Fund Management
NIRAS has extensive experience in the management of grant projects for the forestry, land and biodiversity sectors. NIRAS' current competitive grants portfolio includes ten ongoing funds with the collective value of over €400 million, for which we manage application calls and process thousands of applications in parallel. NIRAS has a built-in network of experienced funding facility managers and an innovative platform to refine grant management procedures and tools to design, manage, monitor and evaluate grant programmes.
Forest Governance Markets and Climate (FGMC) Phase 2 - Programme Management & Support Team
FUNDER
FCDO
DURATION
2025 - 2030
CONTRACT VALUE
EUR 17.4M
(EUR 102.4M including grants)
The FGMC programme is a flagship UK Government initiative aimed at tackling the drivers of illegal deforestation and promoting sustainable forest governance and land use across key tropical forest regions. Its second phase, FGMC2 (2025–2030), seeks to consolidate previous achievements while adapting to evolving global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and human rights concerns. Central to the implementation of FGMC2 is the Programme Management, Support and Services Team (PMSST), which is tasked with managing and administering the programme’s extensive grant portfolio – valued at up to £73 million and spread across approximately 20–25 accountable grants. The PMSST will provide technical, strategic, financial, and operational support to FCDO and manage the full grant lifecycle, from early scoping and due diligence through to disbursement, monitoring, and evaluation. In doing so, the PMSST aims to foster coherent, evidence-informed delivery that strengthens rights, promotes legal and sustainable trade in forest products, and supports climate and biodiversity goals across FGMC partner countries.
The Programme Management, Support and Services Team (PMSST) is tasked with managing and administering the programme’s extensive grant portfolio – valued at up to
£73 million
in funds, which runs from 2023 to 2029 and spread across approximately
20 to 25
accountable grants.
Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) Administration Manager
FUNDER
Defra
DURATION
2003 - 2025
CONTRACT VALUE
EUR 15.1M
NIRAS is the fund administrator for the UK Government’s BCF, comprising the Darwin Initiative, Illegal Wildlife Trade Fund, and Darwin Plus Initiative. We administer all three competitive grant funds, including more than ten different grant schemes, working to safeguard biodiversity and the environment worldwide. The fund provides £20 million a year to partnership projects between UK institutions and low and middle-income countries, Overseas Territories, and transitional economy countries, providing support to biodiversity-rich yet financially poor countries to meet their national policy commitments and fulfil obligations under key environmental treaties. NIRAS manages the entire grant fund process (applications, financial administration, communications and project management including secretariat functions) for over 300 projects across 8 workstreams, as well as the M&E programme. As of August 2023, the Darwin Initiative has allocated £230 million across more than 1,270 projects in 159 countries, the IWT Challenge Fund has granted over £50 million for 157 projects, and Darwin Plus has granted over £45 million across over 240 projects.
Darwin Initiative has allocated £230 million across more than 1,270 projects in 159 countries. The IWT Challenge Fund has granted over £50 million for 157 projects. Darwin Plus has granted over £45 million across over 240 projects.
Ocean Community Empowerment & Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme
FUNDER
Defra
DURATION
2023 - 2027
CONTRACT VALUE
EUR 3.98M
NIRAS manages the OCEAN programme, a competitive grants scheme that supports locally led projects to deliver lasting change to the marine environment and coastal communities. Part of the Blue Planet Fund –the UK’s ground-breaking £500 million initiative dedicated to supporting developing countries in protecting the marine environment and reducing poverty – OCEAN offers two types of grants: (1) community grants of up to £250,000 for small-scale, local, in-country organisations and (2) partnership grants of up to £3 million for organisations who partner with locally led organisations to deliver solutions at scale. NIRAS is the Grant Administrator for this £60-million fund. We operate OCEAN with a strong focus on developing an understanding of – and promoting – gender, equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) amongst applicants in their proposals and successful grantees through the implementation of their projects. We manage the programme adaptively, with continual performance assessment and regular updating of all fund approaches and documents to respond to feedback from previous rounds and evolving policy priorities. Due diligence is conducted on every delivery partner, and risk management is an integral part of the Fund’s decision making process and is incorporated within all strategic and operational planning.
NIRAS is the Grant Administrator for the OCEAN fund, and manages
£60 million
in funds over a period of six years.
