Areas of Interest

• Forest & woodland
• Fresh water
• Marine & coastal
• Montane

Eligible Location

• The HIEF will support projects throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Projects taking place in areas that fall slightly outside the boundary may still be eligible.

Eligibility Criteria

• Local non-profit organisations, associations, clubs or unions, social co-operative enterprises and/or other local bodies, including research centres, are strongly encouraged to apply for grants
• Non-local applicants already active in the area, or relevant experts, may also be eligible for grants and strategic partnerships, if they prove that they can offer capacity building to local communities and/or tangible impact through their work on the ground.
• All applicants must display strong and effective leadership and emphasise an integrated, bottom-up approach, consulting with, mobilising and involving local communities and demonstrating positive community impact.
• Organisations previously supported should get in touch to discuss a new application before submitting an EoI, as there may be additional requirements for repeat-funding requests.
• Applications for funding from the HIEF should fit into one of the Foundation’s key areas of interest and demonstrate clear, measurable environmental impact as a primary aim of the project.
• Proposed projects must be clear and compelling, and aim to deliver measurable and sustainable long-term results, build capacity and encourage participation by local communities.
• Ideally, the proposed activities will be sufficiently visible to leverage additional support from other funding sources.  Projects with opportunities for replicability, to amplify their impact, will be prioritised.
• Larger projects, where the HIEF funding would constitute less than 10% of the overall budget, are less likely to be funded.

For more information, visit HIEF.