Biodiversity Strand

Background: why the Biodiversity strand?

This strand continues our interest in the interface between science and practical conservation action.

The Biodiversity strand will build on previous work of the Esmée Fairbairn UK Biodiversity Programme, and responsive UK biodiversity grant-making. It reflects our longstanding support in this area.

The Foundation has a broader interest in nature conservation, natural history and wider environmental issues. These applications should go to our Main Fund.

Purpose: What is the Biodiversity strand aiming to achieve?

The Biodiversity strand will focus on species and habitats that are uncharismatic or hard to fund and aims to support the development of effective conservation approaches. This strand aims to help develop a greater knowledge and understanding of our environment, where this is linked to clear conservation outcomes.

Available funding

• The budget is £3million over three years from 2008, subject to annual review.
• It is anticipated that there will be a range of grant sizes, with a small number of larger grants (£100,000+) complemented by smaller awards.

What are we looking to fund under the Biodiversity strand?

Linking science and practical action, the strand will prioritise partnership applications involving research organisations, practical conservation charities and voluntary nature societies.

This strand will focus on overcoming technical barriers to conservation action, such as a specific knowledge or skills gap or a highly targeted action that is unlikely to attract funding elsewhere.

In 2008, we will focus on biodiversity conservation in urban areas, including conservation actions in new development sites, on brown-field sites and on major artificial river and coastal features.

However, other applications outside of urban areas will be considered. Priority will be given to proposals that have some of the following characteristics:

• Partnerships of practical conservation organisations, research groups and natural history societies or other volunteer naturalists
• Projects that incorporate field research, primary data collection, and improve identification skills
• Work that shows wider policy impacts
• Conservation of species and habitats that may be considered uncharismatic by the general public but are of particular interest
• Work on multiple sites, or across major landscape features.

What is excluded from support?

• Research where there is no practical conservation outcome
• Work on sites where there is a statutory obligation for protection, such as SSSIs will only be funded in exceptional circumstances
• Work listed under the Main Fund exclusions will not be funded under this strand.

Application process

1. Applicants should complete a First Stage Application, clearly marked "Application to the Biodiversity Strand" at the top of each page, comprising:

a) a form. Download an electronic version of the form (Word 40k).

b) a short statement summarising what you would like to do and why on no more than two sides of A4, using a font no smaller than 12-point. Please use the following headings:

• A brief description of your organisation and its track record
• What you would like us to fund
• Why you want to do this work
• How the project meets the criteria of the Biodiversity Strand
• How much the project would cost and how much you are asking Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for
• Additional information that could advance your application.

c) a copy of your organisation's most recent accounts (or a budget for the current year if your organisation is new, or the appropriate departmental budget if you are a local authority).

d) your organisation's constitution (if you are not a registered charity, with the exception of local authorities).

2. The initial application will be considered by a panel on a quarterly basis.  We may at this stage ask for a peer review, or other expert advice. If you are uncomfortable with this, contact us by phone first 0207 297 4700.

3. We will then contact you to let you know whether you are invited to proceed to the second stage of the application process.  If you are successful we will let you know what additional information we need and by when.

4.  Final decisions will be made by the panel at its quarterly meeting.

May 2008

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