Branch Out Fund: Northumbrian Water (United Kingdom)

Northumbrian Water set up the Branch Out fund in response to the need to build resilience in the region’s natural environment.

It aims to help adaptation to the effects of a changing climate whilst bringing benefits to water, wildlife and communities.

Focus Areas

• Examples of how this might be achieved are provided:
  • Water in the natural environment: through projects that protect drinking water sources, enhance water quality or provide other benefits to wetland habitats
  • Wildlife: by linking up habitats, creating new areas for wildlife to use, or finding ways to reconnect people with the natural world around them.
  • Community: encouraging local communities to enjoy the benefits of being outside and helping them to become more aware of the importance of the natural world or providing opportunities for Northumbrian Water employees to volunteer to assist with projects in their operating area.
  • Sewerage and drainage: protecting vulnerable areas from diffuse pollution, or helping build capacity in the natural environment to help deal with storm events.
  • Climate change: Help build capacity in the natural environment to deal with the effects of climate change
  • Science: scientific research that would benefit Northumbrian Water

Funding Information

• Applications for grants of anywhere between £1-£10,000 are welcome.

Eligibility Criteria

• The fund is open to organisations, community groups or individuals from the public, private, voluntary and education sectors in the Northumbrian Water operating area.

Selection Criteria

• Submission of an application does not mean automatic entitlement to funding. All applications will be carefully considered by the Branch Out team.
• Applications will be acknowledged within ten working days.
• Applicants will be informed in writing or via email within five working days of the bi-annual decision meeting on whether their application has been successful, and if so, the amount of grant they have been awarded. Applicants may in some instances be asked to provide further assistance to allow a final decision to be made.
• Funding decisions will be made at the end of March and September each year. However, these timescales will be subject to change depending on the number of applications received.

Application Requirements

• For all projects granted any level of funding, the following must be delivered:
  • All external communications relating to the project to be agreed with Northumbrian Water’s communications team before use.
  • Northumbrian Water’s contribution must be acknowledged in all press releases.
  • Northumbrian Water’s logo must be used on project material and interpretation.
  • A report on the progress of the project must be submitted to Northumbrian Water every six months and/or on project completion (whichever occurs first).
  • Project reports must provide evidence of where the project money provided by Northumbrian Water has been spent.
  • Project reports must provide information on specific measurable project outputs as agreed with Northumbrian Water before the project starts.
  • All successful project applicants will sign a partnership agreement agreeing to the above terms. Where a medium or large fund is granted, additional requirements will be agreed specific to each project.
  • Returning completed application forms.

For more information, visit Northumbrian Water Group.