Key information
Publication type: General
Contents
Foreword
London’s green spaces – our parks, woodlands, nature reserves, rivers, canals and more – have a crucial role to play in tackling the climate and ecological emergencies we face. They help to keep London cool, provide shade and reduce the risk of flooding as well as being vitally important for our health and wellbeing. They also provide homes for wildlife and bring nature closer to Londoners.
We also know that, despite ongoing efforts, our natural environment is deteriorating worldwide, and this decline is projected to worsen if we fail to act. Next spring, governments from around the world will seek to agree a new set of global goals to protect our environment over the next decade, when they meet at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15) on the Biodiversity Convention, and I will ensure London plays a positive role.
When I became Mayor, I made a commitment to tackle the twin dangers of toxic air pollution and the climate emergency. During my first term, I introduced the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and set out my ambition for London to be zero carbon by 2030. Recently I expanded the ULEZ to an area 18 times its original size, and I’ve declared a ‘retrofit revolution’ to create low carbon buildings and green jobs. In the year that COP26 on climate change was held, our city has led from the front.
Addressing the climate crisis requires bold action. Since I became Mayor a record 350,000 trees have been planted, I’ve continued to protect the Green Belt, and earlier this year I announced a further £6m investment in green spaces through my Grow Back Greener and Green and Resilient Spaces funds. These build on the achievements of my first term, when £13m of investment I put through the Greener City Fund, and strong protections in my London Plan, helped to secure London’s status as the world’s first National Park City. However, we need to go much further and faster to rewild the capital.
Our recovery from COVID-19 must be a green one, and through my Green New Deal for London I’m determined to take the action required to lead a just transition to a greener economy, healthier city and more equal society. Protecting, restoring and increasing London’s green spaces, and the wildlife they support, is at the heart of these plans. I’m also committed to improving the quality of our Green Belt, including through rewilding, to strengthen its defence against development.
Across the capital we have more than 1,600 sites protected because of their importance for wildlife. Some are recognised nationally and even internationally for the habitats and species they support. To conserve these spaces, we need to ensure they are better managed, expanded and connected through habitat enhancement, restoration and creation.
Recognising the importance of London’s wildlife, I’m delighted to invite applications to my new Rewild London Fund, part of a new £1m package of investment in climate resilient nature over the next two years. This fund will enhance London’s green sites and create new habitats for wildlife. I look forward to receiving your proposals.
Sadiq Khan
Mayor of London
1. Introduction and aims of the fund
London’s wildlife is surprisingly rich and varied. Over 15,000 different species have been recorded in London and the capital boasts a wide range of natural habitats. These range from nationally important wetlands like Frays Farm Meadows and the grazing marsh of Rainham Marshes; to the downlands that helped to inspire Charles Darwin’s scientific discoveries; through to ancient woodlands, heathlands, and world-famous nature reserves including Richmond Park and the London Wetland Centre.
We know that despite ongoing efforts, biodiversity is deteriorating worldwide. The UK is in the bottom 10 per cent of countries globally in terms of the biodiversity it has left and this decline is projected to worsen. In line with international and national trends, and despite a long legacy of action in the city to restore and protect nature, London’s wildlife has not escaped this decline.
Most of London’s most valuable sites for nature are recognised as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). There are around 1,600 SINCs across the city, spread across all boroughs, and covering nearly 20 per cent of its surface area. These sites, stretching from the inner city to the Green Belt, are London’s core wildlife network, home to some of the city’s most iconic and special species and the habitats they require. They need to be at the heart of any action to rewild the city and recover nature, including strong protections for the Green Belt and the capital's most important nature sites, and to ensure London’s nature network is resilient to pressures like climate change. To achieve this the network must be well-managed, expanded and better connected through habitat creation, restoration and enhancement.
Globally we are facing an ecological emergency alongside the climate emergency. To address the ecological emergency a UN Biodiversity Conference will be held in China in April-May 2022 (COP15). Governments from around the world will seek to agree a new set of global goals for nature over the next decade.
In response to this crisis the Mayor has announced a new Rewild London Fund, designed to support SINC owners and managers to respond to the climate and ecological emergencies by improving London’s SINCs and rewilding the city. A total of £600,000 is available, and we will offer grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 for projects starting in spring 2022 and completed by March 2023.
