Grant News

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced that the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund has reopened to applications.

The Countryside Stewardship (CS) Facilitation Fund supports facilitators (either individuals or organisations) who work with farmers, foresters, and other land managers to improve and protect the local natural environment through agri-environment schemes, supported by training.

To apply, facilitators must submit plans showing how farmers, foresters, and other land managers will work together and share knowledge to improve and protect their local natural environment

The fund will prioritise projects focused on: 

• the improvement of air quality (by reducing the emission of damaging air pollutants, such as ammonia)
• increasing biodiversity and supporting priority species
• advice to manage beaver activity on sites where they are already present
• water management

Eligible land for the scheme includes:

• land under existing agri-environment and forestry or woodland agreements
• common land
• land that is not currently under agreement

The fund will close to applications at 11:59 pm on the 25th January 2023.