Dartmoor Preservation Association

Charity Number: 1182974

Annual Expenditure: £0.0M
Geographic Focus: Devon

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £10,000+ (Moor Boots scheme)
  • Geographic Focus: Dartmoor National Park, Devon
  • Grant Range: £200 - £30,000
  • Founded: 1883 (one of the oldest environmental bodies in the UK)
  • Total Income (2024): £192,047

Contact Details

Website: www.dartmoorpreservation.co.uk

Email: info@dartmoorpreservation.co.uk

Phone: 01822 890646

Overview

The Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA), founded in 1883, is one of the oldest environmental or amenity bodies in the UK. Registered as charity number 1182974, the organization's mission is to conserve, preserve, protect and enhance the landscape, antiquities, flora and fauna, natural beauty, cultural heritage and scientific merit of Dartmoor for the public benefit. With an annual income of £192,047 (2024) and expenditure of £184,090, the DPA makes grants to both individuals and organizations, focusing particularly on youth access to Dartmoor, archaeological conservation, and public access projects. The organization has achieved recent recognition including winning 'Environmental Development NPO of the year' in the South West England Prestige Awards. The DPA operates as a “critical friend” to Dartmoor National Park Authority, conducting planning vigilance, conservation work, and access support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Moor Boots Scheme: Small grants for outdoor equipment for young people aged 14-21

  • Grant values vary based on need (typically £100-£500 per young person)
  • In 2025, 76 grants awarded across 12 teams totaling £10,000
  • Equipment funded: walking boots, waterproof jackets and trousers, base layers, rucksacks, sleeping bags, gaiters, socks
  • Teams can keep and reuse equipment for future participants
  • Application method: Online application via DPA website
  • Rolling basis with annual cycles

Public Access Fund: Grants for public access projects

  • Grant range: £200 - £30,000
  • Available to individuals, schools, youth groups, and organizations
  • Focus on youth access to Dartmoor
  • Examples include funding for Dartmoor Commoners to deliver school visits, John Muir Awards, and path/gate works
  • Application method: Contact DPA to discuss project criteria

Organizational Funding: Strategic partnerships and ranger programs

  • Example: Community Engagement Ranger (18-month funding of £30,000 in 2023)
  • Archaeological excavation and conservation projects (various amounts)

Priority Areas

The DPA prioritizes grants that support:

  • Youth Access and Engagement: Removing financial barriers for young people to experience Dartmoor outdoors, particularly through programs like Ten Tors, Jubilee Challenge, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Scouts, Guides, Forest Schools
  • Public Access: Protecting and enhancing rights of way, access to commons, and wild camping rights
  • Archaeological Conservation: Excavation, survey, and repair of Bronze Age monuments and other historical sites
  • Environmental Conservation: Biodiversity enhancement, habitat restoration, river health
  • Community Engagement: Programs that connect diverse communities with Dartmoor, particularly underrepresented groups
  • Climate and Nature: Projects aligned with positive outcomes for climate, nature, people and places

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the DPA's focus is specifically on Dartmoor-related projects. They are unlikely to fund:

  • Projects outside the Dartmoor National Park area
  • Projects that do not relate to conservation, access, or heritage of Dartmoor
  • Commercial activities not aligned with charitable objectives
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • John Howell - Chairman
  • Kate Ashbrook - Vice-Chair (renowned access campaigner)
  • William Fell CMG - Trustee
  • Nathan Fuller - Trustee
  • Claude Williams - Trustee
  • Amanda Barton - Trustee
  • John Skinner - Trustee
  • Gian Ellis - Trustee
  • Amita Raval - Trustee

The Board of Trustees meets quarterly and is responsible for determining policies, developing strategic thinking, representing the Association, and working as volunteers to achieve objectives. The trustees have identified priorities around achieving positive outcomes for climate, nature, people and places.

Senior Staff

  • Tom Usher - Chief Executive
  • Carole Chesterton - Finance Lead
  • Helen Bruce - Communications Officer
  • Sylvia Hamilton - Volunteer Coordinator

Key Personnel

  • Kats Koster-Shadbolt - Community Engagement Ranger (DPA-funded position)

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Moor Boots Grants:

Team managers can apply via the DPA website on behalf of their groups. Applications should be “fully costed” and submitted online. The DPA works closely with Ten Tors and Jubilee Challenge organizers to identify needs within teams.

For Public Access Fund and Other Grants:

Applicants should contact the DPA directly (info@dartmoorpreservation.co.uk or 01822 890646) to discuss their project. Applicants need to demonstrate that their request meets the DPA's criteria and must provide feedback on the successful use of funds.

For larger grant requests, the DPA may convene a panel of non-DPA partners to help assess applications.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified and appear to vary based on the grant program and size of request. For Moor Boots, annual cycles run with applications typically opening several months before the Ten Tors event season.

Success Rates

For Moor Boots 2025: 76 grants approved across 12 teams, demonstrating strong support for qualifying applicants. Specific overall success rates are not published.

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated. Given the annual nature of the Moor Boots scheme, previous recipients can reapply in subsequent years for new cohorts of young people.

Application Success Factors

Based on the DPA's documented priorities and funded projects:

  • Youth Focus: Projects that remove financial barriers for young people (aged 14-21) to access Dartmoor are strongly favored. The DPA's Chief Executive Tom Usher emphasized “we need, now more than ever, to call all voices to the table” and stressed “the importance of having diverse representation on the boards and committees that make decisions relating to Dartmoor.”
  • Public Access Alignment: Projects supporting the DPA's historic mission of protecting public access rights have strong appeal. Tom Usher described the wild camping victory as “an historic victory for public access” showing the organization's commitment to this area.
  • Fully Costed Applications: The Moor Boots guidance specifically requests “fully costed applications,” indicating detailed budget breakdowns strengthen proposals.
  • Feedback and Accountability: Applicants must provide feedback on the successful use of funds, so including plans for reporting outcomes will demonstrate professionalism.
  • Environmental and Heritage Impact: Projects that protect Dartmoor's “landscape, antiquities, flora and fauna, natural beauty, cultural heritage and scientific merit” align with the DPA's charitable objects.
  • Partnership Approach: The DPA values collaboration with organizations like Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, and Dartmoor Commoners. Demonstrating partnership working can strengthen applications.
  • Examples of Recent Funded Projects: Girls Do Dartmoor (supporting young women's access to the moor), Dartmoor Youth Rangers (conservation activities for young people), archaeological excavations at Bronze Age sites, cairn repair and monument conservation projects.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Youth access projects are the strongest fit - if your work removes barriers for 14-21 year olds to experience Dartmoor outdoors, particularly through established schemes like Ten Tors or DofE, you're well-aligned with current priorities
  • Contact them first for larger projects - the Public Access Fund doesn't have a rigid application portal; dialogue with the DPA about how your project meets their criteria is part of the process
  • Keep equipment in circulation - for Moor Boots applications, emphasize how equipment will benefit multiple young people over time, not just a single cohort
  • Demonstrate Dartmoor-specific impact - all funding is focused on Dartmoor National Park; make the local connection explicit
  • Think long-term access and conservation - the DPA, founded in 1883, takes a multi-generational view; projects with lasting impact on access rights, archaeological preservation, or habitat enhancement resonate with their mission
  • Apply through team managers for Moor Boots - individual young people don't apply directly; youth organizations, schools, and activity leaders make applications on behalf of groups
  • Be prepared to report back - successful applicants must provide feedback on how funds were used, so plan for simple monitoring and evaluation from the outset

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