Plunge In! The Coasts and Waters Community Fund

18th December 2019

Scotland's Coasts and Waters will be showcased in 2020 with a themed year designed to inspire both visitors and locals to explore and experience our unrivalled shores, rivers, lochs and waterways. Led by VisitScotland, the year aims to build on the momentum of previous themed years to celebrate and promote opportunities to experience and enjoy Scotland's fantastic coasts and waters, encouraging responsible engagement and participation.

SNH will contribute to YCW2020 through a number of projects. One of our key contributions will be Plunge In! The Coasts and Waters Community Fundwhich will create new opportunities for communities to connect with our coasts, seas and freshwaters. The fund will offer small grants (<£10,000) to community groups to participate and celebrate YCW2020 in their own way - whether this is carrying out their own local surveys, creating something artistic, or promoting their local environment and wildlife.

Nature Reserve Travel Grants (<£500) will also be available to school and youth groups to enable them to visit NNRs and LNRs with opportunities to engage with coasts and waters.

The fund will open for applications on 7th January 2020, closing at the end of February. All projects must take place between April and December 2020. The application package documents will be available on our website from 7th January.

Please pass on this information to any community groups in your area. Enquiries can be sent to PlungeIn@nature.scot.