Authors: Gayle Kimeberly, Nina Fauser & Bastien Debiève
Shout out to all educational institutions, voluntary organisations and public entities regarding a new fund which is available to make Malta greener!
Climate change and human impact pose a threat to global biodiversity and transform landscapes. This is also true for Malta, where the influence of various activities, such as tourist activities in particular, leaves an impact on Malta’s national territory. The rise in urbanization is eliminating green spaces and increasing pressure on our natural resources, especially water. From the perspective of sustainable development it is therefore particularly important to ensure that the economy can grow whilst preserving our environment, and that we reintroduce nature in our cities.
That is why the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has just launched a new fund for educational institutions, voluntary organisations and public entities, called the ‘BELLUS’ Fund, which stands for ‘Better Environment in our LocaL Urban Spaces’. The fund has a total budget of €500,000, which will be distributed among projects targeting the preservation of nature and biodiversity, and the green development of towns and villages.
However, the BELLUS Fund is only open to voluntary organisations, public entities and educational institutions to apply for funding and each project will be entitled to funding which will be capped at a minimum of €50,000 and a maximum of €100,000. Endorsed projects must then be implemented within a period of 2 years. The deadline to submit applications for the BELLUS fund is the 30th of September 2021, and applications are to be submitted through the ERA online portal.
Moreover, projects under the BELLUS fund must target one of the following objectives:
- Green-Blue Infrastructure initiatives;
- Removal and replacement of existing impermeable hard paving with healthy soiled ground areas;
- Removal of Invasive Alien Species and their replacement with native indigenous flora;
- The establishment of public community gardens managed by residents;
- Forestation initiatives utilising native indigenous flora;
- Conservation and restoration initiatives in sensitive natural areas situated close to the urban environment; and
- Communication, education, public awareness, and citizen science in line with the above projects.
How can Ewropa help?
Here at Ewropa, the team will be able to assist you in choosing the right fund for your project, carrying out all the necessary research, liaising with any stakeholders, and implementing the application process from A to Z. Over the past 2 years, Ewropa has assisted in various projects, both at large and small scales. If you have an idea in mind which you think could be eligible for funding under the BELLUS fund, or an idea which you would like to see materialise through the support of funding, make sure to contact us on info@ewropa.mt to find out more.
We also encourage you to keep checking Ewropa’s website and social media pages for further announcements on concrete calls for funding opportunities. If you already have a project in mind which you would like to discuss, contact us now to secure your funding!