South West Water Nature Recovery Fund: 2025/26 Round Status

South West Water launched a £2 million Nature Recovery Fund for community-led projects improving nature, water quality and natural water management across the South West. The application window ran from 7 November 2025 to 31 January 2026.

What the fund offered

• Small grants: up to £10,000.
• Large grants: up to £250,000.

The published priorities covered measurable biodiversity or water-quality improvements, natural flow management and stronger local environmental organisations. Examples included habitat and pond restoration, tree planting, rainwater storage and catchment-based schemes.

What applicants and delivery partners should do now

If an application is successful, the next challenge is converting the approved idea into a safe, costed and buildable scope. Useful preparation includes confirming land control, permissions, ecological constraints, water sources, access, levels, spoil handling, procurement requirements, monitoring and long-term maintenance.

Where a project was not submitted in this round, the same preparation can strengthen future funding applications. Funding availability and rules change, so applicants should always check the funder’s current page before committing expenditure.

How SAS Aquatics can support funded work

SAS Aquatics can help shape pond, wetland and natural water-management proposals; provide site assessment and practical design input; develop costed construction scopes; and deliver agreed habitat works across Devon and Cornwall. We work alongside the applicant, ecologist, land manager and other specialists where the project requires them.

Official fund status

Check the South West Water Nature Recovery Fund page for the current position and any future announcements.