
The Fund’s Mission
The idea behind the Rewilding Innovation Fund is to help remove barriers to rewilding projects within Britain, whether they’re at the early planning stages or want to move a project one step wilder. We’re particularly keen to encourage those who are taking an innovative approach to land and marine rewilding, which will help develop learning and evidence for others within the Rewilding Network. Funds are awarded to projects with potential for the highest impact for people and nature.Funding Open For Applications
Funding is now open for applications, and closes on 14 October 2022. We anticipate funding up to 10 projects during this round, with up to £15,000 to be considered for each individual project.- based in Britain
- part of the Rewilding Network
- rewilding (or about to) at scale – potentially as a group of landowners – and to our rewilding principles
What We’ve Funded So Far
In the pilot round of the Rewilding Innovation Fund (August 2021) we awarded a total of £55,000 to six projects. Successful applications included a carbon capture project, a seagrass restoration study, a tree seeding experiment, the development of a rewilding strategy, a feasibility study and a community consultation. You can explore three of these in detail below.



Rewilding Innovation Fund Criteria
Who can applyYou are eligible to apply for the Rewilding Innovation Fund if you meet the following criteria:
- You’re based in Britain
- You’re a member of the Rewilding Network. This includes community, private and public landowners and managers of rewilding areas on the land and sea. If you aren’t a Rewilding Network member but would like to be considered, please join before applying.
- You’re rewilding at scale* – that is more than 40 hectares of land (or any size of marine project). This can be an individual landholding or a cluster of landholdings. If you’re rewilding at a smaller scale than this, we strongly encourage you to connect with others to form a local group, network or cluster to work up a project for application. In your application (just one between you) we’ll need to see evidence your shared vision and how you plan to work together. Local groups and networks can also apply to the fund for any innovative projects that will help to upscale rewilding.
- You show an understanding of and commitment to working to our rewilding principles – whether you are at the beginning of your rewilding journey or have been carrying out this work for some time.
- You can demonstrate why you need funding/intervention now, and why you cannot access this funding from other sources.
- You haven’t previously been awarded money from the Rewilding Innovation Fund (previously known as the Incubator Fund). We are happy to accept funding applications from those who have applied before and been unsuccessful. Please ensure that you adapt and build on your application for our consideration this time around.
*This size has been set to tie in with the principle of rewilding being the restoration of ecosystems with enough space to allow nature to drive the changes and shape the living systems on which we all depend. Restricting applications to greater than 40 hectares will provide enough space for nature to start to lead the way.
What we can fund
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The fund aims to support works that could potentially unlock further funding or move your project up the rewilding scale, whether you are new to rewilding or have been going for some time. Examples of potential applications include: business plans and strategies, community engagement activities and co-design, feasibility studies, technology and innovation.
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Funds can also be used to pay for direct interventions or expertise that your project requires.
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Funding cannot be provided for land purchase or capital costs such as fencing
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Funding for up to £15,000* will be considered. We expect the majority of grants to be less than £10,000.
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The Rewilding Innovation Fund steering group will use the following assessment criteria to award the money, including: funding: are there alternative options available?; alignment with our rewilding principles; degree of innovation and learning; financial strategy; consideration of the business concept and long-term viability and sustainability; understanding of monitoring and evidence-building.
*The maximum level of funding has been set at £15,000 because the fund aims to support elements in a project that can remove barriers and unlock further funding. If your project requires higher investment than this to get off the ground, consider whether there are smaller elements of your grand vision, such as business plans or feasibility studies, which you can use the Rewilding Innovation Fund for, so helping you at least get started. Could initial funding from us help lever further funds from elsewhere in the future?
Terms and conditions of the funding
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The funding must be spent within 15 months. Please detail in your application how you plan to work to this timescale.
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All supported projects must measure and report on their progress every quarter.
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All successful applicants must agree to share stories and lessons learnt for the wider Rewilding Network and for the public.
- Ensure that you are a Rewilding Network member. If you aren’t, please apply to become a Rewilding Network member before you make your funding application.
- Complete the application form for the Rewilding Innovation Fund.
Shortlisted projects will be invited to pitch their project to the steering group in a 10-minute online presentation. We aim to award the funds by the end of November.
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