Natural Resources Wales Launches Sustainable Drainage Feasibility Grant

Grants are available to support the development of small-scale, retrofit, sustainable drainage solutions in Wales.

The Sustainable Drainage Feasibility Grant has been created to support the development of small, local sustainable urban drainage schemes (SuDS) or sustainable drainage schemes on existing sites in Wales. SuDS help to reduce surface water flooding in built up areas and reduce run-off into local rivers and streams.

The grant will enable individuals, community groups and others undertake feasibility studies with the potential to develop small-scale schemes. In rural landscapes, these schemes can reduce localised flooding and improve water quality.

Up to £450,000 is available in the first round of funding to allow applicants to undertake feasibility studies to tackle issues on existing sites, with the potential to develop small-scale retro-fit schemes via a future competitive grant. At this stage, grants of between £25,000 and £40,000 are available. Applicants may request up to 100% of their project costs.

Applications are accepted from individuals, public sector organisations, registered charities, universities, other higher education institutions and research institutes, third sector organisations, and private sector organisations. The project must be in Wales.

Applicants will need to demonstrate how their project would use innovation to improve current approaches, as well as demonstrating how they would reduce carbon emissions, enhance biodiversity and provide health and wellbeing benefits to the local community.

The deadline for applications is 25 September 2023 (23:59 BST).

(This report was the subject of a GRANTfinder Newsflash.)