Darwin Initiative

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Enriched UK · Found: 2026-03-10 13:30

UK government grants scheme funding biodiversity conservation projects in developing countries. Managed by Defra, supports marine conservation, coastal habitat restoration, and sustainable fisheries in ODA-eligible nations. Provides grants for projects that protect biodiversity and reduce poverty.

Source: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/

Funding Details

Funder: Darwin Initiative
Funding Goal: Biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction projects in low- and middle-income countries. Grants fund locally-led projects that protect biodiversity, reduce multidimensional poverty, and address climate change. Multiple schemes including Extra (large-scale), Main, Innovation, and Capability and Capacity grants.
Funding Amount: Innovation: £10,000–£200,000; Capability & Capacity: £50,000–£200,000; Main: £100,000–£800,000; Extra: £800,000–£5,000,000 (10.000 € – 5.000.000 €)
Deadline: 2026-07-01 (periodic)
How to Apply: Round 32 expected to launch May 2026 with multiple scheme deadlines. Stage 1 (concept note) and Stage 2 (full proposal) process for Main and Extra grants; single-stage for Innovation and Capability & Capacity. Applications via Flexi-Grant portal at bcfs.flexigrant.com. Round 32 projects expected to start April 2027.
Target Region: Global — ODA-eligible low- and middle-income countries worldwide
Contact: Darwin Initiative website: www.darwininitiative.org.uk. Managed by Defra (UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
Last Checked: 2026-05-07 08:49

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Project must be implemented in an ODA-eligible low- or middle-income country
Must involve local/national partners in the developing country — locally led approach required

Project Scope

Project must deliver BOTH biodiversity conservation AND multidimensional poverty reduction outcomes
Must address Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations
Novel or significantly improved approach and clear scalability potential required

Required Documents

Application through Flexi-Grant portal at bcfs.flexigrant.com

Constraints

Round 32 expected to launch May 2026 — monitor website for exact deadlines
Project duration: 1–5 years depending on grant scheme

Summary

The Darwin Initiative is a UK government grants scheme managed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It awards grants that enable low- and middle-income countries to conserve their unique biodiversity, reduce poverty, and address climate change through locally led projects worldwide. The scheme offers four funding streams: Darwin Initiative Extra (£800,000–£5 million, single stage, for projects on a clear scaling pathway); Darwin Initiative Main (£100,000–£800,000, two-stage process, for projects delivering strong biodiversity and poverty results); Darwin Initiative Innovation (£10,000–£200,000, for testing novel approaches); and Darwin Initiative Capability & Capacity (£50,000–£200,000, for building local and national partner capacity). All projects must last 1 to 5 years depending on scheme. Successful projects are expected to deliver measurable outcomes for biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction simultaneously. The Darwin Initiative places strong emphasis on locally led approaches, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), evidence-based practice, novel or significantly improved approaches, and scalability. Projects must enhance the capability and capacity of national and local partners to ensure long-term legacy. Geographic scope is all ODA-eligible low- and middle-income countries globally. Eligible applicants typically include UK-based organizations partnering with in-country (developing country) implementers, though the programme requires meaningful local partnerships. All applications are submitted through the Flexi-Grant portal. Round 31 was closed with 47 projects funded. Round 32 is expected to launch in May 2026, with project start dates of April 2027. The Darwin Initiative is part of the UK Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCFs) family of programmes.

Historical Context

The Darwin Initiative is a long-running UK government grants scheme. Round 31 funded 47 new projects announced October 2025. Round 32 is expected to launch in May 2026 with projects starting April 2027. The scheme has funded hundreds of projects across biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction since its inception. It is part of the UK Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCFs) family alongside IWTCF, Darwin Plus, and BCFs.

Why it was added

Core UK government international biodiversity fund with strong marine conservation and sustainable fisheries focus in developing countries

Sources

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