Access to nature
Hi guys. I’m a long time visitor to WAB but never got round to posting. I really need some help and I’ve seen that your all really helpful in the past and so hope that you can answer some of our problems.
We have been building a green charity and we would like to apply for “access to nature” funding but there’s a problem. We’ve read the pages on the internet and we’re really worried that a big charity might take our idea and get the money for them instead of us. The biggest problem is that Access to Nature is being run by some of those charities.
“Access to Nature is managed by Natural England on behalf of a consortium of twelve national environmental organisations comprising British Waterways, BTCV, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Greenspace, Groundwork UK, Land Restoration Trust, The National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust.”
I don’t really understand this. Does this mean that the money has been given to the environment organisation for them to pass on via Natural England or will they get £24.9m going to them and £100,000 to other charities/projects? It seems very strange that it’s Lottery money, managed by Natural England, on behalf of the environment organisations (but it’s not their money) to be given to who? Are they keeping it for themselves?
We could work with these organisations but they might not want to work with us if they have to split the funds and there isn’t anything stopping them from doing things on their own. We have all worked with more than half of the environment organisations and think we could do it for a lot less with our smaller charity because we’re more specialised and can make quick decisions.
We could get some security for our charity by starting the projects so we’ve already tested it and be six months ahead of anyone else but
“please note that we cannot fund any work that has started before a grant offer letter has been issued.”
So we can’t start the project and we’ll have to wait 6 or 12 months to start? Green issues can’t wait this long, we need to act now.
Dragon’s Den, Venture Capitalists, banks, trusts and most other funding don’t invest in something until it’s already started, running well and proves that it can be done it’s well managed and will be a good investment. Why does Natural England take a risk and do it differently? I can understand that they would want to be seen to be the main reason for the success, but we’re worried that it will leaves us wide open to have our idea taken away by another charity or a company.
So what should we do? Should we send them our ideas and wait 6 or 12 months? Ask them to sign a confidentiality agreement? Risk losing it all to some of the environment organisations running Access to Nature who will take the funds for themselves and try to run the projects instead? We know we can make a difference and we really need help. We really need to raise funding but we’re stuck.
Sorry that this is our first post. Wild About Britain has been the most useful wildlife website that we have ever used and we hope you help us again now. I know that WAB is also a charity and that you used do all this without funding so you will know how hard it is to start a project like ours. We really don’t know who else to ask without giving too much away and the WAB forums are just the best place to get answers on everything on the environment
PS – I guess WAB must be applying/getting Access to Nature funding? We’d be really interested to hear how you are applying although I guess it will be a lot easier for you as you are without a doubt the best wildlife website on the Internet and practically the most useful charity we have ever seen.
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