First LIFE+ call for proposals

The European Union LIFE+ programme aims to provide match-funding support for environmental projects addressing nature conservation and environmental policy. The programme will provide funding for a seven year period until 2013 and will be managed directly by the European Commission.

What is LIFE+?
LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects throughout the EU, as well as in some candidate, acceding and neighbouring countries. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed some 2,750 projects, contributing approximately €1.35 billion to the protection of the environment.

This detailed call for proposals covers

• LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity projects
  • Life+ Nature will co-finance best practice or demonstration projects that contribute to the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives. The maximum co-financing rate is 50% but may be 75% for projects focusing on priority species or habitats.
  • LIFE+ Biodiversity will co-finance innovative or demonstration projects that contribute to the implementation of the objectives of Commission Communication (COM (2006) 216 final) "Halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 – and beyond". The maximum co-financing rate will be 50%.
• LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance - continues and extends the former LIFE-Environment strand. It will co-finance projects that contribute to the implementation of Community environmental policy, the development of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments, the knowledge base as regards environment policy and legislation, and the monitoring of environmental (including forest monitoring). The maximum co-financing rate will be 50%.
• LIFE+ Information and Communication - will co-finance projects that implement communication and awareness raising campaigns on environmental, nature protection or biodiversity conservation issues, as well as projects related to forest fire prevention (awareness raising, special training). The maximum co-financing rate will be 50%

Registered organisations within the European Union will be encouraged to bid for a slice of the funding. They include:

• Local authorities;
• Other public bodies;
• Private commercial organisations;
• Private non-commercial organisations, including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

Applications to the programme will be invited in the form of an annual call for proposals from the European Commission. For more information information, and access to the various application guides and draft papers, please visit the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

Under this first call for applications, €14.87 million will be available across the UK, of which at least 50% must be allocated to nature and biodiversity projects.

The deadline for this call is 30 November 2007.

Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has contracted Beta Technology Limited to provide a national contact point service to assist organisations and individuals to access LIFE+ funding. This following web page provides information about the LIFE+ programme, together with an outline of the assistance available to help you with your application.

http://www.betatechnology.co.uk/lifeplus.htm#life_latest

For more information about LIFE+ or to use the National Contact Point Service, please contact either Tom Hudson, Catherine Holt or Antony Davies on
01302 322 633 or
email tom@betatechnology.co.uk,
catherine@betatechnology.co.uk
antony@betatechnology.co.uk