Name: Big Chalk
Price range: $

A chalk stream river in Wiltshire meanders gently through the countryside, with its clear waters adorned by delicate white flowers floating on the surface. The scene is serene, with the bright blooms contrasting beautifully against the calm, transparent stream and lush green banks.

Nature Recovery Fund

Funding action for nature across the chalk and limestone landscapes of southern England

One project can make a difference. Connected projects can transform a landscape.

The Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund supports practical projects that restore and reconnect habitats, help wildlife recover and create a more resilient natural environment across the chalk and limestone landscapes of southern England.

From restoring species-rich grassland and improving chalk streams, to reconnecting habitats across a wider landscape, we support projects that can deliver lasting benefits for nature.

Read the guidance

About Big Chalk

Nature doesn't follow administrative boundaries. Big Chalk brings people and organisations together across the chalk and limestone landscapes of southern England to create a larger, more connected and resilient spaces for nature.

The Big Chalk partnership brings together protected landscapes, environmental organisations, farmers and land managers, communities, local authorities and others with a shared ambition for nature's recovery.

The Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund is designed to support that ambition.

It provides funding for capital projects that create, restore and improve habitats, strengthen connections between them and support the long-term recovery of species.

By investing in individual projects and the connections between them, we can help build a stronger network for nature across chalk and limestone landscapes.

170+ hectares

of chalk and limestone grassland created or restored

572 hectares

of species-rich habitat restored over next five years

1.4 kilometres

of chalk stream and river habitat improved for nature

The Nature Recovery Fund in action

Our first funding round invested £800,000 in 23 projects, together helping restore and reconnect habitats and recover species across southern England's iconic chalk and limestone landscapes.

Explore projects

Cattle grazing on open chalk grassland with wildflowers and wide views across rolling countryside, demonstrating conservation grazing for nature recovery.

Virtual fencing introduced at Dolebury, National Trust

River Granta in Abington, a natural chalk stream

Volunteers removing scrub on a steep chalk grassland slope, using hand tools to clear vegetation with farmland visible in the background.

Volunteers removing scrub at Mill Hill

Tractor sowing new chalk grassland seed across a large bare field at RSPB Winterbourne Downs, with distant hills and cloudy skies in the background.

Sowing chalk grassland seed at RSPB Winterbourne Downs

Chalk grassland meadow at Morgans Hill

All‑terrain vehicle towing a seed spreader across grassland, with bags of wildflower seed ready for sowing as part of grassland restoration work.

Grassland restoration work in Stroud

What we're looking to fund

We are looking for capital projects that deliver clear, lasting benefits for nature.

This could include:

Restoring and reconnecting habitats — including species-rich grasslands, chalk streams and rivers, wetlands, woodland and farmland habitats.
Supporting wildlife — creating, restoring and managing habitats for rare, threatened and/or declining native species.
Building more connected landscapes — creating habitat corridors and stepping stones that help wildlife move through the landscape and respond to climate change.
Delivering nature's recovery at scale — bringing partners together and contributing to Local Nature Recovery Strategy priorities or wider landscape-scale initiatives.
Developing new approaches and sharing learning — testing innovative approaches and sharing what works across Big Chalk and beyond.
Building long-term capacity — investing in infrastructure, equipment, skills, partnerships and other resources that strengthen our collective ability to deliver nature recovery over the long term.
Delivering benefits for people — including opportunities to connect with nature, improve wellbeing and strengthen communities.

Success stories and examples

What we can’t fund

Day to day running costs or other non-capital items
Maintenance and repair of existing infrastructure
Visitor and educational infrastructure
Projects outside of the Big Chalk area

We’re looking for projects that deliver lasting benefits for nature. The strongest projects will help create more connected, resilient and nature-rich landscapes, with benefits that continue beyond the lifetime of the grant. The level of evidence we expect will reflect the ambition and complexity of the project and the funding requested.

