Gla - Rewild London Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £710,000 - £1,030,000 per round
• Success Rate: <50% (first round was oversubscribed 2:1)
• Decision Time: 8-12 weeks
• Grant Range: £10,000 - £150,000
• Geographic Focus: London (Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation)

Contact Details

Email: rewildlondon@london.gov.uk

Phone: 020 7239 1390 (Rosalind Carter)

Website: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/green-space-funding/rewild-london-fund-2023

Managed by: Groundwork London (on behalf of Greater London Authority)

Technical Support: London Wildlife Trust

Overview

The Rewild London Fund was launched by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to support Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) owners and managers in responding to the climate and ecological emergencies. Since 2021, the fund has distributed over £2.4 million across three rounds, including £750,000 from Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund. Round 1 (2021) awarded £600,000 to 19 projects; Round 2 (2022) awarded £850,000 to 22 projects with Amazon co-funding; and Round 3 (2023) awarded £1,030,183 to 21 projects. To date, the fund has helped create or restore around 350 hectares of wildlife habitat, connected over 94 SINCs, and supported flagship projects including beaver reintroduction in Ealing. The fund is currently closed but has operated on a fixed-deadline basis with applications typically open for 2-3 months.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Standard Grants: £10,000 - £50,000 for SINC improvement projects
• Flagship/Transformational Grants: Up to £150,000 for large-scale, innovative projects
• Application Method: Fixed deadlines (typically autumn applications for projects starting the following January)
• Project Duration: Projects typically run 12-15 months

Priority Areas

• Habitat Creation and Restoration: Creating or restoring priority habitats including wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, heathland, and reedbeds
• SINC Enhancement: Projects taking place within SINCs or directly adjacent to buffer, expand and connect sites
• Species Recovery: Supporting reintroduction or recovery of native species (water voles, beavers, harvest mice, pollinators)
• Innovative Rewilding: Pioneering approaches such as using cattle grazing with 'No Fence' technology in urban settings
• Community Engagement: Projects involving Londoners in surveying species, habitat improvement work, and environmental education
• Climate Resilience: Projects that enhance London's resilience to climate change while improving biodiversity

What They Don't Fund

• Capital items not primarily about improving SINCs (e.g., building improvements or grey infrastructure)
• “Business as usual” activities such as routine maintenance
• Legally required works including SSSI protection obligations, agri-environmental scheme deliverables, or Public Right of Way maintenance
• Projects already started or direct continuations of existing work (though new phases/expansions of successful projects are eligible)
• Applications from private individuals (must be formally constituted organisations with bank accounts)
• Projects outside SINCs unless directly adjacent and designed to buffer/expand sites

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Governance and Leadership

Mayor of London - Sadiq Khan

The fund is a key part of the Mayor's environmental strategy. Mayor Khan has stated: “We are now facing dual climate and ecological emergencies worldwide, which further threaten our ability to survive on our planet. Despite the harm inflicted on the natural world, we have the power to make amends, and I am committed to ensuring that London is at the vanguard of efforts to reverse the trends of declining biodiversity and the destruction of nature.”

Fund Management

• Groundwork London: Primary fund managers handling applications and grants administration
• London Wildlife Trust: Provides specialist ecological expertise and assessment support
• Greater London Authority: Provides funding and strategic oversight through the Environment team

Assessment Panel

Applications are reviewed by a grants panel including officers from the GLA, London Wildlife Trust, Groundwork London, and independent environmental experts.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Required Information: SINC name(s) and grade(s) from borough Planning Data Maps and local plans
2. Landowner Permission: Lead applicant must be primary land manager and provide evidence of landowner permission if not the owner
3. Pre-Application Support: Applicants can email rewildlondon@london.gov.uk with questions or to arrange phone consultations

Decision Timeline

• Application Period: Typically 2-3 months (autumn period)
• Assessment Process: 8-12 weeks from application deadline
• Stage 1 - Sifting: Initial eligibility review (organisation, timelines, grant amount, project remit)
• Stage 2 - Shortlisting: Minimum two assessors score each application against specified criteria
• Stage 3 - Grants Panel: Final funding decisions by expert panel
• Site Visits: Assessors may arrange site visits or request additional information during assessment
• Notification: Final decisions typically made in January for projects starting the same month
• Induction: Successful applicants attend a programme induction session hosted by Groundwork London

Success Rates

• Round 1 (2021): Oversubscribed by more than 2:1, suggesting success rate <50%
• Highly Competitive: The fund consistently receives significantly more funding requests than available budget
• Average Success Rate: Approximately 40-50% based on oversubscription patterns

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented. Contact rewildlondon@london.gov.uk for guidance on reapplying in future rounds.

