NIEA opens the 2024/25 Water Quality Challenge Fund

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has launched the 2024/25 call for applications to the Water Quality Improvement Strand of its Environmental Challenge Fund Competition.

The grant is open to applications from constituted not-for-profit organisations and councils, and projects will run from spring 2024 until February 2025. The funding will cover up to 85 % of funding for projects costing £5,000 to £30,000.

Announcing this year’s competition, NIEA Chief Executive, David Reid, said: “I am pleased to announce the opening of NIEA’s Water Quality Improvement Strand. This fund is made available to support local communities and voluntary organisations to run small projects that will deliver improvements in the local water environment, help connect people with that environment, and encourage behavioural change.

“Volunteers and community groups play a significant role in contributing to our plans to enhance the quality of our water through monitoring and our continued efforts to eliminate pollution and this fund offers a great opportunity for local conservation groups to support and continue in this important work. I would therefore encourage eligible organisations to consider submitting an application through this scheme to deliver improvements in their local water environment.”

The closing date for applications for the 2024/25 Water Quality Improvement Strand of the Environmental Challenge Fund Competition is 23.59 on 10 March 2024. Funding is subject to confirmation of 2024/25 budgets.

Further information, including guidance notes and details of how you can apply for funding, can be found on the DAERA website.

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 2024/25 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 2023/24, twelve community projects across Northern Ireland benefitted from £260k to help improve water quality.

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5. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office at pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk

6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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