Diverse partnerships of councils, landowners, and community organisations (large and small) can deliver more effective nature-based climate adaptation. When organisations work together, they’re more able to deliver work that tackles the climate, nature and biodiversity crises – while unlocking a wide range of other benefits for communities.
Inspired by proven examples from North-West England and beyond, here are four reasons to build strong partnerships.
1. Improve your funding eligibility
Collaboration between partners of different sizes opens up a more diverse range of funding sources. Larger organisations are often eligible for high-value or strategic grants, because they are seen to have more established governance processes and greater capacity. Smaller groups might be more competitive for place-based funds. When working together, they can access a fuller spectrum of support – and demonstrate both scale and depth in their funding bids.
A great example from North-West England is work to restore 3,000 hectares of riverland in Cumbria. This has been tackled by a partnership between the volunteer-led Duddon Catchment Partnership, who brings expert and highly localised knowledge of environmental issues in the area, and South Cumbria Rivers Trust – whose established governance structures and funding experience help unlock larger funding streams.
2. Smaller organisations bring strong local connections
Smaller charities, volunteer-led groups and grassroots initiatives are often deeply embedded in their local communities – something bigger organisations cannot always match, whatever their resources. This means smaller groups are well-placed to engage residents, draw on local knowledge, and build long-term support for nature projects. Their trust and visibility at street level can be a vital ingredient for success, especially in areas where engagement has been historically low.
3. Diverse voices in project design create better results for more people
Nature recovery benefits from different ways of seeing and understanding the world. Involving a broad mix of partners – from faith groups to youth organisations to those representing marginalised communities – enriches project design and delivery. It helps ensure that restored natural spaces are welcoming and relevant to all, and that solutions reflect a full spectrum of values and priorities.
A great example is Faith4Nature, who are helping to improve access to nature through land recovery and urban greening programmes. Their work brings the benefits of nature restoration to more people, including those might not otherwise be engaged by climate action.
4. Shared responsibility builds buy-in and project resilience
When multiple partners have ownership of a project, its future becomes more secure. Maintenance, monitoring and long-term advocacy are more likely to be sustained when responsibility is shared across different organisations with different stakeholders. In this way, partnership-building is not just a way to deliver projects – but to safeguard their legacy.
An excellent example is Groundwork UK’s work with farmers in North-West England. This is co-developing natural flood management systems that reduce flood risk at a landscape scale. By working hand in hand with landowners, the partnership ensures that solutions are both practical and rooted in the long-term stewardship of the land
These insights were shared at a meeting of Ashden’s Resilient Roots network. Our Resilient Roots programme supports the growth of ambitious, inclusive nature-based adaptation. If you’re involved in this space – or want to learn more – please get in touch.