Biodiversity Challenge Fund Information for Applicants - Scottish Natural Heritage
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Biodiversity Challenge Fund Information for Applicants
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
global assessment in May 2019 showed unprecedented global declines in nature. The State of
Nature Scotland Report 2019 reflects that in the five decades since consistent scientific monitoring
began there has been a 24% decline in average species abundance across monitored wildlife.
IPBES states that biodiversity is threatened by five direct drivers:
– Land and sea use change
– Direct exploitation of organisms
– Climate change and its impact
– Pollution
– Invasive non-native species
Climate change makes the other factors more significant in impact. Scotland’s first minister Nicola
Sturgeon declared a climate emergency in April 2019, and in May 2019 stated that “The challenges
facing biodiversity are as important as the challenge of climate change, and I want Scotland to be
leading the way in our response”.
In launching the 2020 Programme for Government, Scotland’s First Minister placed Covid-19 as
the most immediate priority but was clear that “we mustn’t forget that the global climate
emergency is intensifying, and that too requires our urgent attention”. As we build a green
recovery - a recovery that is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive1 - the twin
challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss will be central components of a more resilient
and inclusive economy.
The Scottish Government and NatureScot continue to take a progressive lead, for example in
funding and supporting positive work on peatlands at landscape scales. This will step up with a
third round of biodiversity challenge funding, targeting transformational change to increase the
biodiversity and environmental value of land and sea, maintaining a focus on habitats and
species, while simultaneously supporting green skills, training and jobs where that is possible. In
doing so, successful projects from this third round of funding will contribute to the green recovery
as we emerge from Covid-19 and work towards a nature rich future.
The Fund
The Biodiversity Challenge Fund (BCF) has been boosted by additional funds from the Programme
for Government and we are seeking applications for a further round of projects. This is a
1
UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme
BCF3 – December 2020competitive fund that will be implemented during the 2021-2022 financial year, with projects
starting from 1 April 2021. All projects and their activities must be completed and claimed by 31
March 2022.
Specific habitat, species and setting (urban, freshwater and marine) priorities are set out in the
accompanying ‘Priorities for Action’ document on our website. You should use this document to
help develop detailed proposals.
What kind of projects will be funded?
To secure a measurable contribution to the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, we
want to fund projects that will:
1. Bring about transformational change to enhance the biodiversity value and wider
environmental benefits of land or site(s) for example flood mitigation, drought alleviation,
large scale habitat restoration or coastal adaption and resilience; and
2. Offer nature-based solutions to address the drivers of biodiversity change; and
3. Preferably, offer opportunities for skills development, training and/or jobs to help contribute
to a more resilient workforce and the development of skills for the future; and
4. Make connections and link actions and/or projects, increasing impact and thus resilience in
habitats and species most at risk.
Additionally, projects should:
5. Be as collaborative as possible, either via existing partnerships or enabling different
organisations and groups to work together to deliver action on the ground.
6. Be in a position to start immediately and move quickly to secure any permissions that are
required as set out in ‘Permissions and Consents’ below.
7. Demonstrate clear additionality to existing and already committed actions.
8. Implement clear monitoring and evaluation plans that will evidence short term impacts, likely
contributions to longer term outcomes and provide information to existing biodiversity
reporting processes.
9. Demonstrate for all land management and site improvement works how the outputs will be
maintained for at least 10 years after the end of the BCF funding period
10. Acknowledge BCF support as set out in our guidance for recipients.
Examples of projects that could be funded include:
– Natural flood management solutions, for example river based engineering works that
reconnect rivers to floodplains
– Groundworks that create new habitat such as wetlands by re-meandering/re-profiling,
deculverting stretches of previously straightened rivers/streams
– In–stream or river works such as installing woody debris and banking to increase habitats
and reduce erosion, removing barriers to fish passage and other man made obstacles that
negatively impact habitats and flood events
– Urban wetland creation that contributes to strategic approaches to sustainable urban
drainage
– Enhancing habitat linkages and habitat creation that increases connectivity at
landscape/cityscape scale, for example extended hedges and margins on farmland.
