We are excited to announce Expressions of Interest are now open for the Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund, ahead of the fund's official reopening next month.
With approximately £2 million available for capital projects in 2026/27, the fund will support practical action for nature’s recovery across the chalk and limestone landscapes of southern England. Grants start at £1,000 and, in exceptional circumstances, can exceed £100,000 for projects delivering significant and lasting benefits for nature.
Whether you're restoring species-rich grassland, improving a chalk stream, creating new habitat, investing in conservation equipment, or developing a collaborative landscape-scale initiative, we want to hear from you.
A fund for every scale of nature recovery
Nature recovery happens at every scale.
Some projects begin with a local community creating a pond or restoring a meadow. Others bring together multiple organisations to reconnect wildlife-rich habitats across whole landscapes. The Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund is designed to support both.
The fund can provide:
- Full project funding in some circumstances
- Match funding to complement other investment
- Top-up funding to increase the impact of existing projects
- Flexible payment arrangements to support project delivery
We're interested in projects that create, restore and connect wildlife-rich habitats, support priority species and deliver long-term gains for nature across the Big Chalk landscape.
A stronger focus on 30by30
This funding round places an even stronger emphasis on supporting the Government's 30by30 ambition to ensure that 30% of land is effectively managed for nature by 2030.
You don't need to meet every 30by30 criterion to apply, but projects that demonstrate a long-term commitment to managing land for nature and delivering lasting improvements biodiversity are more likely to be funded.
We encourage all prospective applicants to read the guidance carefully to understand how 30by30 principles may apply to their project.
Important changes for this funding round
There are several important updates you should be aware of:
- Funding rates will generally be benchmarked against other Defra-funded schemes, including Countryside Stewardship, Farming in Protected Landscapes and the Water Restoration Fund.
- Where applicants request funding above standard intervention rates, a strong justification will be required.
- Funded works will generally be expected to be completed by 31 March within the allocated financial year. Where there is a strong ecological or operational justification for a longer delivery period, flexibility may be offered provided funding has already been committed.
- We can offer provisional support for multi-year projects running through to 31 March 2029, subject to future Defra funding being confirmed.
Read the guidance before you apply
Before submitting an Expression of Interest, we strongly encourage all applicants to read the guidance in full.
It explains:
- Who can apply
- What types of work can be funded
- Eligibility requirements
- Assessment criteria
- Supporting documents you may need
- How projects will be assessed
Reading the guidance early will help you understand what's required and make the application process much smoother.
How the Expression of Interest process works
Applications are being managed through Plinth, our new online grants management system.
To get started, you'll need to:
- Create a Plinth account.
- Complete a short Expression of Interest form.
- Submit your project idea for an initial review.
We'll then assess your Expression of Interest.
If your project is eligible
We’ll contact you and arrange an online discussion.
You'll be assigned a Fund Manager who will work with you through the next stages of the process. The amount of support we’ll provide will depend on how complex your project is. Some applicants may need only light-touch guidance, while others may benefit from more detailed support and development.
These conversations will help us:
- Understand your project in more detail
- Provide early feedback
- Discuss eligibility and due diligence requirements
- Identify any additional information needed
- Help strengthen your proposal before submission
You’ll then be invited to make a full application.
If your project is not eligible
If your proposal falls outside the fund's core requirements, for example if it’s not in the Big Chalk area, isn’t a capital project, or doesn’t clearly support nature recovery, we’ll send you an email explaining why it can’t proceed.
Let's build nature recovery together
The challenges facing our chalk and limestone landscapes are significant, but so is the opportunity.
By working together, we can create more, bigger, better and more connected habitats, support wildlife recovery and make meaningful progress towards protecting 30% of England's land for nature by 2030.
If you have a project that can help nature’s recovery across the Big Chalk landscape, we encourage you to submit an Expression of Interest and start the conversation.
Expressions of Interest are now open. Read the applicant guidance, create your Plinth account and tell us about your project.
The Big Chalk programme and Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).