The UK Nature Accelerator operates as the technical and financial assistance programme for the UK Nature Impact Fund.
The UK Nature Accelerator is the technical assistance programme for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) projects in the UK. Delivered by Finance Earth’s advisory team on behalf of the UK Government, the Accelerator will provide early-stage financial and technical support to create shovel-ready NbS projects suitable for UK Nature investment.
The UK NbS investment market is rapidly growing, but sectors within it remain at different stages of development. We have identified that, within a number of these sectors, there is demand for ‘last mile’ technical assistance and extra support in developing investment ready projects, including:
A lack of technical support to develop investable projects across the UK’s nature markets is a constraining factor on deployment. The Accelerator aims to prepare NbS projects for investment by supporting them in the design of business cases, financial models, contracting and transaction structures appropriate for institutional investment.
To express an interest in partnering with the Accelerator, please get in touch with us at uknature@finance.earth
Participation in the Accelerator does not guarantee investment by UK Nature or any other funder. All investment decisions are subject to approvals as required.
The Accelerator will provide the following services to enable participants to overcome the final hurdles involved in readying NbS projects for investment:
With a subsidised, matched-funding structure based on contributions from the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Accelerator represents a cost-effective opportunity for participants to develop investment-ready projects and to scale up high integrity NbS project delivery.
The Accelerator programme is part-funded by Defra, which has agreed to provide up to 50% of the costs associated with the delivery of the programme, reducing participation costs for applicants.
While we are currently seeking additional strategic co-funders for the Accelerator programme, in lieu of this we require Accelerator participants to match Defra’s contributions on a project-by-project basis.
Defra is supporting high-integrity projects eligible for registration under the Woodland Carbon Code, the Peatland Code, and the Biodiversity Net Gain compliance market, as reflected in the scope of the Accelerator.
More details on the Accelerator, what it provides and how it works will be provided at the point of application. If you would like more details ahead of application please get in touch with us at uknature@finance.earth
Please note that projects seeking investment are not required to participate in the Accelerator to receive investment from UK Nature.
For projects that are already ‘investment-ready’, UK Nature can offer funding for development and delivery of projects subject to satisfying its investment appraisal process.
A project considered investment-ready by UK Nature will have a completed investment case including (but not limited to): a defined and evidenced funding need including itemised project costs as part of a coherent project budget and estimated timeline for delivery; a completed BNG calculation or woodland or peatland carbon calculator; identification of key stakeholders, including landowners, delivery partners, and the local community; and evidence that the party being put forward to deliver the project on the ground has a track record and experience commensurate with the requirements of the project.
UK Nature may refer projects that fall short of investment-ready to the Accelerator to receive targeted support to complete the ‘last mile’ to investment readiness.
A project that is likely to be considered near-investment ready and therefore eligible for the Accelerator will have an initial headline investment case including an estimate of project revenues and the identification of their sources; preliminary cost projections for the full project lifetime as part of an estimated project budget; and evidence of stakeholder engagement and in-principle support from key project stakeholders (e.g. landowner, local community etc.).
The management team and delivery partners with appropriate experience must also be identified, with dedicated resource in place to support project development and Accelerator delivery.
If you like the sound of what we do and have an exciting nature restoration project or business that needs Accelerator support, please contact the Finance Earth team.
The contents of this page are not a financial promotion and none of the information on this page constitutes an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity. If you are in any doubt as to the appropriate course of action, we would recommend that you consult your own independent financial adviser, stockbroker, solicitor, accountant or other professional adviser.