HELCOM - Baltic Sea Funding Opportunities

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

HELCOM (Helsinki Commission) coordinates international action to protect the Baltic Sea marine environment. Lists and aggregates funding opportunities available for Baltic Sea protection including from national governments, EU programmes, and foundations.

Source: https://helcom.fi/funding-available-to-promote-a-healthier-baltic-sea

Funding Details

Funder

Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund (BSAP Fund) — managed by Nefco and Nordic Investment Bank, funded by Finland and Sweden

Funding Goal

Early-stage financing to accelerate the preparation and implementation of projects addressing key environmental challenges facing the Baltic Sea, including biodiversity conservation, eutrophication reduction, hazardous substances, marine litter, shipping impacts, underwater noise, and seabed disturbance. Projects eligible for demonstration, project preparation, development, implementation, and institutional support.

Funding Amount

Approximately EUR 1–1.3 million distributed across 8–10 projects per annual round (based on 2023: EUR 1 million for 10 projects; 2025: EUR 1.3 million for 8 projects)

How to Apply

Visit nefco.int/BSAP, review eligibility criteria, download and complete the application form, and submit by email to bsapfund@nefco.int before the announced deadline. The fund runs annual calls — the 2025 call deadline was 18 April 2025.

Target Region

Baltic Sea Region and its catchment area (8 Baltic Sea countries: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Denmark)

Contact

Dennis Hamro-Drotz, Acting Head of Department, Special Funds, Nefco. Email: bsapfund@nefco.int. Phone: +358 10 6180 607

Official Page

https://www.nefco.int/bsap

Last Checked

2026-03-15 08:42

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Organisation must be a commercial or non-commercial actor (NGOs, municipalities, companies, research institutions all eligible)
• Project must be located in the Baltic Sea Region and its catchment area (8 Baltic Sea countries)

Project Scope

• Project must address one or more areas of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (biodiversity, eutrophication, hazardous substances, marine litter, shipping, underwater noise, seabed disturbance)
• Priority given to projects with demonstration potential that can be scaled or replicated
• Cross-border projects spanning multiple Baltic Sea countries are encouraged

Required Documents

• Complete and submit the application form downloaded from nefco.int/BSAP
• Submit application by email to bsapfund@nefco.int before the published deadline

Constraints

• Previous BSAP Fund recipients are eligible to reapply for further rounds
• Early-stage and demonstration projects are prioritised — the fund is not primarily for mature, large-scale operations

Summary

The Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund (BSAP Fund) is an early-stage financing mechanism dedicated to accelerating the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan — a strategy with nearly 200 concrete actions targeting a healthier Baltic Sea by 2030. The fund provides grants and early-stage financing to both private and public sector actors for projects that address the key environmental challenges facing the Baltic Sea, including eutrophication, biodiversity loss, hazardous substances, marine litter, shipping impacts, and underwater noise. The BSAP Fund was established in 2010 by Sweden and Finland and is co-managed by Nefco (Nordic Green Bank) and the Nordic Investment Bank. It has financed more than 74 projects since inception, catalysing approximately seven times its direct investment in additional financing. Projects span all Baltic Sea countries and range from small demonstration pilots to cross-border implementation initiatives. Applicants can include any commercial or non-commercial organisation from within the Baltic Sea Region and its catchment area, making it open to NGOs, research institutions, municipalities, and private companies alike. The fund runs annual calls, with the 2025 round distributing EUR 1.3 million across 8 new projects. About 80% of funded projects address biodiversity conservation or pollution prevention — directly aligned with the marine conservation and circular economy priorities of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. For NGOs working on marine conservation, coastal protection, pollution reduction (including marine litter and plastic waste), or eutrophication in the Baltic Sea region, this fund represents a highly relevant and accessible financing mechanism. The application process involves submitting a project proposal via email to bsapfund@nefco.int by the annual call deadline.

Historical Context

The BSAP Fund was established in 2010 by Sweden and Finland. As of end of 2023, it had financed 74 projects with demonstration effects. The fund generates approximately 7x additional investments beyond its direct financing. In 2023, EUR 1 million was granted to 10 projects. In 2025, a record number of applications were received and 8 projects were awarded EUR 1.3 million total. Co-managed by Nefco and the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB). Additional contributions from the Nordic Environmental Development Fund (NMF) backed by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Why it was added

Key aggregator of Baltic Sea funding opportunities from multiple sources - essential resource for marine conservation NGOs seeking Baltic Sea funding

Sources

• https://helcom.fi/funding-available-to-promote-a-healthier-baltic-sea
• https://www.nefco.int/bsap

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