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Habitat and Biodiversity Grant Funding Criteria

We fund improvements to natural habitats and our vision is for a healthy environment where native species can thrive.

When considering your application, our Trustees will want to see that your project:

Protects and enhances biodiversity and natural habitats

  • Your project will increase biodiversity at the project site.
  • The delivery of this project will not damage or destroy natural habitats.

Inspires the creation of a sustainable carbon neutral space

  • The project will reduce the carbon footprint of the site.
  • You will be working towards goals to make the project site carbon neutral.

Promotes community action and wellbeing

  • You need to have consulted everyone who uses the project site (current and potential) who will benefit from this project.
  • Ensure the results of the consultation are included in the project aims.
  • You will, where possible, make use of volunteers to deliver the project.
  • Volunteering opportunities will increase as a result of this project.

Is inclusive and accessible to everyone and anyone to use

  • The project actively encourages greater use by all members of the general public, from different cultures, religions, ages, genders, backgrounds and disabilities from accessing and using the site.

Organisation

We will consider funding:

  • an application from an organisation which:
    • is charitable and operated on a not-for-profit basis
    • is constituted, with a set of signed governing documents
    • has been established for a minimum of two years
    • has a minimum of two directors, trustees or committee members who are not related to each other
    • does not financially benefit directors, trustees, members
  • an Environmental Body (see Project Registration details below)
  • an application from a Local Authority (County/City/Town/Parish Council)
  • an organisation that accepts any grant awarded will incur an additional CTP cost (see details below*)

Project Registration

(This only applies if the applicant organisation is an Environmental Body – EB)

We will consider funding:

  • a project must already be registered under Object DA with ENTRUST, at the time of application
  • you will need to upload the project details you submitted to ENTRUST and approval letter to your grant application form

We won’t consider funding:

  • an application from an EB which has not already received project approval from ENTRUST

Project Site

We will consider funding:

  • a project which will take place on a single site – located within 10 miles of an eligible landfill site
  • a project resulting in structural improvements to a single site e.g. woodland, nature reserve, waterway or purchase of land for nature conservation
  • all permissions (e.g. Environment Agency) in place at the time of application
  • the named applicant organisation is the landowner (we will ask for evidence of ownership

or

  • the named Applicant Organisation holds a Lease with the landowner, with at least seven years of the term remaining (we will ask for a copy of the lease at application stage)

or

  • The named Applicant Organisation is working in partnership with the landowner who is a Local Authority (see details below*)

We won’t consider funding:

  • a project which takes places on multiple sites

Project Costs

We will consider funding:

  • funding requests between £10,000 and £75,000 
  • funding requests of over £75,000 will be considered from registered charities, EBs or Local Authorities
  • a project where the 10% CTP payment* has been secured, which is required to release the grant

We won’t consider funding:

  • a project that intends to generate an income for use other than for the upkeep of the project site

Project Elements

We will consider funding:

  • physical improvement works which will result in habitat improvements and/or increase in biodiversity
  • staff costs which directly relate to completing the physical improvements at the project site (e.g. Volunteer management)
  • equipment required for project delivery
  • cost of land purchase and associated legal fees (excluding preliminary surveys)

We won’t consider funding:

  • organisation overheads and site running costs (e.g. staff salaries, rent and fees) not directly related to the project
  • costs which have already been incurred (e.g. design fees, planning application fees)
  • projects for the purpose of income generation

Timescale

We will consider funding:

  • a project that will physically start within four months of being awarded a grant
  • a project that will complete within 12 months of its start date

We won’t consider funding:

  • a project that forms part of a larger project
  • a project that has already started or is anticipated to start before formal agreements are signed
  • no more than one application per project site will be considered in a 12 month period:
    • if you have previously received funding from us, you cannot apply until 12 months after your final payment date
    • if you have applied previously and your application was withdrawn prior to a decision by our Trustees, please contact us to see if you are eligible to reapply

*Partnership Applications

We are currently trialling accepting applications from eligible organisations (see above) looking to see the improvement of Local Authority owned land.

What are the additional requirements?

A company, public sector organisation, voluntary body, individual or your own organisation. This is subject to the following conditions:

  • The landowner must be a Local Authority. 
  • The Local Authority will need to be a partner to the project and confirmation of their support will need to be submitted within your application. 
  • The Local Authority will need to confirm how the partnership will work, including the responsibilities each organisation will have throughout the application process. 
  • The Local Authority will need to sign a Funding Agreement for any project awarded funding by The Veolia Environmental Trust. Your organisation may also be required to jointly sign the agreement. 

For further information please contact us.

**Contributing Third Party Payment (CTP Payment)

If your application is successful, you will need to arrange a CTP payment of 10% of your grant amount, to the landfill operator, before your grant can be released. This payment is retained by the landfill operator to cover the 10% tax credit shortfall, it is never refunded. 

For further information please read this Guidance.

How do I apply?

For funding requests of £75,000 and under, please apply online here.

For funding requests over £75,000 email UK.Trust@veolia.com with the following information:

– your name and contact details

– organisation name and charity number, if not a local authority

– a brief description of the overall project (approx. 250 words) or equivalent documentation

– estimated project cost and amount of funding requested (any specific project elements you intend to request funding for)

– estimated project timescales

We reserve the right not to progress any application.

If you would like to discuss your project, or require further information please contact us. Email: UK.Trust@veolia.com Telephone: 0203 567 6820

This criteria is reviewed quarterly, therefore it is important, you revisit when you are ready to submit your application to make sure your grant request remains eligible. We reserve the right not to progress any application.

If you would like to discuss your project, or require further information please contact us.

Email: UK.Trust@veolia.com Telephone: 0203 567 6820