The OPAL Grants Scheme aims to help natural history societies and recording schemes grow and flourish. To date grants totaling £175,000 have been distributed to over 70 different natural history groups. The fourth round of the OPAL Grants Scheme focuses on supporting projects that will improve the way natural history groups can work in the long term, enabling them to continue and expand their work in the future.
Who can apply?
The Grants Scheme is open to all national and local natural history societies, recording schemes and similar groups that are active within England, including regional branches of national organisations. The group’s primary focus must be biological. See the downloadable guidance notes for further details.
Looking to the future
We want to support projects that will improve the work of groups in the long term, enabling them to continue and expand their work in the future. Each group has different needs and ways of operating, so this is a broad theme with a degree of flexibility. However, projects should fit closely with the long term plan of your group, identifying current limitations, and thinking ahead to what would bring most benefit over time.
We are particularly keen to support projects that involve collaboration with other groups or organisations, and that lead to working relationships being formed that bring continued and future benefits.
We want the fourth round of the OPAL grant scheme to reach as many people as possible, both in the short term, and most importantly, for many years to come.
Deadline
Applications should be submitted by email to d.urry@nhm.ac.uk by midday on Monday 8 October 2012. If you do not have access to an email account, please contact us well in advance of the deadline to discuss alternatives.
How to apply
The 2012 round of the OPAL Grants Scheme is now accepting applications. The application form, guidance notes, and terms and conditions can be downloaded from the OPAL website.
Please contact David Urry for further information d.urry@nhm.ac.uk. Tel: 020 7942 5669
