Applications Invited for the Waterloo Foundation Marine Programme

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About the Organization

The Waterloo Foundation (TWF) is an independent grant-making Foundation created in 2007, and based in Cardiff, Wales. We give grants to organisations in both the UK and world-wide.

We are most interested in projects that help globally particularly in the areas of the disparity of opportunities and wealth and the unsustainable use of the world’s natural resources.

We hope to make annual grants of around £15 million for charitable purposes in our core programme areas of:

• World Development
• The Environment
• Child Development
• Wales

In 2025, we celebrating our 18th year. To date we are delighted to have made over 4,200 discrete grants, and to have awarded over £160 million of funding in support of our charitable objectives.

About the Grant

Oceans cover more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface, and the fish that live in their waters are crucial to the world’s economy, health and environment. Figures suggest that three billion people, predominantly in low-income countries, depend on fish as their primary source of protein, and over 500 million people depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods.

Fish stocks are in decline. According to the FAO, the proportion of marine fish stocks estimated to be within biologically sustainable levels decreased from 90% in 1990 to 65.8% in 2017. Almost 30% of the world’s fish stocks are now overfished, and much of this fishing is illegal or unregulated. This overexploitation of the world’s oceans threatens not only ocean ecosystems but also endangers the lives and livelihoods of the millions of people dependant on fish.

What we will support:

Under our Marine programme, we support initiatives that work to halt and restore declining fish stocks by:

• Stopping destructive and illegal fishing.
• Supporting sustainable and small-scale fisheries.

Preference will be given to initiatives working to influence fisheries policy, projects that halt the decline of fish stocks that communities in the Global South rely on, and those working to bring about sustainable fisheries in Wales.

We predominantly support strategic initiatives, but also consider practical local projects. The protection of mangroves and seagrasses to benefit local fisheries is also a component of our Marine Programme.

Strategic Projects:

We will consider applications for strategic projects that are working on addressing marine issues at a wider or international scale. These could include:

• Working on international or regional marine policy
• Campaigning for improved practices in the fishing industry and its supply chains
• Exploring different fishing practices and techniques
• Improving information exchange to eradicate illegal unreported and unregulated fishing

Applicants should be able to provide the following:

• Evidence of previous successful strategic programmes e.g. an attributable change in policy or improved supply chain;
• For your proposed project, the specific measurable outcomes that you expect the programme to achieve, and the methods you will use to monitor these outcomes;
• The strategy put in place to ensure the sustainability of the programme’s objectives for the long term.

Local Projects:

Applications for local projects should demonstrate that they will positively impact upon the marine fisheries they are working to protect, and could include:

• Development of community-managed marine protected areas or community-led sustainable fisheries management
• Addressing local causes of over-exploitation of fish stocks and other seafood
• Creation of sustainable livelihoods for coastal and seafood dependent people
• Securing fishing rights or management rights for fishery-dependent communities
• Photo of a local fisherman by Ravi Franco Lages on Pexels

Applicants should be able to provide the following:

• Evidence of previous successful local programmes e.g., a demonstrable increase in fish stocks; implementation of a management plan; improved livelihoods and/or income levels of fishery-dependent communities.
• For your proposed project, the specific measurable outcomes that you expect the programme to achieve, and the methods you will use to monitor these outcomes;
• The strategy put in place to ensure the sustainability of the programme’s objectives for the long term.

How to Apply

If you think that you are eligible for funding, please see the Environment – Application Guidelines page for guidance about how to submit a funding application.

Application guidelines

Please note that all applications must be submitted to applications@waterloofoundation.org.uk.

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Environment and Sustainability Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Others