DEFRA: Darwin Plus - Strategic

Overview

What is Darwin Plus Programme

Darwin Plus (also known as The Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund) is a UK government grants scheme that helps deliver long-term strategic outcomes for the unique biodiversity, the natural environment and improving resilience to climate change within the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs). It is one of the Biodiversity Challenge Funds, which also includes the Darwin Initiative and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, aimed at conserving biodiversity and safeguarding the environment for local people.

Most projects will include one or more of the following themes:

• Biodiversity: improving and conserving biodiversity, and slowing or reversing biodiversity loss and degradation;
• Climate change: responding to, mitigating and adapting to climate change and its effects on the natural environment and local communities;
• Environmental quality: improving the condition and protection of the natural environment;
• Capability and capacity building: enhancing the capacity within UKOTs to support the environment in the short- and long-term.

Projects contribute to the delivery of existing commitments for individual Territories, such as those set out within the national biodiversity strategies, environmental action plans and roadmaps, or equivalent.

Darwin Plus Strategic

Darwin Plus Strategic is intended for projects that can demonstrate greater ambition and/or collaboration, relative to projects being funded under the other Darwin Plus grant schemes. Darwin Plus Strategic offers grants between £1 million and £3 million for projects lasting between 3 and 5 years.

Applications should build on good evidence from smaller projects to demonstrate the potential to either scale or replicate results further, aiming to deliver improved outcomes for biodiversity conservation in one or multiple UKOTs.

The primary benefit of Darwin Plus Strategic projects must be to at least one UKOT, though secondary benefits for biodiversity in neighbouring countries (which are not UKOTs) will be considered positively. Active Darwin Plus Main projects are able to apply to Darwin Plus Strategic prior to completion in order to allow a seamless transition and a scaling of activities, but there should be no overlap of funding. Applicants should provide clarity and distinct timings, activities and outputs between related projects in making the case for new additional support, preventing any duplication (perceived or real) or negatively impacting the value for money assessment of either grant.

The UK Government has committed to make £10 million available for Darwin Plus each year until March 2025.

Who can apply

Darwin Plus funding is open to applications for projects in all UKOTs. The fourteen UKOTs are:

• Anguilla • Bermuda • British Antarctic Territory (BAT) • British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) • British Virgin Islands (BVI) • Cayman Islands • Falkland Islands (FI)2 • Gibraltar • Montserrat • Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie & Oeno Islands • St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha • South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) • Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (on Cyprus) • Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI)

Specifications

Darwin Plus Strategic provides grants between £1 million and £3 million. The minimum length of a project is 3 years and the maximum length is 5 years. Projects should aim to produce strong evidence for the potential of transformative change for the primary benefit of Overseas Territories upon completion, delivering strong results for any of the main themes present in section 1.2 of Guidance. However, proposals that may provide secondary biodiversity benefits to neighbouring countries will still be welcome due to the significant potential for increased international biodiversity conservation within the overseas territories.

Applicants to Darwin Plus Strategic:

• should plan to start on or after 1 April 2025. You cannot start earlier.
• must ensure their budget commitments end by 31 March 2030.

Requirements

Lead Organisation and Project Leader

Applications must be made by the Lead Organisation, not an individual, agreeing to the Terms and Conditions including managing the grant, its finances, reporting and governance. The Project Leader should be the lead individual who will work closely with or supervise the beneficiary/ies.

The Project Leader is the individual with the necessary authority, capability and capacity, and a full understanding of their role and associated obligations to take responsibility for delivering value for money, managing risk and financial controls whilst fulfilling the terms and conditions of the grant.

The Project Leader and Lead Organisation can be based in any country, though they strongly encourage projects to be led by an in-territory organisation.

See Guidance for further information.