Applications open: April 2023
Closing date: October 2023
If successful, the 2023/24 projects will have until 31 March 2025 to complete the work and submit an end of project report.

Apply.

Please download and read the full terms and conditions.

Pebble Fund Terms and Conditions (Summary)

• Applications are welcomed from any group or organisation with an environmental or conservation project designed to protect and/or enhance biodiversity. This could be a local river group, environmental charity or organisation, community group, charity or association, school or educational group.
• The project must aim to lead to a direct improvement to a habitat or species with the community and/or environment seeing a benefit. Projects that are purely for research will not be funded
• The project location must be within the water company supply area
• The applicant organisation must own the land or have permission from the land owner for the project
• Projects cannot be funded retrospectively. The application should be for work that will take place in the future. We appreciate there may be crossover of annual periods due to the nature of projects so funding could be allocated over a number of years
• The project must meet the company criteria for biodiversity, conservation and community engagement
• The project must work in partnership and consult with appropriate stakeholders
• The project must include details of how the improvements or success will be measured, by monitoring and/or reporting
• Level 2 and Level 3 projects must have explored alternative or match funding opportunities
• The project will be publicised on our website and social media channels.

Applications
An application form will need to be completed and submitted online.
 
Applications for funding are invited in spring each year. (Please check our timeline for the dates.)

The award process
Applications will be assessed by a panel and projects selected for funding will be chosen in the autumn.

The successful projects will be advised and announced. (Please check our timeline for the dates.)

As part of the award, projects will be expected to participate in publicity and promotion of Cambridge Water’s Pebble Fund and submit a report, including photographs, a description of the project and the improvement and benefits it provides.

The PEBBLE fund aims to directly help improve biodiversity, so the following items are not eligible for funding:

- Sensory equipment/outdoor classroom equipment
- Garden equipment including furniture and most tools
- Decorations/ornaments
- Pond dipping platforms
- Paths/access
- Research
- Outdoor facilities including handwashing stations or toilet facilities.

Please note This is not an exhaustive list. Other items, not listed, may not be funded if they are  not deemed to contribute to biodiversity improvement.

This table is a guide to show you the amount of funding that previous projects have been successful in receiving. As this is a competitive fund, unfortunately we will not be able to fund all projects.

To maximise the chance of your project receiving full project funding, and to help applicants avoid disappointment, we recommend that you stick to similar budgets.

Type of project	Previous projects received
Pond creation/restoration	£500 - £2,000
Species specific habitat (eg. birds)	£500 - £4,000
Wildflower areas and habitat restoration	£500 - £4,000
Tree planting	£1,000 - £5,000
Invasive non-native species	£1,000 - £6,000
Ecological monitoring (and volunteering)	£1,000 - £8,000
River restoration	£1,500 - £10,000

If your project falls into one of these categories but you feel your costs will exceed the amount stated, it may be beneficial to include a detailed cost breakdown with your application.

We aim to let all applicants know the outcome of their application by the end of September.. 


PEBBLE timetable

Year one
April	May	Jun	July	Jul	Sept	Oct	Nov/Mar
Applications open April				Applications evaluated	Applicants informed of outcome	Successful applicants return terms and conditions	Transfer of funds for successful applicants

 

Year two
Jan - Feb	Mar - Apr	May - Jun	Jul - Aug	Sep - Oct	Nov - Dec
Project delivery

 

Year three
Jan - Feb	Mar - Apr		May - Jun	Jul - Aug	Sep - Oct	Nov - Dec
Project delivery		From 1 April: final report and supporting documents to be submitted