Velux Foundations - Healthy Marine Environment in Danish Sea Areas

Your notes (local)

Relevance Comment (remote)

Enriched Nordic · Found: 2026-03-10 13:20

Grants supporting healthy marine environment in Danish waters. Funds knowledge-based restoration of stone reefs, eelgrass meadows, and mussel beds. Grants up to DKK 500,000 with provisions for larger projects. Renewed DKK 20 million grant for National Centre for Marine Nature Restoration (2026-2030).

Source: https://villumfonden.dk/en/group/grantarea/environment-and-climate

Funding Details

Funder: VELUX FOUNDATION (Velux Fonden)
Funding Goal: Supports projects that promote a healthy marine environment in Danish waters and globally, including: restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems (stone reefs, eelgrass meadows, mussel beds) with climate focus; combating marine pollution (wastewater, nutrient runoff, plastic waste, shipping impacts); and research into future climate solutions and their impacts on maritime ecosystems. Also co-funded the National Centre for Marine Nature Restoration (DKK 20 million, 2026-2030).
Funding Amount: Grants typically up to DKK 500,000 with provisions for larger projects; recent grants: DKK 4.0 million (Healthy Vejle Fiord 2.0), DKK 9.6 million (Køge Bay Marine Park)
How to Apply: Currently not accepting new project ideas (as of March 2026). Project ideas are submitted via website when calls are open. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the website for future opportunities. Contact: abi@veluxfonden.dk or ale@veluxfonden.dk
Target Region: Danish sea areas primarily; international collaboration supported
Contact: Adam Billing, Senior Adviser, +45 24 34 24 67, abi@veluxfonden.dk. Ane-Marie Løvendahl Eskildsen, Senior Adviser, +45 24 95 16 31, ale@veluxfonden.dk. VELUX FOUNDATION, Tobaksvejen 10, 2860 Søborg, Denmark.
Official Page: https://villumfonden.dk/en/group/grantarea/environment-and-sustainability-danish-sea-areas
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 08:26

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Commercial projects and aquaculture/fishing projects are NOT eligible

Project Scope

Focus must be on Danish sea areas or internationally relevant marine conservation
Project must align with one of three programme areas: ecosystem restoration, marine pollution, or future climate solutions
Scientific quality and knowledge-based approach expected

Required Documents

Project idea form required as first step when calls open

Constraints

Monitor foundation website for future project idea submission windows

Summary

The VELUX FOUNDATION's Conservation of the Ocean programme is a major Danish foundation initiative dedicated to promoting a healthy marine environment in Danish sea areas and beyond. Running through 2030, the programme focuses on three areas: restoration of degraded marine and coastal ecosystems (including stone reefs, eelgrass, and mussel beds) with a climate emphasis; combating marine pollution from wastewater, nutrient runoff, plastic waste, and shipping; and advancing future climate solutions and their maritime ecosystem impacts. The foundation has co-established the National Center for Marine Nature Restoration together with the Danish Ministry of the Environment, providing scientific and advisory support for marine restoration nationally. Grant amounts range from hundreds of thousands to millions of DKK. Commercial projects and aquaculture/fishing projects are explicitly excluded. As of March 2026, the foundation is not currently accepting new project ideas, but regularly opens application windows. Danish and Nordic research institutions, environmental NGOs, and others working on marine conservation and pollution in Danish waters are the primary target. This is a highly relevant funder for the marine-conservation theme — NGOs working on seaweed/mussel farming, coastal restoration, or marine pollution reduction in Danish waters would be excellent fits.

Historical Context

Program active since at least 2017. Part of VKR foundation universe (VELUX FOUNDATION and Villum Fonden). In 2021, VELUX FOUNDATION awarded DKK 320 million to climate initiatives. The foundation co-established the National Center for Marine Nature Restoration (2026-2030, DKK 20 million renewed grant). Also co-funded CONCITO (DKK 156 million for climate action). Program runs 2023-2030.

Why it was added

Major Danish foundation funding marine habitat restoration including reefs, seagrass, and mussel beds - directly relevant for Baltic Sea marine conservation NGOs

Sources

Similar Programs

Program	Source	Shared Tags
Velux Foundations - Environment and Sustainability Programme For NGOs For Researchers Foundation Grant Nordic / Denmark Biodiversity Climate Coastal Protection Marine Conservation Plastic Waste Pollution Research	Nordic	12
VELUX Foundation Current Calls for Proposals For NGOs For Researchers Foundation Grant Nordic / Denmark Biodiversity Climate Coastal Protection Marine Conservation Marine Protected Areas Plastic Waste Pollution Research	–	12
Oceans \| Nordic cooperation For NGOs For Researchers Multilateral Grant Arctic Baltic Sea Nordic / Denmark Biodiversity Blue Economy Climate Coastal Protection Marine Conservation Plastic Waste Pollution Research	Nordic	11
About the Nordic Working Group for Oceans and Coastal Areas For NGOs For Researchers Multilateral Grant Baltic Sea Nordic / Denmark Biodiversity Climate Coastal Protection Marine Conservation Plastic Waste Pollution Research	Nordic	11
[PDF] INITIATIVES & PROJECTS - Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco For NGOs For Researchers For Startups Foundation Blended Finance Grant Prize Technical Assistance Africa Arctic Global Mediterranean Southeast Asia Biodiversity Blue Economy Climate Coastal Protection Coral Reefs Fisheries Marine Conservation Marine Protected Areas Plastic Waste Pollution Research	family-office	11

← Back to list