Nordea-fonden — Ud i det fri (Outdoor Nature Program)

Enriched corporate-foundation · Found: 2026-04-20 22:55

Grants for projects that bring people outdoors and connect them to Danish nature. Includes coastal and marine nature projects, nature restoration, and public access to outdoor environments. Rolling applications above 1 million DKK available.

Source: https://www.nordeafonden.dk/det-stoetter-vi/ud-i-det-fri

Funding Details

Funder

Nordea-fonden

Funding Goal

Support projects that give more people — children, youth, and adults — access to nature experiences. This includes establishing new terrestrial and aquatic nature, developing recreational infrastructure (physical and digital), promoting active outdoor life while protecting biodiversity, creating urban nature accessible to all citizens, and strengthening mental health through nature exposure. Projects should motivate active participation in outdoor life under consideration of biodiversity protection.

Funding Amount

Applicants seeking more than 1 million DKK contact the foundation first; projects under 200,000 DKK apply via 'Liv i det lokale'. No fixed upper limit stated for this thematic area.

Deadline

Rolling basis (Rolling)

How to Apply

Contact the foundation before applying (send a max 2-page project idea to the relevant contact person). Apply via the foundation's online portal (MitID Erhverv required). For grants under 200,000 DKK, use the 'Liv i det lokale' scheme. Processing time up to 4-6 months for large grants.

Target Region

Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands (Rigsfællesskabet)

Contact

Jakob Arendrup Nielsen, Senior Project Consultant, Ud i det fri — jan@nordeafonden.dk, +45 4070 3795. Sara Line Bohn, Project Manager (construction/infrastructure) — slb@nordeafonden.dk, +45 4070 3786. General: kontakt@nordeafonden.dk, +45 4060 3040.

Last Checked

2026-04-21 00:26

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Organisation must be CVR-registered as a non-profit, association, or public institution in Denmark/Greenland/Faroe Islands
• Project must be publicly accessible and broadly beneficial — no commercial profit for individual companies

Project Scope

• Project must fall within the 'Ud i det fri' focus area: nature access, outdoor life, biodiversity, or recreational infrastructure

Required Documents

• For grants over 1 million DKK: contact the foundation with a 2-page project outline before submitting
• Budget and financial documents required; also vedtægter (statutes) for the organisation
• MitID Erhverv (Danish business digital ID) required for online application submission

Constraints

• Public applicants must provide at least 50% co-funding
• Project must not have started or been completed before the application is processed (4-6 month processing time)

Summary

Nordea-fonden's 'Ud i det fri' (Out in the Open) is one of the Danish foundation's four strategic focus areas, supporting projects that increase access to nature experiences for people across Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. The programme is open on a rolling basis and funds a wide spectrum of nature and outdoor activities without a fixed upper grant ceiling for projects above 1 million DKK. Thematic scope includes: establishment of new terrestrial and aquatic nature (including marine and coastal habitats), developing physical and digital recreational infrastructure, promoting active outdoor lifestyles, creating accessible urban nature, strengthening mental health through nature immersion, and communicating biodiversity and landscape history. The programme explicitly mentions both land-based and aquatic nature projects and has previously funded seagrass planting and coastal nature protection. Eligible activities include capital investments in nature infrastructure, educational and outreach activities, citizen-science engagement, and recreational trail or visitor centre development. Activities must lead to measurable positive outcomes for people and nature and reduce negative environmental footprints. Geographic scope: Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands exclusively. Projects must be locally rooted and implemented within the Danish Realm ('Rigsfællesskabet'). Eligible applicants are CVR-registered associations, non-profit organisations, self-governing institutions, and public institutions. Private commercial companies and individuals are not eligible. Public applicants must provide a minimum of 50% co-funding. Target beneficiaries are the general population — primarily residents in Denmark — who will gain new or improved access to nature. Projects serving marginalised groups, children, and youth are particularly valued, as are projects reaching underserved communities across all regions of Denmark. Budget and co-funding: No absolute upper limit is mentioned for large grants. The typical grant under the 'Liv i det lokale' micro-scheme (separate from this track) is 10,000–200,000 DKK. For projects above 1 million DKK, pre-application dialogue is required. Grants are paid to the applicant's NemKonto (Danish business bank account).

Historical Context

Nordea-fonden is one of Denmark's largest foundations with an annual grant budget of approx. 75 million DKK for the 'Liv i det lokale' stream alone. 'Ud i det fri' is one of the foundation's four strategic focus areas. Past funded projects include 'Danmark Planter Ålegræs' (seagrass planting to strengthen public connection to marine nature), Hærvejen hiking and cycling route, and coastal nature conservation at Grønnestrand.

Why it was added

discovered from funder #515: Nordea-fonden

Sources

• https://www.nordeafonden.dk/det-stoetter-vi/ud-i-det-fri
• https://www.nordeafonden.dk/soeg-stoette/stoette-over-1-mio-kr

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