The Rewild London Fund aims to:
- enhance London’s SINCs to restore nature and support biodiversity
- strengthen local ecological networks to make them more resilient
- invest in the creation of new priority habitats
- secure better future management of sites
- build skills to better plan for and manage SINCs
- support activities the enable unrepresented communities to actively participate in managing important wildlife sites
- support innovative habitat or species-focused projects that rewild the city.
This guide sets out the objectives of the fund, the grants available and the application process in more detail.
The Mayor's Rewild London Fund supports the London Recovery Board’s Green New Deal Mission, one of nine missions jointly developed by the Mayor and London Councils to guide the capital’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Green New Deal Mission aims to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies, and improve air quality, by doubling the size of London's green economy by 2030 to accelerate job creation for all.
This fund is one of several Mayoral grants programmes to enhance green and blue spaces to create more space for nature and better places for people. Find out more about the other funds available.
1.1 Supporting more action for nature
The Mayor recognises that not all SINC owners or managers have access to the expertise needed to identify, plan and deliver the types of essential projects this fund will support. To help more applicants access and meet the aims of the fund we have partnered with London Wildlife Trust (LWT) to provide expert support to those organisations who need it, to help them take more action for nature.
Grant-funded projects will be offered advice and support from LWT during project delivery. This support is funded as part of the programme and will be allocated to projects based on need and the availability of relevant experts. Requests for LWT support will be triaged by Groundwork London who will be providing grant management support for this Fund (see section 3.3).
We expect that projects will typically be allocated 0.5-1.5 days of specialist support from LWT over the course of the project depending on need. LWT’s involvement will help to ensure the projects are exemplary by providing a ‘critical friend’ role, offering advice and sharing knowledge.
Expertise on offer will include:
- management and maintenance advice
- how to integrate projects into ongoing or existing management plans
- advice on the suite of habitat and species surveys required: what surveys might be needed and who to contact (not survey delivery)
- guidance related to Local Nature Recovery Networks.
Please note that the funded support from LWT will not include any elements of project delivery. Their time cannot be used for: carrying out site surveys; writing management plans; supervising contractors; providing volunteers or marketing and communications support for your project. If your project requires more detailed and/or ongoing ecological expertise and support, please include this in your grant budget.
1.2 About London's Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation and Priority Habitats
London's most valuable and special places for wildlife – for the species and habitats they support - are identified by the Mayor and London boroughs as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) through the local plan making process. Section 1.2.1. provides more information about SINCs and how they are protected.
Most SINCs are managed by boroughs or other public bodies and offer opportunities for Londoners to enjoy nature close-up. However, it is estimated that 40-60 per cent of SINC sites are not covered by any regular management to conserve or enhance their special biodiversity. Years of cuts to public sector budgets means that fewer than half of boroughs have access to in-house ecological advice. For those that do, this resource can be spread too thinly to adequately oversee SINC management, or to invest to help meet the targets set to create new priority habitats for conservation in the London Environment Strategy (see Section 1.2.2.).
1.2.1 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Over 1,600 SINCs have been identified across the capital. They cover nearly 20% of London, forming the core of our ecological network. Some of these sites are also designated as Local Nature Reserves or as internationally or nationally important sites for the habitats or species found within them.
SINCs receive a high level of protection from development in the Mayor's new London Plan. Most are managed by boroughs or other public bodies.
A comprehensive network of SINCs stretches across London, from the centre of the city to the Green Belt, covering a breadth of important wildlife habitats, to public parks, cemeteries and community gardens. Nearly all areas of priority habitats and many sites with important populations of priority or legally protected species are selected as SINCs.
There are three tiers of SINCs:
- Sites of Metropolitan Importance include the best sites in London and are of regional significance for nature. Over 150 metropolitan sites have been identified, with a total area of nearly 16,000 hectares (10 per cent of London’s land area). They include nationally important wildlife sites like Ruislip Woods, Ingrebourne Marshes and Farthing Downs, and locally important places like Sydenham Hill Woods and Hounslow Heath where Londoners can discover wild places that belie their urban setting
- Sites of Borough Importance include woodlands, rivers, grasslands and some of the more mature parks which have ancient trees and meadows. There are almost 800 borough sites identified to date, with a total area of about 12,000 hectares (almost eight per cent of London’s land area)
- Sites of Local Importance give people access to nature close to home. They are parks and green spaces with local intrinsic nature conservation value. About 460 local sites have been identified, with a total area of 1,700 hectares (just over one per cent of London’s land area)
You can find out more about how SINCs are selected on our website and in the Spaces Wild report.
