About the fund
We're launching a £2 million Nature Recovery Fund to support local community groups with a focus on the environment. This fund will be available across the region to deliver tangible, community-led improvements to nature and water quality.
This new opportunity to invest in nature, water and people arises from the £24m package of enforcement measures approved by Ofwat following an investigation into failures at wastewater treatment works and networks.
The South West Water Nature Recovery Fund offers two levels of grants that will run in parallel with each other to support a wide range of project sizes and organisations.
- Small grants – up to £10,000
- Large grants – up to £250,000
Application window 7th November 2025 – 31st January 2026
1. Deliver measurable biodiversity and/or water quality improvements
- This may include:
- Habitat restoration
- Pond restoration
- Tree planting
- Other catchment-based environmental schemes
2. Deliver Natural Flow Management
- This may include:
- Rainwater harvesting, installation of water butts, natural flow management and shared rainwater storage systems.
3. Strengthen local environmental organisations
By creating local environmental and catchment plans and expanding their capacity to run volunteer and training programmes focused on biodiversity, water quality and nature-based solutions
Key Assessment criteria
Projects will be assessed based on the benefits they deliver across three key areas:
- Nature – How the project supports nature recovery, biodiversity, habitat creation, and ecosystem restoration.
- Water – The project's impact on water quality, natural flood management, and healthy water systems.
- People – How the project engages communities, improves access to nature, and supports wellbeing.
Applications to the Nature Recovery Fund are now closed. We are reviewing applications and will be in touch shortly with decisions.
Any further questions?
Please email us on NatureRecovery@southwestwater.co.uk.