The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) provides grants to individuals, businesses, local authorities and community groups to fund sustainable new business ideas and community projects in our National Parks.
The fund was launched in July 2002 and is funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Here in the Yorkshire Dales, SDF is managed by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust on behalf of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Projects that have been funded through the Sustainable Development Fund must help further the National Park purposes of:
- Conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Yorkshire Dales
- Promoting opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the Yorkshire Dales’ special qualities by the public.
By March 2011 we had awarded over £1.5 million in grants to 147 projects that had a total value of nearly £6 million.
This brings direct benefit to the communities, businesses and landscape of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) - projects
Projects
have ranged from community composting schemes, renewable energy
technologies, to apprenticeship programmes and sustainable transport.
Projects range from small (a grant of £300) to large (over £50,000) but
all contribute to national park purposes and the principles of
sustainable development.
View summaries of the SDF projects on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority website.
Evaluation of the SDF in English National Parks
In
March 2010 an Evaluation of the Sustainable Development Fund in English
National Parks was published. This study was undertaken during the
second half of 2009 and early 2010 by Land Use Consultants and a number
of SDF officers were part of the steering group for this study. The
report has been well received and is proving to be a useful tool to
present to a range of stakeholders – including new ministers.
Find out more
Visit the ENPAA website
where there is both a copy of the full national report and a summary version.
Have an idea for a project? Contact our SDF Manager gillian.muir@ydmt.org