1.2.2 Priority habitats and species
In London, priority habitats are:
- acid grassland
- chalk grassland
- coastal and floodplain grazing marsh
- fen, marsh and swamp
- heathland
- lowland meadows
- open mosaic habitats on previously developed land
- orchards
- reedbeds
- rivers and streams.
The creation of new priority habitat will be of highest ecological value where it expands or connects existing habitat areas. The London Habitat Opportunity Maps identify ecologically suitable areas to create new priority habitats.
The London Environment Strategy sets targets for the creation of priority habitatsReference:1. These targets relate to habitats with the greatest opportunities to create new areas across much of London, and for which progress can be accurately monitored to 2050. There are also targets at a borough level for locally relevant priority habitats, set through local nature recovery plans and biodiversity action plans (BAPs).
Many boroughs will have local lists of species that are a priority for conservation in their local area. You can find out more information on our website and from Natural England.
1.2.3 SINC status
You will be required to provide the SINC name(s) and grade(s) (i.e. local, borough or metropolitan) as part of your application. This information is available on the Planning Data Map and in borough local plans.
You can also download the Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC (GiGL) SINCs Open Data from the London Datastore. This is a GIS polygon dataset that shows the boundaries, site names and grade of all SINCs in London. The full version of this dataset with all its attributes (including site references, access information and planning dates) and citations (containing full site descriptions and habitat lists) are available under a GiGL data use licence to GiGL Service Level Agreement partners. Detailed SINC data, including citations, are also available as part of GiGL’s information services for community volunteers – please see GiGL's website for more infomation.
2. What the Rewild London Fund will support
The Rewild London Fund will support a range projects that help to enhance London’s SINCs and to create new priority habitats. These projects should take place in SINCs or directly adjacent to SINCs where the aim is to buffer and expand sites. We will also support projects that include some priority habitat creation outside of SINCs where this will improve connectivity between sites for target species, as well as projects that tackle off-site impacts on SINCs such as poor water quality, where applicants can show there will be a direct benefit from the projects. Innovative approaches will be considered, including rewilding approaches where these can be proved to support the improvement of SINCs.
Priorities of the fund
The Fund aims to help SINC managers tackle barriers to good site management and support projects that showcase innovative or strategic approaches to improving the resilience of the SINC network. It also aims to support land managers to deliver the London Environment Strategy priority habitat targets (see Section 1.2.2.).
We will prioritise projects that deliver outcomes in line with the Green New Deal and the Rewild London Fund aims. This is projects that:
- focus on outcomes that address the ecological emergency and ensure sites are better managed, bigger and better connected
- help improve sites in the longer term
- demonstrate innovation with new approaches to overcoming long-standing barriers to site management
- share good practice across London.
Projects could include:
- expanding and buffering SINCs through new habitat creation on adjacent land
- works to enable better site management
- trials and monitoring of innovative management techniques that can be rolled out to other sites
- improving habitats between SINCs to ensure they are better connected and more resilient
- enhancing more than one SINC to improve a local nature network
- ecological surveys or monitoring of the outcomes of management to inform future site management and local nature recovery plan development
- focused staff training activities to make sure that those responsible for the day-to-day planning and management of SINCs have the right skills to do so (note that this will not be provided by LWT in their advisory role).
2.1 Project quality
Applicants should consider the following when deciding if their project meets the aims of the fund:
Project size and ecological relevance
Applicants should be able to demonstrate that their proposed project is of significance in terms of location and size within the local ecological network.
Projects must deliver ecologically appropriate outcomes in terms of the types of habitats being restored and created and the size of these habitats. This is particularly relevant to projects seeking to improve connectivity between or buffer or expand SINCs.
Applicants should also explain how their proposed project fits within local strategies for nature’s recovery or respond to the priorities in local BAPs or other relevant plans or strategies.
Long-term outcomes
We will not fund routine or one-off habitat management activities unless the application demonstrates there is a plan in place to secure appropriate management long-term. For example, we would not fund a project to clear scrub from a degraded grassland site that does not demonstrate how the site will be managed in the future to prevent it scrubbing over again, but would fund a project to clear scrub and install fencing or other infrastructure to support ongoing management.
Sharing best practice
We will expect grant recipients to share their knowledge and best practice to help accelerate the changes required across London to create healthy, sustainable places and to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies.
