Baltic Sea Conservation Foundation (BaltCF)
Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-10 21:07
Germany-based foundation providing grants for Baltic Sea habitat restoration and resilience projects. Funds NGOs across the entire Baltic Sea catchment area.
Source: https://www.baltcf.org/
Funding Details
- Funder
- Baltic Sea Conservation Foundation (BaltCF)
- Funding Goal
- Support conservation and restoration projects that provide a clear benefit for the Baltic Sea ecosystem, including habitat restoration, reduction of eutrophication, creation and improvement of Marine Protected Areas, reduction of fishing impact, ghost gear removal, and other ecosystem improvements in the Baltic Sea catchment area.
- Funding Amount
- Variable; past grants total €4.9 million across 41 projects. Supports projects, grant writing assistance, isolated expenses (equipment), litigation, zero-interest loans, and capacity building (Frankfurt Spring School scholarship).
- Deadline
- Rolling basis (Rolling)
- How to Apply
- Step 1: Download and read Funding Guidelines. Step 2: Contact project coordinator Kathleen Schwerdtner Manez (kathleen.schwerdtner-manez@baltcf.org) for a pre-application call. Step 3: Submit a concept note (one-pager) to applications@baltcf.org. Assessment takes up to 2 months. Step 4 (if concept note approved): Submit full grant application form and budget template. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
- Target Region
- Baltic Sea catchment area, including all Baltic Sea countries (Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and others).
- Contact
- Kathleen Schwerdtner Manez: kathleen.schwerdtner-manez@baltcf.org; Applications: applications@baltcf.org
- Official Page
- https://baltcf.org/funding/
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-15 13:19
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
The Baltic Sea Conservation Foundation (BaltCF) is a non-profit, grant-making foundation based in Germany, governed by environmental NGOs, with the mission to protect and restore the Baltic Sea ecosystem. The foundation funds activities across all countries in the Baltic Sea catchment area. Thematic scope includes: eutrophication reduction, conservation and restoration of marine and coastal habitats, creation/expansion/improvement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), reduction of the impact of fishing practices, ghost gear retrieval, peatland restoration, fish migration obstacle neutralization, and other improvements for the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Eligible activities include conservation and restoration projects, grant writing support (pre-application assistance), isolated equipment expenses, legal action/litigation for Baltic Sea protection, zero-interest loans for reimbursement-based programs, and capacity building (Frankfurt Spring School scholarship). Activities focused purely on research, awareness-raising, lobbying, policy, or education as standalone projects are not eligible. Geographic scope: The entire Baltic Sea catchment area, covering all Baltic Sea bordering and draining countries. Projects must benefit the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Eligible applicants: NGOs and non-profits based in Baltic Sea catchment countries, governmental authorities acting beyond legal obligations, and universities/research institutions with concrete conservation contributions. Private individuals and purely for-profit entities are excluded from grants. Target beneficiaries: The Baltic Sea ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. Budget: No stated minimum or maximum for standard project grants. Past grants vary widely. No co-funding requirement stated. Zero-interest loans available for reimbursement-based programs. The application process is rolling, with concept note review taking up to 2 months and full application review up to another 2 months.
Historical Context
BaltCF was established as a non-profit grant-making foundation governed by environmental NGOs. As of reporting, it has supported 41 projects, created 40 km² of marine protected areas, awarded €4.9 million in grants, restored 15 km² of peatlands, neutralized 22 fish migration obstacles, and retrieved 8.5 tonnes of ghost gear. Past grantees include Klub Przyrodnikow, Ghost Diving, Ostseestiftung, Rewilding Oder Delta, and others.
Why it was added
DE round 6 - Pan-Baltic conservation foundation funding NGO projects
Sources
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