialisation of R&D activities
Application forms can be found at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/innovationgrants |
CALOR SCOTTISH COMMUNITY OF
THE YEAR AWARDS
These awards aim to provide Scottish communities with recognition
of their achievements. One of the key elements of this scheme to
encourage communities to work together to safeguard the long-term
viability of local life.
This year's Awards feature a total prize
fund of over £5000
for the 5 entry categories:
Environment
Business
Young People
Older People
Community Life
Entry is generally open to all Community Councils
in Scotland, but other community groups can apply, at the discretion
of the
Association of Scottish Community Council's, if they meet the
following criteria:
Not for profit local organisation or trust
set up to improve the social, economic or environmental health
of the local community;
A strong emphasis on the involvement of local individuals or
groups;
Partnerships, networks or forums acting within a localised
community.
More information from:
http://www.communityoftheyear.co.uk/ |
BT SCHOOL AWARDS 2004
The BT Schools Awards for 2004 will be open for applications between
the 28th of May and the 14th November. Up to £½M (£2000
for 240 projects) will be awarded to schools in the UK. Projects
must illustrate:
Good practice in citizenship
Development of the skills and attitudes young people will need
to play their role as active and responsible citizens
Development of communications skills
Projects will need to link
to the curriculum, pupils should be able to play an active role
in the project and projects should
develop good practice that can be disseminated to other schools.
Applications
are available from:
http://www.btplc.com/ict/bt_schools_awards/about_the
awards.cfm
Projects funded last year include:
Creating safe playground environments
Promoting recycling to the school and local community
Establishing a Children's Council - issues of school democracy
Supporting the transition from primary to secondary schools |
And Finally – please
let us know what you’re doing for biodiversity in Tayside.
Please contact:
Catherine Lloyd, Tayside Biodiversity Co-ordinator
Environment Services, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street. Perth. PH1 5GD
Tel: 01738 475273
Email: Tayside.biodiversity@ukf.net |
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THE HERITAGE LOTTERY
FUND
FRAMEWORK FOR HABITAT ACTION PLAN PROJECTS
The Heritage Lottery Fund supports capital and revenue projects
aimed at protecting, enhancing or improving access to and understanding
of land of wildlife value - the natural heritage. One of the current
priorities in assessing countryside projects is theme-based projects,
especially projects that aim to conserve and enhance priority habitats
as defined by UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
This guidance is specifically
for projects requiring grant aid, for projects whose primary purpose
is habitat conservation and
restoration and where the applicant is a charity or not-for-profit
organisation and is usually the legal owner or manager of the
land. For larger, integrated landscape projects involving wider
partnerships and activities on both public and private land applicants
are advised to use the separate Landscape Partnership application
pack available from The Heritage lottery Fund.
Preliminary Heritage Lottery Fund funding figures
Since the beginning of HLF about £3billion has been awarded
and of this, approximately £200 million has been awarded
towards land acquisitions and other projects that have had primary
benefits for nature conservation. £73.6 million has enabled
the purchase of 365 parcels of land totalling an area of 66,137
ha's. Approximately £125 million has funded about 640 biodiversity
projects.
Land acquisitions
HLF has enabled the purchase of : 1510ha's of lowland grazing
marsh, 1136ha's of pasture, 923ha's hay meadow, 803ha's coastal
grazing marsh, 618ha's salt marsh and 462ha's parkland, plus
33584 ha's of marginal land (good quality habitat not classified
- mainly Mar Lodge Scotland Montane habitats) and 3764 ha's
of agricultural land.
Other nature conservation projects
HLF has funded other projects which have benefited grassland
habitats, including 376ha's lowland grazing marsh, 169ha's
pasture and 16ha's hay meadow.
Overall contribution to HAP targets
Taking the figures for land acquisition and biodiversity projects
together, it is possible to indicate what contribution to HAP
targets might be. HLF have collated data looking at how funding
has contributed in terms of conservation, restoration or (re)creation.
There are likely to be other purchases of designed landscapes
or whole farms that contain grassland which will not have been
recorded here. |
HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND
LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP
Guidelines for the HLF's Landscape Partnership Fund have now been
published. The scheme provides funding of between £250000
and £2M. These partnerships will be made up of members of
the community, or regional, national or local organisations with
an interest in a landscape area of distinct local character. The
Partnership will develop, manage and deliver a variety of programmes
and activities that benefit the landscape and the community.
Priorities
include projects that aim to:
Conserve or restore the built and natural features that create
the historic character of the landscape;
Conserve and celebrate local cultural associations
Encourage more people to access, learn about and become involved
in the landscape
Improve understanding of local craft and other skills by providing
training opportunities
The next deadline for applications is the
1st of October and most projects are likely to be in rural areas.
More information
is available at:
CLICK
HERE |
AWARDS FOR ALL
The Government's White Paper on the National Lottery indicated that the upper
limit on grants from Awards for All would increase from £5000 to £10000.
Timescales for this alteration are still unclear. |
THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL
RENEWAL SCHEME (CERS) 2003-2004
Report 2003
Scottish communities in areas affected by past or present quarrying
operations were able to apply for grants of between £5,000
and £50,000 for projects that addressed the environmental
effects of aggregate extraction. Two application rounds were
held in June and September 2003, with a total of 31.9 million
offered to projects that will improve the quality of the local
environment.
Details of the projects supported through the CERS
grant programme can be seen in the documents attached at the
bottom of this section.
Further information will be made available on the Community Webnet.
