Community Wildlife Fund

The BIG Lottery Fund has announced the launch of its new Community Wildlife Fund and it is available throughout the UK.  Through the fund not for profit groups, local councils, schools and health bodys can apply for funding of between £300 and £10,000 for projects that will bring together local people to discover, enjoy or protect wildlife in their local area by improving rural or urban environments for people to enjoy, and by getting people more active and healthier.

The kind of stuff that is eligible for a grant includes:

• protecting wildlife habitats
• creating a nature trail, woodland walk or wildlife garden for people to enjoy
• improving natural community spaces, such as rivers, ponds and woodland
• exploring parks, rivers and the countryside to look for rare or endangered species
• encouraging people to take up gardening or go on nature walks
• providing opportunities for children to learn about nature through play

There are three deadlines for applications and there is not a lot of time between them.

The first deadline is the 21st July 2010, followed by the 22nd September and the 24th November 2010.