What sort of activities can be funded by SDF?
Listen to our Podcast about a drystone walling project supported by the SDF to find out about the sort of activities which can be funded. The team behind the ‘Great Wall of The Narth’ – John Dunkleman and Ernie Phillips (pictured above) – talked to Sarah Sawyer (then Wye Valley AONB Community Links Officer) and Sarah Tindle (Recreation and Partnerships Officer at Natural Resources Wales).
The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) is available in the Welsh part of the Wye Valley National Landscape. The SDF aims, through partnership, to support innovative and sustainable projects that to enhance and conserve natural beauty, wildlife, culture, landscape, land use and community within the context of the goals and sustainable development principles of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, and Welsh Government and international priorities. Projects that are supported must meet the statutory purpose of the Wye Valley National Landscape, which is to conserve and enhance its natural beauty. The grant is delivered by the Wye Valley National Landscape Unit, on behalf of the Welsh Government.
Around £85,000 is available for projects in each of the 5 National Landscapes (NL) each year. Applications can be for small grants of less than £1,000, or larger grants of up to £25,000 in exceptional circumstances.
Match Funding- Applicants are normally expected to provide at least 25% of the total budget costs, from their own budget or from any match funding, such as in-kind contributions.
The scheme is available to Local Authorities, voluntary, community, and partnership groups are eligible to apply for funds as long as the proposed project meets the above purposes. Projects should be located within or should directly benefit one or more of the Welsh NLs. For organisations to receive funds they must have a formal constitution and a bank account.
Private businesses or individuals may also apply on the same basis provided they are able to demonstrate a clear benefit to the wider community and NL(s).
All applications we be subject to the same rigorous assessment procedure. The applicant will be entirely responsible for identifying and obtaining any required permissions and licences, for example, planning permission and environmental consents.
Projects must be new and funding cannot support projects that have already commenced, unless the application is for a new phase or specific element
Applicants must be able to demonstrate how their project supports the Welsh Government Priorities:
The SDF Panel will score application against the following criteria:
Any publications (e.g. leaflets, books), displays, videos or interpretation produced as part of an SDF project must be bilingual (text and Logos). Translation costs can be included in the project costs. If successful, applicants will be provided with Wye Valley National Landscape & Welsh Government Logos for use in all publications, publicity and promotion.
We strongly recommended that you read the the following guidance, which provides a good understanding of how Welsh Government would like to be acknowledged: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2024-03/wg-logo-guide 2024.pdf . Requests for the Welsh Government logo and artwork approval should be made to BrandingQueries@gov.wales
Contact Lucinda James, Wye Valley National Landscape Community Links Officer – community@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk – 07956 452770 / 01600 710844 with a brief outline of your proposal or fill out the expression of interest form here .
SDF Grant: £19,123.80
The Prickly Patch is a wild hedgehog rehabilitation centre serving Monmouth and the surrounding area, dedicated to the rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation of sick, injured, and orphaned wild hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs are one of our Priority Species and this new facility has emerged as a natural and much-needed development following the success of the Volunteer Hedgehog First Response Unit, founded in January 2024 by WVNL Hedgehog Hero and Hedgehog Champion Dylan Allman, which was also supported through a SDF grant.
Find out more here.
SDF Grant: £1,000
SDF funding helped the Monmouthshire Meadows group produce a lavishly illustrated, 330 page field guide to grassland fungi to help promote the vital role of fungi in grassland ecology. A group of skilled volunteers and specialists worked on the book, undertaking extensive surveys and fieldwork in the Lower Wye Valley.
The project team identified 177 species of fungi commonly found in meadows and other grasslands in the UK, such as Waxcaps, Tongues, Spindles and Pink Gills. More than 800 photographs illustrate the key identification points whilst technical terms are kept to a minimum. A launch day was attended by over 100 people from a range of organisations including the Wildlife Trusts and Plant Life. The book has proved popular and sold well within the Wye Valley AONB and beyond. Copies can be purchased from the distributors www.nhbs.com for £19.99.
SDF Grant: £1,347
The Nurturing our Nature project saw parents, children and project volunteers working together at Llandogo Primary School to clear overgrowth from around the pond, removing an old bridge and creating a gentle shelf within the pond before planting with native species. They created amphibian and reptile homes using log piles and terracotta pots and reptile monitoring refuges using corrugated roofing. Participants also learnt how to prune the orchard trees, re-stake them and prepare the meadow area underneath to increase the area of hay meadow surrounding the trees. They painted new nest boxes and put them up around the school grounds. Wildlife recording boards were made for the children to show just how much wildlife had been attracted to their new school pond.