BCF3 – December 2020– Deliver a programme of INNS eradication that includes training of volunteers in treatment
and control enabling a long term programme of volunteer maintenance to be established
beyond the life of the BCF project.
– Strategic habitat creation to enhance green networks in urban areas
– Management of grazing pressure to enable landscape scale natural regeneration
– Dune management to enhance resilience to climate change impacts or enhance
biodiversity, e.g. through grazing or trampling control or removal of invasive species
– Infrastructure that helps to support longer-term restoration efforts for Priority Marine
Features.
– Changes to existing practices/approaches that help realise the benefits of and make a
positive contribution towards the conservation objectives for Marine Protected Areas.
Projects within the boundaries of our National Parks must comply with the relevant plan
(Cairngorms National Park; Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park).
BCF and SRDP2 schemes
BCF3 is able to consider applications for biodiversity enhancing activities that would have been
eligible through AECS3 as, at the time of BCF launch, there is currently no opportunity to apply for
AECS funding for 2021/224.
All projects that would have been eligible through AECS must demonstrate in their application that
they meet the BCF3 priorities – AECS eligibility alone does not confirm BCF3 eligibility.
BCF topic advisors (or colleagues in SGRPID) will work with applicants who express an interest in
applying to BCF3 for rural projects to confirm eligibility before a full application is submitted.
The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) will be available in its current format until at least 2024. BCF will
therefore not fund tree planting schemes, or any other woodland improvement or management
activities, for which FGS funding is available. However, BCF may consider tree planting elements
of wider projects where your project does not meet the eligibility criteria of FGS, where this is
confirmed by Scottish Forestry.
Applications that are eligible for FGS but have been unsuccessful in securing FGS funds are not
eligible to apply to BCF3.
BCF projects that seek to enable natural regeneration, for example via site manipulation or
enclosures, should consider any longer term expectations of securing FGS funds and ensure that
subsequent FGS eligibility is considered from the outset.
2
Scottish Rural Development Programme: https://www.gov.scot/policies/agriculture-payments/scottish-
rural-development-programme-srdp
3
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme: https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-
schemes/agri-environment-climate-scheme/
4
If an opportunity to apply for AECS opens during the application or assessment period, project applicants
must confirm their application intentions with NatureScot.
BCF3 – December 2020Before expressing your interest in applying to BCF3, you are encouraged to discuss your project
with your local Woodland Officer. Contact details can be found via
https://forestry.gov.scot/about/local-offices
What kind of projects will not be funded?
This fund will not be able to fund the following type of projects:
1. Maintenance of existing sites or the implementation of previously agreed (site)
management plan actions.
2. Replacement of existing infrastructure where there is no biodiversity enhancement.
3. Projects that do not seek to transform land/sites to a new, sustainable, nature-rich state.
4. Development of new partnerships and/or collaborations to plan for future action.
5. Building capacity and skills in organisations and groups (in terms of their ability to manage
and implement large scale and externally funded projects).
6. Development of management plans.
7. Primarily focused on people and engagement outcomes, but noting the benefits for
people that will be gained from successful projects and the opportunities they may
provide to connect people and communities to nature as a BCF legacy.
8. Surveys, monitoring and/or data analysis where collation of data is the primary purpose
(surveys as part of project monitoring and evaluation are eligible).
9. Enabling partner organisations and stakeholders to deliver their statutory obligations for
biodiversity, habitats and species.
10. Annual management payments to farmers.
11. In order to meet NatureScot’s climate commitments, BCF will not fund the use of single
use plastics, for example for tree protection. Biodegradable or re-usable materials should
be sourced.
12. Multi-site projects where each site is not transformational or able to meet the £100k
minimum threshold in its own right. We will consider, by exception, proposals for
coherent and linked projects in an urban setting where these criteria cannot be met but
the minimum BCF threshold of £100k is met.
