Case Study: Discretionary Funding, possibilities around marine plastics

We’ve recently re-opened the Highlands & Islands Community Climate Action Fund for applications. For 2023-24 we have up to £500 available to support new climate action projects or to carry out community engagement around climate action. In addition to this straightforward style of funding and to be as reactive and supportive to the applications we have seen coming through in previous rounds new for 2023-24 is our discretionary fund. The discretionary fund has no specific limit on the amount of funding that is available, though we are not talking thousands! More it is a way of encouraging and supporting collaborative and capacity building for projects which are innovative and have the seed of an idea which might lead to more.

To help you gain a better understanding of the types of projects we are looking for, let us give you the example of our partnership project with the Moray Firth Coastal Partnership…

We were approached at the beginning of 2023 by Drew from the Moray Firth Coastal Partnership who had the idea of forming Seashore Hubs along the coastline of the Moray Firth. By doing so the project aimed to foster greater collaboration and shared learning in communities currently carrying out beach litter picking and the collection of plastics from our shores. An important factor in the project was that by creating these Seashore Hubs more information could be passed along in communities about the community science and data recording of what was being collected.

Initial conversations surrounded the concept of Moray Firth Coastal Partnership with Drew leading creating the concept of the Seashore Hubs where supporting materials and training would be provided to those communities interested in hosting them. The ask to us was would we be able to fund communities for the kit required (litter pickers and associated materials) if they came to us to request. Hmm, was there a better way of us doing that rather than dealing with individual applications? That saw us all arrive at the conclusion of better to buy in bulk and then distribute to the communities.

From this point we as the Hub rather than issue funding went in search of equipment to buy direct. We came across a company who provide litter pickers made from recycled marine plastics. Great, was there a chance of a discount or sponsorship for the project. Response, yes but lets make it more circular and find a way for us and the communities collecting plastics to get the items collected back to them to use in their products.

This got us thinking further, currently there are amazing communities and community organisations collecting litter from our shorelines but those items collected are generally then going to landfill. Then we have companies like the one we are speaking to who are making high end products from recycled marine plastics. Surely there is a spoke in the wheel missing here that could benefit communities from the items being collected and the effort going into keep our shorelines free of plastics and litter? One person’s junk being another person’s treasure…

We’re still in the very, very early stages of having conversations around the project and no idea if there is something in all of this but working together with the Moray Firth Coastal Parternship we are having various conversations with relevant organisations and people with a view to developing this project and assessing the feasibility of making these litter picks of the coastline both circular in how the waste is handled and beneficial to the communities carrying out this work.

A seed of an idea from Drew which has taken on a life of its own and could prove to be a real solution in the future depending on what our investigations into feasibility discover. Certainly each time we speak to someone about the project various new considerations and ideas are added on, but that is where we will find innovation and a true solution.

This could have been at the first instance a few £50-£100 funding applications. Where are we now? Supply of equipment for multiple Seashore Hubs along the coastline at a very cost effective bulk price representing value for money, a relationship with a leading manufacturer of products from recycle marine litter, a real collaborative approach and partnership with both us here at the Highlands & Islands Climate Hub and Moray Firth Coastal Partnership able to bring in relevant conversations and contacts into the discussion and the possibility of a full feasibility study to investigate moving forwards.

These are the type of projects we are looking to spot from existing funding applications submitted to us or by getting in touch with us about discretionary funding. Those ideas that are seeds, those ideas where you think “och that might be a daft idea” but in turn think, what if…

If you have one of those ideas, please get in touch with us to discuss further through your local officer. We would love to hear from you and please be rest assured our attitude is very much that there is no such thing as a daft idea.

If you are interested in becoming a Seashore Hub, expressions of interest are currently open and you can apply here.