Muir opens the 2025/26 Water Quality Improvement Strand Funding
Date published:
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister, Andrew Muir, has opened the 2025/26 call for applications to the Water Quality Improvement Strand of the Environmental Challenge Fund Competition.
The grant is open to applications from constituted not-for-profit organisations and councils, and projects will run from spring 2025 until February 2026. The funding will cover up to 85% of funding for projects costing £5,000 to £30,000.
Announcing this year’s competition, the DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir, said:
“I am delighted to announce the opening of NIEA’s Water Quality Improvement Strand Fund which is aimed at supporting local communities and voluntary organisations who are running small projects to help improve water quality and the water environment in their local area, including Lough Neagh and its catchment areas.
"The fund, which has been running since 2020, has benefited 47 local projects, totalling £900k. Projects to date have included river clean-ups, outflow and river stress safaris, in-river habitat improvement schemes, catchment interventions to reduce nutrient run-off and educational programmes to encourage behavioural change.
“It offers a great opportunity for local conservation groups to support and continue in this important work. I commend all our groups and volunteers who have been involved in this scheme for their enthusiasm and passion in taking positive steps to create a healthier water environment and promoting awareness of the benefits of good water quality.
“I encourage eligible organisations to consider submitting an application through this scheme to deliver improvements in their local water environment.”
The Minister concluded:
“Improving water quality is a key priority and the Lough Neagh Action plan commits to make grant funding available to support organisations working to improve water quality and conservation of Lough Neagh.
“In that context, in addition to the Water Quality Improvement Strand Fund, over £750,000 has already been grant aided via the 2023-28 Environment Fund programme to projects which support the conservation and water quality of Lough Neagh and its catchments, including the Ballinderry River and the Blackwater River. These projects include conservation actions within the Lough Neagh Area of Special Scientific Interest, work to scope the development of conservation management plans and a Forever Mournes Partnership approach to Lough Neagh, a communication package for Lough Neagh stakeholders, alongside catchment enhancement and management measures.”
The closing date for applications for the 2025/26 Water Quality Improvement Strand of the Environmental Challenge Fund Competition is the 14 February 2025. Funding is subject to confirmation of 2025/26 budgets.
Further information, including guidance notes and details of how you can apply for funding, can be found on the DAERA website at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/environment-fund-water-quality-improvement-strand.
An information webcast is available on the DAERA website at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/environment-fund-water-quality-improvement-strand for anyone wishing to obtain more information before making an application.
Notes to editors:
1. The Environmental Challenge Fund is available to not-for-profit organisations and Councils to deliver on water quality priorities across Northern Ireland. Grants are available between £5,000 and £30,000 through the competition to cover up to 85 % of eligible project costs subject to available funding in the 2025/26 year.
2. The three key themes for funding under this Challenge Competition are:
- Connecting people with the aquatic environment to achieve behavioural change
- Conservation and restoration of our aquatic environments
- Nature-based solutions, particularly for climate change mitigation and adaptation
3. In 2024/25, fifteen community projects across Northern Ireland benefitted from £310k to help improve water quality.
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