Please revisit this site for more information.
http://www.forward-scotland.org.uk/
The Small Grant Scheme
Funds available to constituted groups that wish to pursue an
environmental project. The maximum grant available is £1,000
and forward Scotland will normally fund up to 75% of the cost
of a project. However, ‘in kind’ contributions
can be considered as counting towards total cost. The aims
of the Small Grants Scheme are to:
Provide the capacity for
groups at the early stages of a project to plan their outputs
and ascertain how these outputs are going
to be achieved
Provide funding for training or professional help such as a solicitor
or accountant
Assist groups to consult stakeholders on the need for their project.
Enable groups to organise a meeting or seminar to discuss the
project, or
Enable groups to publicise the project in order to develop community
involvement.
The list below shows some of the outputs the Small
Grants Scheme may be able to assist:
Conducting a feasibility
study
Carrying out research
Producing a business plan
Holding a public meeting, seminar or conference
Conducting a survey
Printing a leaflet
Producing a one-off publication
Helping to purchase training or professional support
Attending a seminar or confer4ence held by another group
Designing a website or setting up an electronic network
Sustainable Development
While the main purpose of the Scheme is
assisting environmental projects, work should take account of
good practice in sustainable
development as a whole by including some community benefit connected
to social or economic issues. If you would like to work in partnership
through the Programme, please contact:
Michael.cunningham@forward-scotland.org.uk
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COMMUNITY FUND
New Name: The Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund are
in the process of merging to create the largest of the lottery
funds and a new name has been chosen: The Big Lottery Fund.
Pilot
Scheme - Pre-Application Process - since the 1st of January, the
Community Fund has been piloting a pre-application process
in Scotland. This means that potential applicants complete a
short pre-application form, which is assessed by the Community
Fund, and only those meeting all the criteria for support will
be asked to complete a proper application form. It is anticipated
that the pre-application process will decrease assessment times
by a month, there will be only one application form no matter
how much money is being sought and only those organisations whose
project the Community Fund is likely to be interested in will
need to complete the whole form. The pre-proposal document will
address issues such as organisations' financial status, impact
project will have on clients and how the project will be delivered,
assess how well the idea fits with local funding strategies etc.
Projects
which the Community Fund invite to complete a full application
will be sent a personalised application form (only
those successfully completing the pre-application stage will
receive an application form) and will have 6 months to return
it to the Community Fund.
Policy Changes: The Community Fund has
issued new policies for applicant organisations employing staff
with Community Fund grants.
The 3 key areas are:
Payments towards statutory maternity, paternity,
adoption and sick pay that cannot be recovered from statutory
sources (from
1st April 2004 - maximum £500 - applies to all new and
existing applicants)
Payment of costs to cover statutory redundancy (applies to all
new applicants) on fixed term projects paid by the Community
Fund. Remember to include this in your new application if relevant.
Tapering
for all development applications - organisations will be expected
to contribute (in- kind or cash) 25% of the total
project cost and where organisations cannot contribute 25%, tapering
will be imposed on them. Exceptions will be made where other
funding is not available in the area for the type. |
PARTNERSHIP GRANTS
(SCHOOLS)
The Royal Society has been awarding Partnership Grants to schools
since 2000. The scheme supports teachers working with research
scientists and engineers to create imaginative projects for school
pupils aged 5 to 16. Grants of between £250 and £2500
are available to cover project costs, travel allowances and purchase
of equipment necessary to deliver the project (as long as it is
not usual school equipment). Previous winners have delivered projects
looking at fitness levels, soap, soil samples, levels of acids
in plants, growing of bee orchids, chick hatching etc.
More information
is available on the Royal Society website:
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/education/partnership.htm
The next deadline
is the 22nd of October 2004. Deadlines happen twice a year in
February and October. |
THE SNH COMMUNITY
GRANT SCHEME
The Community Grant Scheme is available to encourage
people to take a more active role in enjoying and managing the
natural heritage
in their local area by:
Increasing awareness and understanding of
local natural heritage;
Improving degraded areas through active management;
Improving access for all;
Acquiring and managing land;
Supporting communities to develop the longer-term capacity to
undertake and manage projects
Any constituted community group
can apply for funds of up to £3,000.
Applications for more than £3,000 and/or involving land
purchase may still be accepted, but assessment will take longer.
Rate of grant is usually up to 50% of eligible costs but higher
rates may be available to voluntary/community groups in some
cases. Any project that benefits both the natural heritage and
the community will be considered, including:
Enhancing the natural
heritage of land and water;
Improving existing footpaths or bridleways;
Community events staged to raise awareness of the local natural
heritage
In the Angus area contact the SNH office at West Lodge,
Airlie, Kirriemuir, DD8 5NP—tel: 01575 530333; in the Perth
and Kinross area contact; SNH Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1
3EW
- tel: 01738 444177. or check the website www.snh.org.uk |
BT COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Another scheme from BT is their Community Connections Grant, which focuses on
voluntary, and community organisations that need access to the Internet to deliver
their services or improve operation activity. An award package worth approximately £1300
is available. It consists of a NEC multimedia computer, Microsoft software and
one year's free Internet connection.
Deadline for Round 2 - the 2nd of December.
More information is available from:
http://www.btcommunityconnections.com |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
With thanks to Dundee City Council for being able to quote from their Spring
Funding Newsletter.
The Biodiversity Funding Newsletter has been compiled by Catherine Lloyd. Thanks
are also due to Lynda Ronald, Perth and Kinross Council for designing and preparing
this Newsletter. |
The Tayside Partnership
includes:
Angus Council, Dundee City Council, the Forestry Commission, Farming & Wildlife
Advisory Group, National Farmers’ Union Scotland, the National
Trust for Scotland, Perth and Kinross Council, the Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds, Scottish Rural Property and Business
Association, Scottish Agricultural College,
Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage,
Scottish Wildlife Trust
The Tayside Biodiversity Action Plan may
be viewed on www.angus.gov.uk or www.pkc.gov.uk |
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