Delivering more for the Dales through Strategic Grants

December 4, 2024

A new strategic grants scheme has provided £140,000 in funding to three exciting programmes in the area this year.

Grant giving has always been a key part of YDMT’s work. Since the launch of our new YDMT Grants scheme in July 2023, we’ve awarded over £700,000 in grants to more than 125 projects to help people, organisations and community groups do great things in an area we love so much.

To complement these activities, YDMT’s Strategic Grants Scheme was set up earlier this year to enable us to work closely with our partners to develop and deliver larger-scale, high-profile and high-impact programmes that support our aims. We have already provided £140,000 to support three exciting programmes:

Nidderdale Grasslands Restoration Project

It’s 18 years since we launched our hugely successful Hay Time meadow restoration project in the Dales. During that time, we’ve worked with both North Pennines and Forest of Bowland National Landscapes to set up their own projects.

We recently joined forces with Nidderdale National Landscape to extend this work further, with a joint three-year project. Our funding has helped to employ a dedicated Project Officer to co-ordinate the grassland restoration work, train volunteers, and provide advice and support to landowners, as well as running public events and outreach opportunities.

Access to Eden

This major, landscape-scale partnership, led by Eden Rivers Trust, aims to make Eden’s river environment a better place for people and wildlife. Funding from the YDMT Strategic Grants Scheme will support the extension of the Smardale accessible path to Waitby Nature Reserve, near Kirkby Stephen, and the installation of sensory interpretation along the trail.

Community Led Housing Pilot Scheme

In an exciting move for YDMT, this three-year pilot project aims to address the issue of affordable housing in rural areas. Working in partnership with Community First Yorkshire, an organisation supporting communities in North, South and West Yorkshire, the project will focus on the Nidderdale National Landscape area. It will enable existing community led housing schemes to progress, increase the ‘pipeline’ of rural housing schemes, and enable communities to be better informed about them.

Find out more

YDMT Grants launched in June 2023, providing grants of between £250 and £7,500 to enable passionate people to run projects and initiatives that help us to deliver at least one of our three aims:

• People: YDMT supports people to live in, visit and care for the area
• Landscape: YDMT helps to protect and enhance the landscape and culture of the area
• Wildlife: YDMT helps to protect and enhance the wildlife of the area