Applicants should identify how they will share best practice within their own organisation and with other organisations across London. All successful projects will be required to work with LWT to develop a case study of the project to share good practice and learning that can be adopted elsewhere.
Permissions and risks
Projects will need to be delivered by March 2023. If your project requires permits, such as those from statutory agencies, or other permissions these should either be secured at time of application or to be secured by the time a grant agreement is signed (i.e. by February 2022). We expect any risks to project delivery to be identified and mitigated.
Equality
As a public sector organisation, the GLA must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty and the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct which is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. It must advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who don’t have that characteristic. As recipients of public funding, successful applicants will also need to meet this Duty.
See section 5 for more detail on the application questions you will need to answer and how to complete the application form.
3. Grants available
A total of £600,000 is available in this funding round, and we expect to be able to support about 25 projects.
Grants between £10,000 and £50,000 are available.
Organisations can apply for a maximum of two grants for two stand-alone projects e.g. two unrelated projects at two separate SINC sites. Where a project includes works across multiple sites a single application should be made.
Funded projects should start from March 2022 and should be completed by March 2023. Grants cannot be used to retrospectively fund work already completed or under way. Projects must take place within Greater London.
A further round of funding may be offered in 2022, but this is subject to confirmation of available budget.
3.1 Eligible organisations
Applications are open to:
- local authorities
- civil society organisations which manage land. These could include:
- registered charities including charitable incorporated organisations
- formally constituted community groups
- social and not-for-profit businesses including community interest companies and social enterprises
- community benefit societies.
Applications must be from a formally constituted organisation that has an organisational bank account and is able to enter into legal contracts. You cannot apply as a private individual.
We welcome applications that involve different organisations; however, the lead applicant MUST be the primary manager of the land. If they do not own the site, they MUST provide evidence of landowner permission and approval for the proposed project with their application.
3.2 Grant funding terms
Funding offers to successful applicants will be made subject to the applicant’s acceptance of a grant agreement that must be signed before the project can start.
Payments will be made according to the following schedule:
- 50 per cent upfront, on return of signed funding agreement
- 50 per cent on completion, subject to submission of a satisfactory final monitoring report and proof of expenditure.
We understand some organisations may have cash-flow difficulties, particularly as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic. We are happy to discuss alternative payment schedules for successful projects, including a mid-project grant payment.
3.2.1 Match funding
Projects must have a minimum of 20 per cent match funding. For example, if you are applying for a grant of £10,000, you should have at least £2,000 in match funding. This match funding can be either cash (for example, from another grant or from your own funds), or in-kind (for example, donated materials, or staff or volunteer time).
3.3 Eligible costs
The Rewild London Fund can support a range of costs as long as these are contributing to the delivery of the project, and to the core aims of improving London’s SINCs and making the city’s ecological network more resilient.
Costs that CAN be supported by the Rewild London Fund, with NO restrictions
This includes both capital and revenue costs, such as:
- purchase of trees and plants
- purchase of other materials to improve SINCs
- fencing, paths and other site infrastructure that is directly related to SINC improvements and management
- machine and equipment purchase or hire
- staff and/or contractor costs for project delivery, including labour, design, project management, volunteer management
- specialist fees, for example, an ecologist or arboriculturalist; surveys or monitoring volunteer expenses
- event costs, such as training workshops for staff or volunteers or contractors
- PPE or other equipment necessary for safe project delivery.
Costs that CAN be supported by the Rewild London Fund, with restrictions
The following costs should not be more than the specified proportion of the total grant:
- a maximum of 10 per cent of the total grant can be used for maintenance costs associated with establishment of new habitats that will be incurred beyond the end of the project period (that is, after March 2023).
Costs that CANNOT be supported
The Rewild London Fund cannot be used towards the following costs:
- land purchase
- capital items that are not primarily about improving SINCs – for example, improving a building or other grey infrastructure
- “business as usual” activities – for example, routine maintenance
- projects that have already started or are a direct continuation of existing work. We will fund projects that expand previous or existing projects that have worked well (i.e. are new programmes) and stand-alone projects within a larger programme of site improvement works
- core staff costs or other core costs that are not project specific.
4. How to apply
Please read this guidance carefully, including the application guidance and assessment criteria below. Applications must be made and submitted through the online application form. You will be asked a series of eligibility questions before accessing the form. Once you have started your application, you can save your progress and return to it before submitting.
Access the online application form.
