Biodiversity Plans and Funding

Why prepare a biodiversity action plan?

The loss of the Earth’s natural resources was recognised on an international level at the 1992 ‘Earth Summit’. The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed by all nations at that meeting, including Ireland. Ireland’s first National Biodiversity Action Plan (2002 – 2006) called for all Local Authorities to produce Local Biodiversity Action Plans. The purpose of these plans is to ensure the protection and appreciation of nature at the county (local) level.

Funding available for Biodiversity

Community Foundation Ireland

Communities are being invited to apply for support to take steps to protect local plants and wildlife. Community Foundation Ireland is inviting applications from groups ready to develop or implement action plans which are targeted at promoting wildlife by protecting natural green areas and other habitats. Offered in partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding aims to build on the more than 180 communities which have developed their own plans since 2019. https://www.communityfoundation.ie/newsroom/biodiversity-grants-open-for-applications/#:~:text=Support%20For%20Biodiversity%20Action&text=This%20latest%20round%20of%20support,identify%20needs%20for%20their%20area.

Heritage Council

Heritage Council Community Heritage Grant Scheme: https://www.meath.ie/council/council-services/heritage-biodiversity-and-architectural-conservation/heritage/heritage-projects-and-grants/heritage-councils-community-heritage-grant-scheme

Natura Communities

LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature is launching a local communities support grant known as the Natura Communities Seed Fund. The aim of the fund is to assist communities in the project target areas in mobilising complementary funding for projects broadly related to conservation and restoration of blanket bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and their associated habitats. https://www.naturacommunities.ie/community-resources/funding-opportunities/natura-communities-seed-fund/

National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS)

The Scheme aims to encourage communities, local organisations and other interested parties to become involved in the enhancement of their natural surrounding areas and to raise awareness. Applications are welcomed across a diverse range of initiatives with community benefit from events, education programmes, promotions, publications, exhibitions, development of conservation management plans, public amenity and recreational measures, maintenance measures that support  conservation measures, monitoring or surveying work to inform of restoration/conservation projects, invasive species and fire control measures, anti-littering initiatives to local environmental improvements in the area of the designated sites and other peatland areas. https://www.npws.ie/peatlands-and-turf-cutting/peatlands-and-natura-community-engagement-scheme-2025

Local Authority Waters Programme

On 9th November 2024, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) launched the 2025 Catchment Support Fund. The fund will help build the capacity of non-governmental organisations working in the area of water quality in Ireland by providing funding toward core organisational running costs.

The Catchment Support Fund is a direct response to community feedback and various reviews undertaken in recent years. Over €500,000 was awarded to 37 organisations earlier in 2024 in what was the first year of the Fund.

A key element of LAWPRO’s Catchment Support Fund is to assist the development of entities who can provide additional vital water quality services to communities and support the objectives of the new Water Action Plan for Ireland.

Under the 2025 Catchment Support Funding call, organisations are invited to apply for financial assistance under Strand 1 to support organisational costs such as statutory and/or legal fees, insurance costs associated with catchment management, accountancy fees, website annual support costs, an organisation’s promotional materials and group development activities. https://lawaters.ie/funding/

European Commission

The European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD) finances the EU's contribution to rural development programmes (RDPs).

RDPs consist of measures and projects that contribute to the EU-wide objectives of:

• improving the competitiveness of agriculture
• encouraging sustainable management of natural resources and climate action
• achieving a balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities

Programmes are prepared on a national or regional basis, and must work towards specific targets relating to the EU’s rural development objectives. https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/european-agricultural-fund-rural-development-eafrd_en

LIFE programme

The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en

Biodiversa+

Biodiversa+ is the European Biodiversity Partnership supporting excellent research on biodiversity with an impact on policy and society. It was jointly developed by BiodivERsA and the European Commission as part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and will contribute to the ambition that “by 2030, nature in Europe is back on a path of recovery, and that by 2050 people are living in harmony with Nature”. https://www.biodiversa.eu/

Meath County Council Funding

The Heritage & Biodiversity team in Meath County Council are delighted to be able to continue the Community Biodiversity Action Plan Small Grant Scheme in 2025.

This grant scheme is made possible with the support of the National Parks and Wildlife Service through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund 2025.

The scheme is open to community groups/organisations within County Meath who are implementing actions from a community biodiversity action plan. Only one grant per organisation is permitted. The maximum amount of grant funding towards the cost of a project is 90% of the overall project costs generally up to a maximum of €1,500.

If you wish to apply, please fill in the attached application form and send to biodiversity@meathcoco.ie by 5pm on Sunday 25th of May.

 If you have not been contacted directly by our team and wish to apply, please contact the team on the Biodiversity email and submit your Biodiversity Action plan and a member of our team will be in touch with an application and guidelines document.

 All groups are welcome and encouraged to discuss your project proposals with the Heritage and Biodiversity team before your application is completed. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing us at biodiversity@meathcoco.ie