Guidance on Darwin Plus: environment funding for the UK Overseas Territories

What funding is available

Darwin Plus (also known as The Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund) provides funding for:

• environmental projects in UK Overseas Territories
• fellowships for UK Overseas Territories (OT) Nationals to increase their knowledge and ability to meet long-term strategic outcomes for the natural environment in UK Overseas Territories

Darwin Plus is no longer an Official Development Assistance (ODA) fund. Territories eligible for ODA will be able to apply for funding via the Darwin Initiative.

How to apply

You need to apply online for Round 9 Darwin Plus projects and fellowships through the Flexigrant Application Portal.

Before applying, you should first read:

• Darwin Plus Round 9: project guidance (PDF, 527KB, 39 pages)
• Finance for Darwin and IWT
• Darwin Plus Flexi-Grant User Guide (PDF, 318KB, 11 pages)
• Privacy policy

Darwin Plus projects

Once you have read the guidance, complete the Darwin Plus Round 9 application form on the Flexigrant application portal.

For drafting purposes, you may find the Darwin Plus Round 9: Darwin Plus Projects application form (for drafting only) (MS Word Document, 207KB) useful.

If you are invited to Stage 2, you will be asked to complete the stage 2 application form on the Flexigrant portal. For drafting purposes, you may find the Darwin Plus Round 9: Darwin Plus Projects application form stage 2 (for drafting only) (MS Word Document, 207KB) useful.

You will also need to complete and upload:

• the relevant budget form: Darwin Plus Round 9: budget form (grants under £100,000) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 35.2KB) or Darwin Plus Round 9: budget form (grants over £100,000) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 65.1KB)
• the Darwin Plus Round 9: Darwin Plus projects implementation timetable (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 14.7KB)

Darwin Plus fellowships

Once you have read the guidance, complete the Darwin Plus Round 9 Fellowship application form on the Flexigrant application portal.

For drafting purposes, you may find the Darwin Plus Round 9: Darwin Plus Fellowship application form (MS Word Document, 281KB) useful.

You will also need to complete and upload:

• Darwin Plus Round 9: Darwin Plus Fellowship budget (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 72KB)
• Darwin Plus Round 9: Darwin Plus Fellowship implementation timetable (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 15.1KB)

When to apply

There is a two-stage application process for Darwin plus projects. The timetable for round 9 is:

• call for Stage 1 applications: 28 July 2020
• deadline for Stage 1 applications: 8 September 2020
• expected outcome of Stage 1 and notification of applicants invited to Stage 2: end of November 2020
• deadline for Stage 2 applications (by invitation only): 2 February 2021
• expected notification of successful projects: end of May 2021
• expected start date for successful projects: from July 2021

Who can apply

Darwin Plus projects

Funding is open to any organisation as long as the proposed project will benefit one or more of the non-ODA eligible UK OTs (listed below) by protecting and enhancing their biodiversity or addressing wider environment or climate-related issues.

Applicants can include:

• OT governments
• non-governmental organisations
• research institutions
• the private sector
• other stakeholders

Darwin Plus Fellowships

Darwin Plus Fellowship funding aims to build capacity within the UK OTs through training opportunities. These are for UK OT nationals or, for Territories without a resident population, for individuals who:

• are committed to supporting their chosen Territory
• can show an existing relationship with that Territory

The 14 UK Overseas Territories are:

• Anguilla
• Bermuda
• British Antarctic Territory
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• The British Virgin Islands
• The Cayman Islands
• The Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Montserrat (eligible for ODA)
• The Pitcairn (eligible for ODA), Henderson, Ducie & Oeno Islands
• Saint Helena (eligible for ODA), Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (eligible for ODA)
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
• Sovereign Base Areas, Akrotiri and Dhekelia (on Cyprus)
• The Turks & Caicos Islands

Level of funding

There is no specific minimum or maximum level for a Darwin Plus project or Darwin Plus Fellowship. The funding pot is however limited. Further information on the size of Darwin Plus awards can be found in the Darwin Plus Round 9: project guidance (PDF, 527KB, 39 pages).

How projects/fellowships are selected

The Darwin Plus Advisory Group (DPAG) is made up of policy experts from UK Government Departments and external experts who have experience or knowledge of running biodiversity and environmental projects in UK Overseas Territories. The group assesses all applications to the fund and will produce a prioritised list of Darwin Plus projects and fellowships recommended for funding. Defra ministers approve the final list.

A successful Darwin Plus project must have support from the OT government and consultation with the OT government at stage 1 is essential. We do not require a formal letter of support at stage 1 of the application process. A full letter of support will be required from the OT government at stage 2.

Darwin Plus Advisory Group membership

Professor EJ Milner-Gulland - Oxford University (Chair)

UK Government policy advisers from:

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)

Members with OT knowledge or experience:

• Martin Brasher
• Jonathan Hall
• John R Turner
• Professor Brendan Godley
• Martin Collins

Other external advisers:

• Dr Colin Clubbe - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
• Amanda Gregory – Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
• Ed McManus - Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)

Darwin Plus Contact details

For questions about Darwin Plus policy, contact the Darwin Secretariat at the Department for Food and Rural Affairs. Email: scott.nelson@defra.gov.uk

For queries about Darwin Plus project applications, contact the applications team. Email: darwin-applications@ltsi.co.uk

For specific queries on applying through the Flexi-Grant applications, contact the Flexi-Grant support team. Email: Flexigrant@ltsi.co.uk

For queries relating to new and existing projects, contact the project administrators. Email: darwin-projects@ltsi.co.uk

Telephone: Eilidh Young on 0131 440 5181

For queries about project finance, contact the finance section. Email: darwin-finance@ltsi.co.uk

Case study

Before completing the application form, you might like to take a look at these case studies showing examples of successful Darwin Plus projects:

• Bermuda invasive lionfish initiative
• Penguins in the Southern Ocean