You can download a copy of the application form questions below. As well as the form, you will need to provide at least three photographs of your project site(s), maps showing the location of the site(s) and the extent of proposed works and any relevant sketch designs, plans or maps. You can also upload additional files, such as letters of support or summaries of site management plans or ecological surveys where relevant.
The deadline for applications is 5:00pm on Monday 17 January 2022.
4.1 Support in preparing your application
The application and delivery timeline are outlined in Section 4.2. below. Applications will be managed by Groundwork London, who will be happy to answer any questions you have about the application process, or about your project.
Please email [email protected], with any questions or to arrange a phone call.
We will be holding an optional applicant information webinar on Thursday 6 January 2022, from 10am - 12 noon. Register via zoom.
This will be an opportunity to hear more about the aims of the fund, the application process and assessment criteria. It will give you a chance to ask questions and receive advice on completing your application.
Section 5 of this guide provides more detail on completing the application form and the assessment criteria.
4.2 Support for project delivery
If your grant application is successful and you are awarded funding, Groundwork London will be your first point of contact during your project delivery period.
You will be assigned a grants officer who will be able to help you with queries, discuss any changes to your project, and help with the required grant reporting and payments. If you require more specialist advice and support from LWT you will be able to request this via Groundwork London (see section 1.1) and they will also work with LWT on project monitoring.
Groundwork London will host a programme induction session once funding has been awarded, to help successful applicants understand the requirements of the programme and answer any initial questions. This will also be an opportunity to meet other grantees and share ideas.
5. Application guidance
This section outlines the application requirements and assessment criteria and provides advice on completing the application form. Please read this in detail before starting your application.
5.1 Completing the application form
The application form for the Rewild London Fund is split into five sections, which will be used to assess your project’s suitability for the fund. A copy of the application form can be downloaded below. Before accessing the form online, you will be asked a series of gateway questions. These questions are designed to check whether your project proposal is eligible for the fund. They are not scored, but all projects must meet the basic eligibility criteria.
The application form sections are:
- Section 1: About your organisation – these questions are designed to check whether your organisation is eligible for the fund, and to enable due diligence checks to be carried out. They are not scored, but all organisations must meet the eligibility criteria
- Section 2: About your project – these questions provide an overview of your project, the activities that will take place and the outputs you aim to deliver. They are not scored, but will be used to check that your project meets the core aims of the fund
- Section 3: Meeting the aims of the fund – these questions form 60 per cent of the assessment of your project (15 per cent for each question). They allow you to go into more detail about what your project will achieve and enable us to assess how well your project meets the aims of the fund. Further details of the assessment criteria are outlined below
- Section 4: Delivering your project – these questions form 20 per cent of the assessment of your project. They allow you to demonstrate how your project will be delivered successfully, on time and within budget, and safely in the context of COVID-19
- Section 5: Project budget – this question forms 20 per cent of the assessment of your project. It allows you to demonstrate that you have thought about the costs of your project, and that it delivers good value for money.
5.2 Assessment criteria
Your application will be assessed against the criteria outlined below.
Application form section 3: meeting the aims of the fund
These questions form 60 per cent of the assessment of your project (15 per cent for each question). They allow you to go into more detail about what your project will achieve and enable us to assess how well your project meets the aims and priorities of the fund.
1. How will your project increase the resilience of the SINC network, and respond to the ecological emergency?
Your answer to this question should focus on why your project is needed and why the location of your project is a priority.
You should describe how your project fits within the wider ecological network and responds to priorities in local strategies and plans to respond to the climate and ecological emergencies. This could include priorities for sites, habitats and species identified in a local nature recovery plan, BAP, green infrastructure strategy or local plan.
You should explain the significance of your project in terms of location and size within the local ecological network and provide a map showing the location of your project site(s) and any key ecological connections that are relevant to the project.
2. What will your project do to enhance a Site(s) of Importance for Nature Conservation and/or improve ecological connectivity between SINCs?
Your answer to this question should focus on what your project will do to address the need or opportunities that you described in response to question 1. This is where you must tell us about the key outcomes or outputs from your project.
You should provide details about your proposed activities (set out in your project plan – see Application Form Section 4 below) and the anticipated environmental benefits.
You should include full details of how you will improve the condition and resilience of the site or SINC network and/or enable site management and further improvements to take place in the future.
Where relevant, you should also include information about how any new habitats created will be accommodated and work within the existing site use to demonstrate that they can be maintained in the long term.
You should also provide details of any ecological surveys or management plans that will be undertaken or produced through the project and explain how these will be used.