Application Success Factors

Strong Applications Demonstrate:

1. Clear SINC Focus: Projects must take place within SINCs or directly adjacent to buffer/expand them. Include specific SINC names and grades from official borough planning documents.

1. Innovation and Strategic Approach: The fund seeks to “showcase innovative or strategic approaches to improving the resilience of the SINC network.” Successful projects have included pioneering techniques like No Fence technology for urban cattle grazing and species reintroductions.

1. Habitat Creation/Restoration Scale: Quantify habitat improvements in hectares. Recent successful projects restored/created 125 ha across 40 SINCs (average ~3 ha per site).

1. Community Engagement: Strong emphasis on “involving Londoners in nature” through surveying, habitat improvement work, and education. Projects with volunteer training and citizen science components are favored.

1. Partnership Working: Many successful projects involve multiple partners (councils, wildlife trusts, community groups, housing associations). Collaborative approaches that connect multiple SINCs score well.

1. Priority Habitat Alignment: Projects should align with London Environment Strategy priority habitat targets (wetlands, woodlands, meadows, heathland, reedbeds).

Successful Project Examples:

• Queensmere Pond, Wimbledon: Pond rewilding with 1,200m² reedbed installation
• Tolworth Court Farm, Kingston: 30 hectares of lowland meadow restoration using innovative grazing technology
• Alexandra Park Wetland: Wetland reed bed creation combining biodiversity, flood risk reduction, and education
• London Water Vole Recovery Programme: City-wide mink trapping, site planning, and volunteer training
• Beaver Reintroduction, Ealing: First beaver family returned to London in 400 years

Key Terminology to Use:

• Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs)
• Rewilding
• Priority habitats
• Habitat connectivity/buffering
• Climate resilience
• Ecological emergency
• Species recovery
• Community engagement/citizen science

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

• Proposing routine maintenance instead of enhancement/restoration
• Projects on non-SINC land without clear SINC buffer/expansion purpose
• Focusing on infrastructure improvements over habitat creation
• Lack of community engagement element
• Insufficient evidence of landowner permission
• Applications from private individuals rather than constituted organisations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. SINC-Specific Focus Required: This fund exclusively supports Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation. Verify your project site is a designated SINC or directly adjacent before applying. Include official SINC names and grades from borough planning documents.

1. Scale and Innovation Win: Standard grants (£10,000-£50,000) are common, but flagship grants up to £150,000 are available for truly transformational projects. Don't be afraid to propose ambitious, innovative rewilding approaches.

1. Quantify Habitat Impact: Successful applicants clearly quantify habitat creation/restoration in hectares and specify priority habitat types. Average successful projects deliver 3+ hectares of habitat improvement.

1. Community Engagement is Essential: Incorporate volunteer involvement, citizen science, training programs, or educational components. The fund prioritizes projects that connect Londoners with nature.

1. Highly Competitive - Apply Early: With <50% success rates and 2:1+ oversubscription, applications must be exceptionally strong. Read the full grants guide carefully and consider pre-application consultations via rewildlondon@london.gov.uk.

1. Partnership Approach Strengthens Applications: Many successful projects involve multiple organisations (councils, wildlife trusts, community groups). Collaborative proposals that connect multiple SINCs or leverage complementary expertise score well.

1. Monitor for Future Rounds: The fund is currently closed but has run three rounds since 2021. Sign up for updates or check the GLA website regularly for future funding opportunities.

References

• Greater London Authority. (2023). “Rewild London Fund 2023.” London City Hall. https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/green-space-funding/rewild-london-fund-2023

• Greater London Authority. (2022). “Rewild London Fund 2022 - Grants Guide.” London City Hall. https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/rewild-london-fund-2022/rewild-london-fund-2022-grants-guide

• Greater London Authority. (2021). “Rewild London Fund 2021.” London City Hall. https://www.london.gov.uk/publications/rewild-london-fund

• Groundwork. “Rewild London Fund.” Groundwork. https://www.groundwork.org.uk/london/rewild-london-fund/

• London Wildlife Trust. “The Rewild London Fund.” London Wildlife Trust. https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/projects/rewild-london

• Greater London Authority. “Mayor announces 21 successful Rewild London Fund projects to help make the capital more resilient to climate change.” London City Hall Press Release. https://www.london.gov.uk/Mayor-announces-21-successful-Rewild-London-Fund-projects

• Greater London Authority. “MD3020 Rewild London Fund Round 2.” Mayoral Decision. https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/governance-and-spending/promoting-good-governance/decision-making/mayoral-decisions/md3020-rewild-london-fund-round-2

• CIWEM. "The Mayor of London's new £600,000 Rewild London Fund: what you need to know." CIWEM News. https://www.ciwem.org/news/rewild-london-fund