The funding guidance has more details on what we can and can't fund.

Help and pre-application support

Who can apply?

The fund is open to a wide range of organisations, land managers and partnerships, including:

Environmental NGOs, such as wildlife and rivers trusts, and smaller local organisations
Farmers, land managers and landowners
Community groups
Local Authorities
Parish and town councils
Educational institutions that manage land
Collaborative partnerships

Projects can be delivered by individual organisations or through collaboration between partners.

We welcome projects at different scales, from local habitat creation and restoration through to ambitious landscape-scale initiatives.

30by30 and the Nature Recovery Fund

Supporting long-term management for nature

The Government's 30by30 ambition is to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of England's land and sea for nature by 2030.

30by30 recognises that protecting existing wildlife-rich places is only part of the picture. It also means ensuring land is effectively managed for nature over the long term, including restoring degraded habitats and creating new opportunities for nature to recover.

This aligns closely with Big Chalk's ambition to restore and reconnect habitats across southern England's chalk and limestone landscapes and create a more connected and resilient network for nature's recovery.

The Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund is one of the ways the government is supporting the 30by30 ambition.

You do not need to meet every 30by30 criterion to apply. However, projects that demonstrate a long-term commitment to managing land for nature and delivering lasting improvements for biodiversity are more likely to be funded.

The Funding Guidance explains how 30by30 principles are considered when assessing applications.

Submit EOI

How much funding is available?

£2 million is available for projects in 2026/27, with further funding anticipated in 2027/28 and 2028/29, subject to annual confirmation from Defra.

There are three funding tiers, reflecting the scale and potential impact of different projects.

Small grants: £1,000 to £9,999 for practical projects with local benefits, with a simple and streamlined assessment process.
Standard grants: £10,000 to £100,000 for larger projects capable of delivering significant environmental outcomes, with assessment by an expert Big Chalk panel.
Exceptional grants: more than £100,000 for ambitious projects with the potential to deliver lasting, landscape-scale benefits and transformational impact.

The Funding Guidance explains the assessment process and requirements for each funding tier.

How to apply

Applications are assessed throughout the year on a rolling basis.

There is no single annual application deadline. Funding is limited and grants will be awarded throughout the year, so we encourage you to submit your Expression of Interest as early as possible.

We’ll use Plinth, our online grant management system, to manage the funding process — from submitting Expressions of Interest and applications through to managing grants and providing updates.

A simple three-step process:

Submit an Expression of Interest: Tell us about your project, what you want to achieve and how it will benefit nature. We'll carry out an initial eligibility check.
Discuss your proposal with a Fund Manager: If your project is eligible, we'll invite you to discuss your proposal with a Fund Manager. This is an opportunity to explore your project, identify any issues early and get advice on developing your application.
Submit your application: If you're invited to proceed, you'll complete the full application through Plinth and provide the supporting information we need. Your application will then be assessed according to the size and complexity of the grant you're requesting.

Example application form

What can you expect from Big Chalk?

We want the funding process to be straightforward, while ensuring investment is directed towards projects with strong potential to deliver lasting benefits for nature.

Support before you apply: If your Expression of Interest is eligible, you'll have the opportunity to discuss your proposal with a Fund Manager before submitting a full application. This gives you an opportunity to tell us about your project, identify any potential issues early and understand what will be needed for a strong application.
Flexible funding: Funding can be used as match funding, top-up funding alongside other sources or, where appropriate, to fund the full cost of a project.
Payments in stages: Funding can be paid in agreed instalments throughout your project, helping with cash flow and supporting delivery.
A strategic approach: We look beyond individual projects to consider how they contribute to a wider network for nature. Projects that strengthen existing habitats, improve ecological connectivity and bring people and organisations together can help deliver greater impact across Big Chalk landscapes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra, enabling us to take bold steps together towards a more connected, resilient and nature-rich future for southern England's chalk and limestone landscapes.