Rewilding Challenge Fund
This £100,000 funding opportunity is awarded by Rewilding Britain to one large-scale rewilding project every year. It’s time to Think Big, Act Wild!
The Rewilding Challenge Fund is a major fund of up to £100,000 per year, awarded by Rewilding Britain to the rewilding project that shows the maximum ambition and potential to work with others to scale up rewilding of our land and seas.
Applications are now open until 9 October 2026.
Aims of the fund
The fund has two main aims:
- Nurture and enable one rewilding landscape, seascape or combination of both, to deliver a shared vision for ambitious, joined-up nature restoration
- Ensure the knowledge and experience unlocked by the award is shared with rewilders across Britain through the Rewilding Network
There’s a clear global recognition of the power of nature-based solutions to address the climate and biodiversity crises, while also supporting prosperous communities. This fund is a vital step in making this happen on the ground in Britain.
Who can apply
The Rewilding Challenge Fund is awarded to one project each year.
To apply, your project must be:
- Based in Britain (England, Wales or Scotland)
- Part of or eligible to join our Rewilding Network
- A landscape and/or a seascape operating at functional ecological scales
Apply for the Challenge Fund
Apply for the Challenge Fund and you could be awarded £100,000 for your rewilding project. Applications close on 9 October.
Funding criteria
- We're looking for diverse groups (landowners, sea-users, organisations, communities, businesses, etc.) who want to work together to develop innovative models to scale up rewilding.
- Following the theme ‘Think Big, Act Wild’, we expect project areas to be land or seascape scale, where natural processes can deliver their maximum benefits sustainably into the future. For example, a 1000ha (terrestrial) or 10km2 (marine) project would consist of a contiguous land or seascape, the majority of which was proposed for rewilding.
- From these, we'll prioritise those projects with demonstrable ambition to create and deliver plans to restore and reinstate natural processes, habitats and missing species to the maximum extent.
- We'd love to see applications from both well-established projects or those at the beginning of their journey, spanning both land and marine habitats.
- We're particularly interested in community-led and co-designed approaches to rewilding which bring lasting social, economic and ecological benefits for local communities.
- Successful projects will need to be part of, or be eligible to join our Rewilding Network. They must also demonstrate a commitment to share knowledge and experiences in an accessible way.
- If you have applied to the Rewilding Innovation Fund, you can still apply to the Challenge Fund. If you applied last year, you are also able to reapply.
- Projects must be based in England, Wales or Scotland.
- The fund cannot finance capital works or land purchase.
The selected project will be expected to deliver its outcomes within two years of being awarded funding. By the end of this period it will be expected to have:
- A clearly articulated plan, vision and theory of change
- A partnership of relevant organisations/communities/stakeholders to deliver the plan
- A fundraising and investment proposal for future delivery
Stage 1 — Expression of interest
Once applications are open in 2026, the first stage is for projects to submit a short expression of interest to the fund. This should be completed by the lead organisation.
If you are not a Rewilding Network member but would like to apply, please check you are eligible to join the network before applying, by reviewing our criteria or contacting the team at [email protected]
Expressions of interest will be assessed and shortlisted by the Rewilding Britain Challenge Fund steering group. Shortlisted projects will be invited to stage 2.
All projects will be notified of our decision at this stage.
Stage 2 — Full applications
Shortlisted projects will be invited to submit a full application and join the steering group for a short presentation and Q&A session.
The steering group will assess all applications and presentations before making a final decision.
Projects we’ve funded
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Wilder Blean
Challenge Fund Recipient 2023
The project mapped local ecological connectivity, led stakeholder workshops on species prioritisation, and scoped a new group to link up local farms. To drive regional impact, they also authored strategic reports on Community Organising and the Green Economy.
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Sussex Bay
Challenge Fund Recipient 2024
This collaboration between projects along 100 miles of Sussex coastline launched the UK’s first Blue Natural Capital Lab, created natural capital accounts and a seascape strategy for Sussex Bay, and is driving local awareness through collaborative events and partner initiatives.
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COAST
Challenge Fund Recipient 2025
This ongoing funding is helping COAST co-develop restoration proposals with the community, build baseline research frameworks and train up local volunteers. They also have a national scope, influencing the Scottish Government to champion marine restoration and strengthen the local marine economy through supporting policy.
Our vision for rewilding
In line with our rewilding principles, the Rewilding Challenge Fund is designed to encourage collaborative approaches to rewilding which:
- Work at nature’s scale by establishing large and ecologically connected rewilding initiatives across land and/or sea.
- Let nature lead by creating areas where natural processes are given freedom to generate dynamic and complex mosaics of habitats and species which enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change.
- Create resilient local economies by providing opportunities for new, nature-based enterprises that in turn support thriving communities.
- Support people and nature together by bringing community voices to the fore in shaping rewilding initiatives, providing social and well-being benefits and celebrating local culture.
- Secure benefits for the longer term by accelerating innovative projects which can act as a blueprint to inspire others and build a knowledge base of how to achieve large-scale rewilding.
Got a question about the fund?
If you want to discuss your project or find out more about the Challenge Fund and if it could be right for you, contact the team at network@rewildingbritain.org.uk
Get involved
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The Rewilding Network
The Rewilding Network is the go-to place for projects across Britain to connect, share and make rewilding happen on land and sea.
Discover the Rewilding Network
