Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme (ELSP)

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Enriched Philanthropic Network · Found: 2026-03-10 13:22

Large-scale landscape and seascape restoration programme across Europe, primarily funded by Arcadia Fund (over $138M), awarding grants of $1.5-5M for restoration projects including marine ecosystems like reefs and seagrass beds.

Source: https://endangeredlandscapes.org/

Funding Details

Funder: Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) / Arcadia Fund
Funding Goal: Support large-scale ecosystem restoration projects across European landscapes and seascapes, including marine ecosystems (reefs, seagrass beds, coastal habitats). Grants cover practical restoration actions, monitoring, stakeholder engagement, scaling of successful approaches, and community livelihoods connected to restored ecosystems. Also supports early-stage planning, knowledge generation, and artist residencies connected to restoration.
Funding Amount: Landscape and Seascape Restoration Grants typically $1.5M–$5M USD over 5–6 years; Planning Grants 12–18 months; Advancing Restoration Knowledge 1–2 years; Artist Residencies variable (1.500.000 € – 5.000.000 €)
Deadline: Rolling; open calls publicised when opened — no permanent deadline stated (Rolling)
How to Apply: Open calls are publicised when opened for applications via the ELSP website (endangeredlandscapes.org/funding/). Applicants should monitor the website for call announcements. Advancing Restoration Knowledge grants are by restricted call to existing grantees. Artist Residencies by managed call or invitation.
Target Region: Europe (terrestrial and marine); specific seascape projects include North Sea (Dogger Bank), European coastal and marine habitats
Official Page: https://endangeredlandscapes.org/funding/
Last Checked: 2026-05-07 09:02

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must demonstrate organisational capacity to deliver large-scale restoration
Advancing Restoration Knowledge grants restricted to existing ELSP grantees and CCI partners

Project Scope

Project must be located in a European landscape or seascape
Project must aim for large-scale ecosystem restoration at a meaningful ecological scale
Science-based monitoring must be incorporated throughout the project
Project should show pathways to ecological tipping points and long-term sustainability

Constraints

Open calls must be monitored on the ELSP website — no permanent rolling intake
Restoration Grants typically 5–6 years; Planning Grants 12–18 months

Summary

The Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP) is a major conservation grant programme funded by the Arcadia Fund (over USD $138 million pledged) that supports ambitious, large-scale ecosystem restoration across European landscapes and seascapes. It is administered in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. The programme's thematic scope covers terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Europe, including reefs, seagrass beds, coastal habitats, forests, grasslands, and freshwater systems. Priority areas include highly biodiverse but degraded European environments, with specific seascape projects such as the Dogger Bank (North Sea, Denmark/UK) among funded initiatives. Eligible activities include long-term restoration implementation (Landscape and Seascape Restoration Grants: typically 5–6 years, $1.5M–$5M), early-stage planning (Planning Grants: 12–18 months), knowledge generation and capacity building (Advancing Restoration Knowledge: 1–2 years, restricted to existing grantees), and creative engagement through Artist Residencies. Projects must demonstrate ecological impact at scale, science-based monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and community benefit. Geographically, the programme is restricted to Europe, supporting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Seascape restoration is an explicit grant category. The Dogger Bank project in the North Sea is a confirmed funded seascape project. Eligible applicants are organisations with demonstrated capacity to deliver large-scale restoration. The programme works with conservation NGOs, research partners, and community-based organisations. Advancing Restoration Knowledge grants are restricted to current ELSP grantees and Cambridge Conservation Initiative partners. Target beneficiaries are degraded European ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Co-funding is secured across projects (amount not specified per call). The programme emphasises learning, cross-grantee collaboration, and long-term sustainability of restored ecosystems.

Historical Context

Programme began in 2019, funded by Arcadia. As of 2026, over USD $138M pledged, multiple large-scale restoration projects funded across Europe, including seascape projects (e.g. Dogger Bank, Denmark). Eight new grants announced in 2026.

Why it was added

Major pooled fund for seascape restoration in Europe; significant grant sizes for marine ecosystem projects

Sources

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