The aim of LPfN is to create Nature on Your Doorstep, where people live, work and access public services. It focuses on engaging communities to create and enhance places for nature, not just to be passive recipients or observers of nature.
LPfN is a bottom-up programme with a focus on urban areas, particularly areas of deprivation and/or those with little or no access to nature.
The Powys Nature Partnership would like to offer partners, organisations, and services the chance to bid for grant funding to create local places for nature where people live, work and access public services.
The fund is open to community groups, voluntary organisations, charities and other third sector organisations. It is also open to the health board, schools, the local authority, town & community councils, and other public sector organisations. Please see the application form for more information.
Local Places for Nature Grant Application Form (Word doc) [925KB]
The Powys Nature Partnership would like to offer partners, organisations, and services the chance to bid for grant funding to create local places for nature where people live, work and access public services. Projects must be based in Powys but outside of the Brecon Beacons National Park (this area is covered by the Brecon Beacons Local Nature Partnership).
These grants are administered nationally by the WCVA and locally by the Powys Nature Partnership via Powys County Council.
Who can apply:
The fund is open to community groups, voluntary organisations, charities and other third sector organisations. It is also open to the health board, schools, the local authority, town & community councils, and other public sector organisations. Applicants must have suitable public liability insurance for any work carried out along with any necessary permissions and consents to carry out the project.
Size of fund:
Each project can apply for a grant of between £2000 and £10,000. The funding available is for Capital items/resources/equipment. If you plan to purchase any single item/piece of equipment/resource (including any work by contractors)which costs over £5000 then you must submit three quotes with your application. This is a reimbursement grant; applicants must submit evidence of expenditure to receive grant payments.
What we will fund:
We are looking for projects that will take practical action to create local places for nature by creating greenspaces, including on man-made structures and surfaces, or enhancing greenspaces which already exist. Projects do not have to be based at one site, for example, you may plan to deliver a town-wide project. Projects must be on land that is in not-for-profit, they must enhance nature and allow communities to access nature where they live, work and access public services. Projects must be in urban areas (in towns and villages or within walking distance). Preference will be given to projects in deprived areas (based on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation) or projects which benefit communities with little or no access to nature.
Each project must contribute towards at least one of Welsh Government’s ‘modest measures’ to:
- Increase wildflower planting;
- Increase community food growing opportunities;
- Increase local tree planting;
- Create dense and diverse woodlands the size of a tennis court;
- Create habitats at rail stations and transport interchanges;
- Encourage wildflowers and improve biodiversity by changing mowing practices;
- Create sensory gardens; or
- Reduce the use of pesticides.
All projects must adopt the 'do no harm to nature principle', including steps such as using peat free composts and minimising plastic waste as well as using appropriate native species. Materials must be suitable for the area, as environmentally friendly as possible and sourced locally where possible. Plants (including trees and wildflowers) must be native species and of local provenance.
Each project should be designed to be delivered in a way that ensures long-term sustainability. Applicants must agree to maintain the site for a minimum of five years and have a plan for future maintenance. On-going maintenance, repairs, and running costs cannot be covered by the funding but funding can be used to purchase tools, equipment plus sheds/tool stores to help maintain the site(s).
Previous projects have included creating wildlife and community gardens, green walls, sensory gardens as well as creating wildflower verges and wildflower meadows. This funding can be used to purchase what you need to create a local place for nature, for example:
- plants (trees, shrubs, seeds, bulbs, wildflower turf, etc.);
- tools and equipment;
- wildlife habitats (e.g., bird boxes, bee hotels);
- planters;
- compost;
- benches;
- a compost bin; and
- a water butt.
This is not an exhaustive list, but this will hopefully give you an idea of what can be funded.
Project Timescale
Funding must be spent within the 2022/23 financial year. The final grant claim, with evidence of expenditure, must be submitted by 17th March 2023.Successful applicants will be required to submit quarterly grant claims and a project report, with photos, must be submitted with the final grant claim to show how the funding has been used.
Application Deadline
The closing date for applications will be 12pm 12/06/2022. Applications will be considered by a panel.
Please note, if you are not able to submit an application before the deadline but have an idea for a future Local Places for Nature project then please email us to let us know. We may be able to take these projects forward later in the year or in the next financial year, if more funding becomes available.