You should provide a map denoting the areas of your planned activity and provide details of the area of habitat that will be restored and/or created in hectares.
3. How will you ensure that your project leaves a positive legacy and supports the site(s) to be better managed in the long term?
Any project must have a clear plan for maintenance, to ensure that the benefits of activities to improve the space are fully realised. In order to support this, up to 10 per cent of any grant can be spent on maintenance required to help with the establishment of newly created priority habitats beyond the end of the project.
Your answer to this question should detail how any maintenance budget will be spent, who will be responsible for maintaining the new or improved space, and how any volunteering or community involvement to help manage the site will be sustained if relevant.
If the project includes surveys or monitoring, then you should describe how these will inform future management.
Your answer should also describe any staff training that will be delivered to increase skills and help to ensure the appropriate long-term management of the project site(s).
4. How will your project capture best practice and share approaches and learning?
Your answer to this question should demonstrate an awareness of how your proposed activities fit in the context of London’s SINC network, and the potential wider benefits of your project.
You should provide details of any monitoring that you will undertake and how the results from this or other learning from the project will be used to inform management of other SINCs and/or shared with relevant networks.
All successful projects will be required to work with LWT to develop a case study of the project to share good practice and learning that can be adopted elsewhere. Time should be factored into your project plan to do this.
Application form section 4: delivering your project
These questions form 20 per cent of the assessment of your project. They allow you to demonstrate how your project will be delivered successfully, on time and within budget, and safely in the context of COVID-19.
1. Project plan
In this section you should set out the key milestones for your project, the timeline for achieving them, and the actions you will need to take. Your project must be completed by March 2023, and the timeline should reflect this. Your answer should demonstrate that you have a well-thought-out project plan, with realistic and achievable timelines.
2. Risk register
In this section you should outline some of the key risks to your project, and how you will mitigate these risks. You should score each risk according to its likelihood of happening (probability), and how big an impact it would have. The total score (probability x impact) should be assigned a red, amber or green rating. Any red risks may need further mitigation to ensure that they don’t prevent your project from being successfully completed.
3. How will you ensure that your project is delivered safely in line with the latest social distancing and health advice, and how could the project be adapted if restrictions on activities are tightened?
Your answer to this question should set out what measures you will take to ensure that your project is delivered safely in the context of COVID-19, including adhering to the latest public health and social distancing guidelines.
This might include health and safety protocols for volunteers and contractors, how events will be managed to ensure social distancing, use of PPE, and how any track and trace requirements would be implemented.
It should also include details of the how the project could be adapted if restrictions on activities are tightened, for example with stricter social distancing measures. This could include restricting the number of volunteers attending sessions.
Application form section 5: project budget
This question forms 20 per cent of the assessment of your project. It allows you to demonstrate that you have thought about the costs of your project, and that it delivers good value for money.
Your budget should be as detailed as possible and should follow the guidelines on eligible costs outlined in section 3.3 above. It’s useful to get at least three quotes for major items and check the costs for smaller items with reputable suppliers.
5.3 Assessment process
Once you have submitted your application, it will be assessed according to the following process:
- Sifting: initial review of all applications for eligibility, including: organisation, delivery timelines, grant amount, project remit. Ineligible applications will be rejected at this stage.
- Shortlisting: all applications are scored by a minimum of two assessors from the GLA and LWT, according to the criteria outlined above. Applications that score less than an agreed threshold will be rejected at this stage.
- Grants panel: shortlisted applications are reviewed by the grants panel for a final funding decision. The panel will include officers from the GLA, LWT and Groundwork London, as well as independent environmental experts. The panel will review applications collectively to ensure a breadth of project types and locations, in line with the priorities of the fund.
- Site visits (if required): LWT officers will carry out site visits, if required, to confirm the suitability of proposed activities before grant funding is offered.
We expect final funding decision on all applications to be made by late February 2022. During the assessment process, we may contact you to clarify points in your application, ask for more information or arrange a site visit.
As we anticipate a high volume of applications, unfortunately we may not be able to fund every good application. The grants panel will prioritise those applications that most closely fit the assessment criteria and will also consider the location and type of projects to support a balanced programme across London.
Any offer(s) of funding will be made subject to you accepting a grant agreement which must be signed before your project can start.
References
- Reference:1For more detail please see pages 181-183 of the London Environment Strategy (2018) www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/london_environment_strategy_0.pdf