The primary focus of this fund is transformational change to increase the biodiversity value of land
and sea with a focus on nature based solutions to address the impacts of climate change and
biodiversity loss. Supporting opportunities for green skills, training and jobs is also a high priority
during both implementation of projects and in creating a BCF skills legacy.
Funding award level and match funding
We anticipate making a small number of larger funding awards to reflect the scale of action
needed to make a difference.
We invite applications for transformational projects that make a minimum BCF funding request of
£100k for projects starting from 1 April 2021. Recognising the scale of project required to make a
transformational change, there is no upper threshold in this third round of funding. All projects
and their activities must be completed and claimed by 31 March 2022.
All applications will be required to confirm cash or in-kind contributions to the project. There is no
maximum intervention rate. The Biodiversity Challenge Fund will, where justified, cover up to
BCF3 – December 2020100% of cash costs for projects that will make a significant contribution to the Priorities for Action
and can demonstrate proportionate in-kind support (a minimum of 10%).
Cash contributions to projects cannot be matched from NatureScot grants, Peatland Action or
from Green Infrastructure funds. We recognise that while funds can’t be matched from these
sources, making connections to projects funded by them, and working in catchments/sites
alongside, may allow increased action.
Cash or in-kind contributions to cover the reporting of BCF activity (as distinct from undertaking
and completing evaluation reports) and the claiming of BCF must be confirmed within each
application. These are no longer eligible BCF project management costs but can be included as a
proportionate element within the minimum 10% match funding that is required.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applications are invited from:
1. Constituted organisations.
a. Registered charities and trusts.
b. Communities.
2. Local authorities and other public sector organisations.
3. Private individuals and companies - where public benefit will be demonstrated.
4. Partnerships and organisations working collaboratively with others.
Where applications are received from partnerships or organisations working collaboratively, a lead
applicant must be identified. If successful, the lead applicant will be required to accept the Terms
and Conditions of the Funding Offer, provide overall project updates and claim funds on behalf of
all project partners. We will ask you to tell us how the project will be managed in your project
proposals.
Landowner permission and the maintenance compliance period
All successful BCF projects are required to confirm landowner permission for the works to take
place and permission for any subsequent maintenance over a period of 10 years - the
maintenance compliance period. These permissions are confirmed via a signed Landowner
Declaration form that can be viewed and downloaded from our website.
Ten year maintenance will be at no further cost to NatureScot and all sites must be maintained in
the condition created with BCF funds to enable the longer term benefits to be realised (for
example repairs to fencing, management of hedgerows). In the event that a site is sold, the BCF
maintenance obligations must be included within the sale contract.
Where an application is received directly from a landowner, the separate Landowner Declaration
form is not required. The maintenance compliance obligations will be included within the Terms
and Conditions of the Funding Offer issued and binding on acceptance of the offer.
Where applications are received from organisations not in ownership of the land where action
will take place, a signed Landowner Declaration MUST be received by NatureScot before a Funding
Offer will be issued. It will be assumed that the landowner(s) is aware of the proposed actions
BCF3 – December 2020within your application and that appropriate consultation about your proposal has already taken place. Standard Terms and Conditions of Funding are available to view on our website. We will inform you of any additional Special Conditions that may require you to liaise with the landowner(s) prior to issuing our formal Funding Offer. If a signed Landowner Declaration form is not received within the timeframe specified when we inform you of our intent to support your project, NatureScot will withdraw that in-principle support and no offer of funding will be made. Where an applicant leases the land where action will take place: If the lease agreement extends beyond the 10 year compliance period, the applicant can sign the Landowner Declaration where there are no break clauses that can be implemented during the 10 year maintenance compliance period. If there are break clauses in the lease agreement that could be implemented within the 10 year maintenance compliance period, irrespective of how long the lease lasts, the landowner will be required to sign the Landowner Declaration as the applicant is unable to give the 10 year maintenance compliance commitment that is required. Other Permissions and Consents We will ask you in the application form what permissions and consents are required to enable you to implement your project, including a likely timescale for both applying and securing them. If your application is