Funding Opportunities for NFM - Eye on Calderdale

Who is eligible for NFM funding?

Natural Flood Management (NFM) is a vital part of how we tackle flooding in Calderdale. If you own or manage land in the area, you could be eligible for funding and hands-on support.

While local organisations lead many of our major projects, anyone with land can take steps to slow the flow of water and reduce flood risks.

Working with trusted advisors

Deciding on the right NFM projects for your land can feel overwhelming. Navigating the jargon and application forms isn't always easy, but you don't have to do it alone.

Working with a trusted advisor, partner, or land agent can make the process much smoother. Note: While some land agents charge for their services, many local partners offer free advice and support.

Large area of tree planting in a farm above the valley.

Funding and support available in Calderdale

In Calderdale, there are a range of schemes to fund and support NFM projects:

Grant In Aid DEFRA funding

The government has recently announced a new funding process for Natural Flood Management, making it easier for farmers, landowners and smaller organisations to get financial support from a national funding pot of at least £300 million over the next decade.

A range of activities, including leaky dams, planting trees or restoring wetlands, can be funded, but it is important that projects in the same river catchment apply together. The council is working closely with the Environment Agency to support small organisations and landowners and assist with collaboration to increase the chances of success.

The application window is currently closed, but now is the time to develop applications for the next application window. Please get in touch to discuss if your land is suitable [email protected]

Tree planting

If you're interested in planting trees on your land, an organisation called White Rose Forest provides free support to landowners (and their agents) in North and West Yorkshire. The White Rose Forest team guide projects from the planning and funding stages through to the planting of new trees.

Calderdale NFM Grant Scheme

Funding is available for NFM through the Calderdale NFM Grant Scheme. The grants are managed by Calderdale Council with support and funding from the Environment Agency. Partners may be available to help design your natural flood management works and complete the application process free of charge. Around 75 Calderdale landowners have received these grants so far. This grant scheme is currently closed for applications, but please get in touch if interested in applying in future.

Property Flood Resilience Grants

Whilst often used to make improvements to properties to keep water out, such as flood proof doors. Some Calderdale residents have pooled their grants with their neighbours to create natural flood management schemes to effectively manage flood waters before reaching their properties such as this example at Pecket Well Mill.

An attenuation basin in a grassy rural field, shown as a shallow, stepped earth depression behind a dry‑stone wall.

Environment Agency Flood Alleviation projects

The Environment Agency (EA) is delivering several flood protection schemes in Calderdale. These include new flood walls and pumps to take flood waters away from towns. To accompany these flood defences, there might be opportunities for natural flood management measures to work alongside the engineered defences at some sites. If you own land close to any of the flood protection schemes in Calderdale and would be interested in implementing NFM works, please get in touch with the Calderdale Council NFM Officer. Landowners will be compensated for the use of their land for this work.

Replenish project funding

Replenish is a scheme funded by Coca-Cola and managed by Calder and Colne Rivers Trust. It aims to improve the land’s ability to hold water, help with flood management and create or improve habitats. Farmers and landowners can put together bespoke projects with support from Calder and Colne Rivers Trust. There is no cost for this service.

Contact: [email protected] for more information.

Government-led funding opportunities

Funding and support for NFM is also available through several government-led schemes. For these opportunities, we strongly recommended working with trusted advisors, partners or land agents to guide you through the process. There is likely to be a cost for these services.

Biodiversity Net Gain

From November 2023, new legislation means that developers must now leave their land in a better environmental state than when they started work. In cases where they cannot improve the biodiversity of the site they are working on, they can pay local landowners to undertake projects on their land through the Biodiversity Net Gain scheme.

Countryside Stewardship

Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides payments to farmers and landowners to look after and improve the environment. It offers a wide variety of options, with different agreement lengths and levels of commitment. In 2023, the amount received for natural flood management projects significantly increased.

Sustainable Farming Incentive Management Payment

The Sustainable Farming Incentive is a scheme where payments are made for managing your land for the benefit of the environment. An example payment would be for accessing and improving soil, which often brings NFM benefits.

What's next?

The information on this page is only an introduction to some of the funding options for natural flood management out there. It is recommended that you work with trusted advisors, partners or land agents for advice on the best option for you and to learn about up-to-date funding opportunities available.

You can explore real-world examples of how people across Calderdale use nature to build flood resilience across our local landscapes.

Calderdale's Flood Resilience Stories