Project Dates: 01.06.2025 to 1.03.2026

The fourth year of DEF’s support of this Community Small Grants scheme to tackle landscape regeneration; biodiversity enhancements; river restoration; marine and coastal conservation; and community understanding of why we need to protect nature, wildlife and our natural environment.

The small grants aim to kick start hyper-local community-based projects which will also result in increased community engagement and increased levels of wellbeing.

The grant scheme falls within a wider field of work through the Wild About Devon initiative (part of the Devon Local Nature Partnership and funded by Devon County Council). This is headed up by a Steering Group of environmental and community experts and works to support community action for nature through resource signposting, networking events and celebrating successes.

Objectives: The scheme aims to tackle the biodiversity crisis, specifically within Devon, and increase local engagement with nature by providing funding to community groups that might struggle to find it elsewhere. The grant scheme provides small grants to community groups to start or advance their wildlife projects, and to acquire advice, equipment, and other resources.

Methodology: The scheme is open to any community group and organisations within the administrative county of Devon and prioritises smaller-scale, local projects that may not be able to access larger funding opportunities. It is administered by the Wild About Devon coordinators and Devon Communities Together (DCT). A panel made up of members from the Wild About Devon, the DCT team and other environmental and community organisations from the Wild About Devon Steering Group, will assess the applications. Funded projects will be monitored to assess the project’s fulfilment, community engagement, environmental outcomes, successes and challenges.

See impact updates from DEF’s Wild About Devon Year 3 project HERE.