successful, all relevant permissions must be confirmed before work commences. This includes EIA decisions, felling permissions, SEPA licences, Marine licences, SSSI consents and any other permissions relating to designated sites or land ownership, where appropriate. Permissions must be sought as soon as possible after a Funding Offer has been issued with the expectation these will be secured within a specified timeframe of the Funding Offer date - we understand that some permissions may take longer, for example a SEPA CAR licence. You should explain in the application form what discussions have occurred regarding permissions and with who. If your project requires planning permission, we recognise this can take some time. You should detail what discussions you have had with the planning authority in your application form, including any feedback and indications of timescale, and ensure that the implications of a delayed decision and your ability to deliver the project by the end of March 2022 are fully addressed within the risk section of the application form. NatureScot will offer funding that is conditional on permissions being secured by a set date. If that timeframe is not achieved, you should expect that we will withdraw our offer of funding. What costs can be funded? Costs that can be funded: 1. Contractor costs for example to undertake detailed design or groundworks. 2. Capital equipment, resources and materials for example culverts, bridges, sluice, fencing. 3. Costs associated with training and skills development such as training providers, PPE. BCF3 – December 2020
4. Staff costs inclusive of salary, National Insurance and Employee Pension Contributions. The
short term nature of the funding is such that we do not anticipate creation and recruitment
of new posts. Therefore, it is likely the fund will cover the cost of existing staff having
either a proportion of dedicated project time or additional hours.
5. Where there are staff costs, organisational and overhead costs (Full Cost Recovery) to
cover office accommodation, equipment and running costs and wider staff support (e.g.
finance, IT). To note we cannot fund staff time to report on progress and claim BCF funds
as set out above.
6. Project staff travel and subsistence to cover staff and any volunteers supporting delivery of
the project activities.
7. Project evaluation - additional costs for measuring success and evaluating the project.
Excludes project staff costs.
8. Irrecoverable VAT relating to project costs and activities.
9. Management fees - where applications are received from a partnership or organisations
working collaboratively (but not costs associated with establishing any additional
partnership governance to oversee implementation of the project).
How will the fund work?
You should read the BCF Outcomes and Eligibility, How to Apply and Contacts and Resources
pages on our website. We request that you then get in touch with us to discuss your application
prior to submitting your Application and Project Finances forms.
Please email us at BCF@nature.scot and we will arrange for an Adviser to contact you to discuss
your application. You should include a brief outline of your proposed project activities, noting the
‘Areas for action’ and ‘Targeted action’ priorities relevant to your project. This will ensure the
most appropriate Adviser gets in touch with you. If possible, please also include an indicative value
of the funding you’ll seek.
If we assess that your proposed project could meet the BCF third round priorities, we’ll send you
an application form, with a unique project reference number, to complete. This will only be made
available to those projects who have been in touch and have been offered the opportunity to
submit a full application. We will not accept any applications without a project reference number.
The opportunity to complete a full application does not guarantee that it will be successful.
To allow for expected demand, please email us with details of your potential application by 15
January 2021. If you contact us after this date we can’t guarantee we will be able to respond
before the application submission deadline of 5 February 2021. You may submit more than one
application where potential projects are entirely unrelated.
Following assessment of your application, we will inform you of the outcome of our decision
making. For successful projects, you will need to confirm the following details before we will
make any offer to your project:
– cash and in-kind contributions
– landowner agreements
– maintenance plans
BCF3 – December 2020Timescales Fund launched 4 December 2020 Closing date for applications 5 February 2021 - midnight Applicants informed of decisions Early April 2021 Funding Offers will be progressed from early April 2021. During this time, Funding Officers will liaise with successful applicants to ensure any required actions have been undertaken before an Offer can be made. Acknowledgement You will be required to acknowledge Biodiversity Challenge Fund support as set out in the guidance “How to acknowledge our support for your project” on our website. NatureScot will issue press statements on projects awarded funding. Queries If, having read the Priorities for Action and Information for Applicants documents, you have any queries on the fund, please send an email to BCF@nature.scot in the first instance, thank you. BCF3 – December 2020
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