Our Grant Programmes
Welcome to our Applications Hub
We run grant programmes for marine conservation.
Use our sidebar menu to access details on what funding is available and when, who it is for, and how to apply.
Before applying, please refer to our eligibility and evaluation criteria below.
Who can apply?
Sea-Changers gives one-off grants (i.e. not continual funding) to UK-based charities and other organisations (including schools) carrying out marine conservation related activities.
We welcome applications from a variety of groups and entities.
Grant funding eligibility criteria
What objectives must projects meet?
The projects we fund will achieve one or more of the following objectives:
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To address the root causes of marine conservation threats and challenges in the UK.
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To prevent or reduce negative impacts on UK coastal and marine environments and/or species.
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To add to the body of knowledge about marine conservation threats and challenges in the UK.
What type of projects do we fund?
Sea-Changers is particularly interested in grassroots projects that galvanise community action and projects that increase the number of people taking action for marine conservation.
We will consider partial funding of projects where other funds are also being sought or are already in place, but you will need to demonstrate exactly which elements of the project the Sea-Changers grant will be used to fund, as well as how our funding fits into the wider finances of the project.
What don't we fund?
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Projects that have a political aim
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Applications solely to fund administrative or core operating costs
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Retrospective projects or funding requests
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Individuals or causes that will benefit only one person.
Grant funding evaluation criteria
How are applications evaluated?
Eligible applications for both the Main Grant programme and the Small Grant programme will be evaluated against the following criteria:
1. Measurable impact on the marine environment
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How well does the project meet one or more of the three objectives above?
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How far does the project have a positive impact on the sea and coastal environment and/or species?
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How well does the application identify appropriate measures of success?
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Is it possible to effectively evaluate the impact?
2. Impact on the organisation
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How significant a difference will the grant make to the organisation - especially regarding its ability to run the project?
3. Community/grassroots base
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How far is the project community-based, with involvement of communities and the public in solutions to address marine conservation challenges?
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Does the project have elements of community engagement or citizen science?
4. Value for money
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How well justified is the sum proposed?
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Is it good value for money?
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Are there other ways for the funding to be obtained?
5. Ongoing or wider benefits
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Will the project have lasting benefits and outcomes?
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Is it replicable and could it have wider applicability?
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Will the project raise awareness or get publicity for the issues it addresses and/or for marine conservation issues in general?
6. Innovation and creativity
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Does the project create an innovative approach to the problems facing the marine environment?
How do we apply?
Applying for Sea-Changers grant funding couldn't be simpler.
Just follow the steps below:
Grant funding application process
Deadlines for the Main Grant programme are 31st March and 30th September each year. The Small Grant fund is always open and applications are reviewed regularly.
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Read through the eligibility criteria above to see if you are eligible to apply and to check if your project meets the funding criteria.
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Download and complete the Main Grant Fund Application Form or the Small Grant Application Form depending on how much you're applying for.
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Section-by-section advice on how to complete the Main Grant Form is available below.
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You may also find it useful to look at the Evaluation Guide which will give you an idea of the info we ask for when the project's complete and the importance we place on having well-defined project outcomes.
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Complete and return the application form to info@sea-changers.org.uk.
You will receive confirmation of your application with an indication of the timescales for finding out if you've been successful. When the grant panel has made their final decision, we will write to you and inform you of the outcome of your application.
Application Support
Main and Small Grant FAQs
Support resources
To help you complete the Main Grant form, we have section-by-section advice on how to provide the information our grants assessment panel looks for. You can download or print this as a pdf document or watch the video below.
We ask all successful applicants to complete an evaluation when their project is complete. Download this guide to find out what info we ask for. There's a focus on identifying project outcomes both measurable and non-measurable. A good application generally has clear aims that lead to specific outcomes.
Discounts and in-kind support
Discounts on beach cleaning equipment
If you are applying to fund beach cleaning equipment you can use any supplier but we have arrangements with Waterhaul and The Helping Hand Company for discounted kit.
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SeaKeepers International Free Vessel Charters
If your project has a focus on marine research and/or education and community engagement and your budget includes vessel charter costs you could potentially make your budget go further by getting in touch with The International SeaKeepers Society.
SeaKeepers is a non-profit organisation that works with the yachting community to use their privately owned vessels free of charge for at-sea study. For Sea-Changers' grant applicants, this could means reducing or eliminating charter costs and being able to allocate these to other areas of your project.
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If you're interested in Science at Sea assistance, please complete a SeaKeepers’ Research Project Application.
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If you're interested in Educational Outreach and Community Engagement assistance, contact programming@seakeepers.org.
