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Guidance

Darwin Plus: environment funding for the UK Overseas Territories

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Part of:
Darwin Initiative: funding schemes and how to apply, UK Overseas Territories, Biodiversity and ecosystems, and Wildlife and habitat conservation
Published:
22 May 2014
Last updated:
6 July 2016, see all updates

Darwin Plus: how to apply for project and fellowship funding

What funding is available

The Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund (also known as Darwin Plus) provides funding for:

  • environmental projects in UK Overseas Territories
  • fellowships for UK Overseas Territories (OT) Nationals to train in the UK

How to apply

Darwin Plus projects

You should read the Darwin Plus Round 5: Project Guidance (PDF, 533KB, 30 pages) before completing:

Darwin Plus Fellowships

You should read the Darwin Plus Round 5: Project Guidance (PDF, 533KB, 30 pages) before completing:

When to apply

The timetable for Darwin Plus Round 5 is set out below:

• 6 July 2016 - call for applications

• 29 August 2016 - deadline for receipt of applications

• Late November 2016 - expected outcome and notification of applicants

• From 1 April 2017 – expected start date for successful projects/fellowships

Who can apply

Darwin Plus projects

Funding is open to any organisation as long as the proposed project will benefit one or more of the UK OTs (listed below) by to protecting and enhancing their biodiversity or addressing wider environment or climate-related issues.

Applicants can include:

  • OT governments
  • non-governmental organisations
  • research institutions
  • the private sector
  • other stakeholders

Darwin Plus Fellowships

The applicant organisation will usually be UK-based and the proposed Fellow must be an OT national who has worked or is working on environmental issues in the UK OTs.

The 14 UK Overseas Territories are:

Level of funding

There is no specific minimum or maximum level for a Darwin Plus project or Darwin Plus Fellowship.

How projects/fellowships are selected

The Darwin Plus Advisory Group (DPAG) is made up of policy experts from UK Government Departments and external experts who have experience or knowledge of running biodiversity and environmental projects in UK Overseas Territories. There is a pool of potential reviewers that can be drawn on from within UK Government Departments depending on the nature of the proposed project and the policy expertise required to assess it.

Each application is reviewed by at least three members of the Darwin Plus Advisory Group (DPAG). It is scored against the criteria set out in the guidance documents. OT governments are also given the opportunity to rate the potential projects against their environmental priorities, although this does not affect the application score. All applications will be reviewed to produce a prioritised list of Darwin Plus projects and fellowships recommended for funding. Defra ministers approve the final list.

Darwin Plus Advisory Group membership

Professor Stephen Blackmore (Chair)

UK Government policy advisers from:

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
  • Department for International Development (DFID)

Members of the Darwin Expert Committee with OT knowledge or experience:

  • Mr Martin Brasher
  • Mr Alistair Gammell
  • Professor Brendan Godley

Other external advisers:

  • Dr Colin Clubbe - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
  • Mrs Tara Pelembe – Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
  • Mrs Kedell Worboys, MBE – UK Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA)

Darwin Plus Contact details

For questions about Darwin Plus policy, contact the Darwin Secretariat at the Department for Food and Rural Affairs. Email: darwin@defra.gsi.gov.uk

For queries about Darwin Plus project applications, contact the applications team. Email: darwin-applications@ltsi.co.uk

For queries relating to new and existing projects, contact the project administrators. Email: darwin-projects@ltsi.co.uk

Telephone: Eilidh Young on 0131 440 5181

For queries about project finance, contact the finance section. Email: darwin-finance@ltsi.co.uk

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Case Study

Before completing the application form, you might like to take a look at a case study showing an example of a successful Darwin Plus project.

Contents

Document information

Published: 22 May 2014

Updated: 6 July 2016

+ full page history

  1. Alerting the public that Round 5 of Darwin Plus is now open and inviting applications for Darwin Plus projects and Darwin Plus Fellowships.
  2. Page updated to confirm that Darwin Plus Round 4 is now closed and Round 5 will be launched in Summer 2016
  3. Confirming the closing date for this year's Darwin Plus applications and adding the list of Darwin Plus Advisory Group members.
  4. The application period is now open for Round 4 of the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund (also known as Darwin Plus).
  5. The 2015 application window for Darwin Plus is not yet open. Previous applicants and interested parties will be alerted by e-mail. Please contact Darwin-applications@LTSI.co.uk to be added to the Darwin mailing list.
  6. Please note that the 2014 application period for Darwin Plus projects is NOW CLOSED (from 4 August 2014).
  7. updated guidance notes
  8. First published.

From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Part of: Darwin Initiative: funding schemes and how to apply UK Overseas Territories Biodiversity and ecosystems Wildlife and habitat conservation

Related guides: Darwin Initiative: applying for main project funding Darwin Initiative: applying for post project funding Darwin Initiative: scoping projects Darwin Initiative: Fellowship Awards