Blue Planet Fund (Defra)

Enriched UK · Found: 2026-03-10 13:30

UK government fund within the International Biodiversity Fund providing GBP 500M+ for marine protection in developing countries. Supports marine biodiversity, combats illegal fishing, funds ocean research and marine protected areas globally. Key component of UK overseas development assistance for ocean conservation.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-planet-fund

Funding Details

Funder

UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) / Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

Funding Goal

Support developing countries to protect the marine environment, reduce poverty, and sustainably manage marine resources. The fund works across four integrated themes: biodiversity, climate change, marine pollution (including plastic waste), and sustainable seafood. Programmes cover MPAs, IUU fishing prevention, circular economy waste management reducing marine pollution, small-scale fisheries, critical marine habitat restoration, and sustainable aquaculture. The OCEAN Grants Programme within the fund provides competitive grants to NGOs and CSOs for locally-led marine and coastal projects in ODA-eligible countries.

Funding Amount

OCEAN Grants: community grants up to £250,000 (~EUR 300,000); partnership grants from £250,000 up to £3 million (~EUR 3.6M). Overall Blue Planet Fund envelope is £500 million. (up to 3.800.000 €)

How to Apply

Apply through the OCEAN Grants Programme website at oceangrants.org.uk. Applications submitted via the Flexigrant portal (ocean.flexigrant.com). An annual call for proposals is issued; the next call was indicated to open in January 2025 with subsequent annual rounds expected. Round 2 grantees were announced in early 2026.

Target Region

ODA-eligible coastal countries in South and Southeast Asia, West Africa, East Africa, Latin America, Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Pacific SIDS.

Contact

oceangrants.org.uk/contact/ for the OCEAN Grants Programme. UK government programme managed by Defra and FCDO.

Last Checked

2026-03-15 10:49

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) or NGO
• Projects must be implemented in ODA-eligible coastal countries (not in developed/donor countries)

Project Scope

• Small local in-country organisations: apply for community grants up to £250,000
• Larger organisations partnering with local communities: apply for partnership grants up to £3 million
• Projects must address marine environment and/or coastal community outcomes

Required Documents

• Submit application via Flexigrant portal at ocean.flexigrant.com
• Applications assessed against published criteria by an independent OCEAN Expert Committee

Constraints

• Annual call cycle — watch oceangrants.org.uk for opening of each call round
• Funding is ODA-tied: project must contribute to poverty reduction and development outcomes
• Programme emphasises localisation — preference for locally-led approaches and community empowerment

Summary

The Blue Planet Fund is the UK government's £500 million programme supporting developing countries to protect the marine environment and reduce poverty. Financed through Official Development Assistance (ODA), it operates across four integrated themes: biodiversity, climate change, marine pollution, and sustainable seafood. Programmes are delivered through a portfolio of bilateral and multilateral initiatives targeting six priority regions: South and Southeast Asia, West Africa, East Africa, Latin America, Caribbean SIDS, and Pacific SIDS. The most directly accessible component for NGOs is the OCEAN (Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature) Grants Programme — a competitive annual grant scheme offering community grants of up to £250,000 for small local in-country organisations and partnership grants of up to £3 million for organisations working with local communities at scale. Round 2 resulted in £14 million awarded to projects supporting marine protection and poverty reduction. Applications are submitted via an online portal at oceangrants.org.uk. The fund also includes programmes specifically addressing marine plastic pollution, notably a £20.5 million commitment to the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) operating in Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nigeria, India (Maharashtra) and Ecuador, and the CHIPP programme (£4.9M) which promotes inclusivity in global efforts to tackle plastic pollution. The COAST programme (£154M) and Sustainable Blue Economies programme (£36M) add further support for coastal communities and blue economy transitions in developing countries. For organisations working on marine plastic waste value chains, circular economy approaches in coastal communities, or integrated marine conservation projects in Africa, Southeast Asia, or other ODA-eligible regions, this fund is highly relevant, particularly via the OCEAN Grants Programme.

Historical Context

The Blue Planet Fund was first published 12 June 2021 under the Johnson government. The OCEAN Grants Programme launched in October 2023 with the first call for proposals opening in February 2024. Round 2 grantees were announced in January 2026, with £14 million awarded. Other bilateral programmes include COAST (£154M, 2023-2030), SBE (£36M, 2023-2028), OCPP, and multilateral contributions to GFCR (£33M), PROBLUE (£25M), GPAP (£20.5M), and CHIPP (£4.9M for plastic pollution).

Why it was added

Major UK government fund specifically for international marine protection and sustainable fisheries in developing nations

Sources

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-planet-fund
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-planet-fund/blue-planet-fund
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-planet-fund/ocean-community-empowerment-and-nature-ocean-grants-programme
• https://oceangrants.org.uk/

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