Application window

The BASC Wildlife Fund is open to Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for small grants from 1 February 2026 until 5pm on 27 March 2026. 

We strongly encourage prospective applicants to undertake the following steps before submitting an EOI. This will help ensure your project aligns with our funding priorities and avoids unnecessary applications.

Before you apply

If you are considering applying for a BASC Wildlife Fund small grant, you must:

1. Read about who we are and overview of the type projects that will be considered for support.
2. Review projects that the BASC Wildlife Fund has supported.
3. Read this guidance for small grants. 

Only if, having completed all three steps above, you believe your project aligns with the BASC Wildlife Fund’s objectives should you submit an Expression of Interest.

The Expression of Interest form is available at the bottom of this page.

Background

This is the guidance for small grants. If you wish to make a major grant application, please download the guidance and application form by visiting the major grant guidance page.

Applicants are welcome to discuss their project idea with us in order to help shape it. Small projects should take no longer than two years to complete and in many cases forms that preparatory work for a subsequent major grant application.

Project eligibility

Consideration is given to projects that fall within the following general categories:

• habitat protection and restoration
• preparation of site management plans identifying conservation needs and establishing necessary management policy
• measures to involve local inhabitants/user groups in the sympathetic management of important sites/habitats
• projects that assist the UK and its devolved governments in meeting international commitments for nature recovery. 

Ineligible activities are:

• the purchase of land, buildings or firearms
• activities which may adversely affect people and local communities or where these communities have not provided their broad support to the project activities
• the removal or altering of any physical cultural property (includes sites having archaeological, paleontological, historical, religious, or unique natural values)
• activities that duplicate work previously funded by the BASC Wildlife Fund and/or the WHCT.

Financial support

The maximum size of a small grant is £5,000.

The proposed project activities must be consistent with the amount requested. It is important to be realistic as to what can be achieved with the requested budget and within the timeframe of the project.

Project duration

The maximum length of a project should be 24 months beginning on the date the grant contract is signed.

Applicant eligibility

Grants are available to any individual or civil society entity (for example, charity, Community Interest Company and other not-for-profit entities), local, national or international non-governmental and governmental organisation.

An application can be submitted on behalf of several eligible project partners. Partners participate in designing and implementing the project, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead partner.

Making an application

• All applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
• EOIs are accepted from 1 February 2026 until 5pm on 27 March 2026.
• Only EOIs approved by the BASC Wildlife Fund will be invited to submit a full application
• If invited, applicants will normally have one month (usually during May) to submit a full application using the standard application form. Exact timings may vary from year to year.
• Applications received after the stated deadlines cannot be considered.
• Applications are carefully reviewed. Decisions are normally made within eight weeks of the submission deadline, and applicants will be notified of the outcome within a further four weeks.