Northumberland National Park Sustainable Development Fund
Sustainable Development Fund?
The Sustainable Development Fund is a grants scheme aimed at local people and organisations in Northumberland National Park. Applicants can apply for help with funding using the simple Application Form. The Sustainable Development Fund is provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is managed by Northumberland National Park Authority.
Sustainable development within Northumberland National Park is about promoting ways of living and working that allows people to enjoy life, businesses to prosper and communities to thrive. At the same time, it is about enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park and affording opportunities for understanding and enjoyment of the National Park’s special qualities by the public.
In order to apply to the Sustainable Development Fund, you will need to propose a project idea. A project is a distinct piece of work to be carried out, which is additional to the usual day-to-day activity of an individual or organisation.
What are the aims of the Sustainable Development Fund?
To some extent, your project idea must meet all three aims of the Sustainable Development Fund. After you have submitted your application form those making your funding decision will numerically score your project as a measure of sustainable development.
The Primary Priority Areas are shown in bold. You will need to meet at least one of these areas to be considered for a grant, whether in the social, economic and/or environmental categories. All projects must also be able to score in all three categories to be eligible for a grant from the Sustainable Development Fund. If you feel that your project will work towards sustainable development in a new way that is not listed below, you can also include those details on your application form, and they will be taken into consideration.
Social Sustainability
To increase community awareness and understanding of the National Park.
- Engages local communities and / or volunteers in planning, delivery and operation
- Involves young people
- Engages people from an urban centre with the National Park
- Adds value or new dimensions to an existing sustainability project
- Supports cultural heritage
- Enhances the visitor experience
- Protects the historic environment
- Provides an event for the public to understand and enjoy the National Park
- Reduces the fear of crime
- Improves the wellbeing of older people
- Addresses health inequalities
Improves access to rural services (e.g. early learning / childcare services, schools, healthcare, post offices, retail outlets, adult learning centres, recreation clubs, access to the Internet)
Economic Sustainability
To use the special qualities of the National Park to support economic development.
Educates and raises awareness of the need for sustainable development
- Brings different organisations together to tackle rural problems in the spirit of partnership
- Supports rural diversification
- Contributes to the development of local career structures by providing training
- Uses the Internet to promote the project as an example of sustainable development
- Results in an increased level of spend in the local economy
- Creates local employment
- Uses sustainable transport
- Conserves the energy produced
- Minimises the production of waste
- Uses local produce to support local consumption
- Helps to address rural homelessness
Environmental Sustainability
To safeguard and enhance the special qualities of Northumberland National Park
- Develops models for sustainable living in the countryside that can be applied elsewhere
- Involves the sustainable management of land (e.g. irrigation, peat bog management, reforestation)
- Involves sustainable organic farming practices
- Improves public access to the National Park
- Directly conserves and enhances biodiversity
- Is completely carbon neutral
- Provides a new use for an existing site
- Generates energy in a sustainable way
- Uses recycling wherever feasible
- Reduces the risk of flooding
- Protects the quality of the waterways in the National Park
- Safeguards rural bird populations
The Sustainable Development Fund can also be used to promote innovation and the sharing of knowledge. Therefore, your project will also be scored if it:
- Is an exemplar of sustainable development
- Disseminates knowledge
The projects that the Sustainable Development Fund can support must be of benefit to Northumberland National Park. For projects that fall outside of the boundary, you must be able to demonstrate that the benefits will be transferred to the communities that fall within the boundary. To find out more about how to apply to the Sustainable Development Fund please read about the Funding Available through our two grant programmes.
If you've already got your idea and you're ready to make a start, then either Contact Us to find out how to apply for funding or complete our online Funding Feedback Form.
