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The Needles, IoW
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Natural Environment Group (NEG) Funding 

Each year NEG makes a small amount of funding available for its members to undertake either primary or secondary research. Priority is given to research which addresses issues raised or gaps in the evidence base identified by the Solent Marine Sites (SEMS) Management Plan or unfavourable condition of the Solent's designated sites. Bids can be for projects either undertaken alone or in partnership with others, they can be ongoing or have a finite time scale.  Projects that meet the needs of the Solent Site Improvement Plan (IPENS) will also be looked upon favourably.The research must cover some aspect of the coast or marine environment around the Solent.

Where possible the bid should be match funded and other sources of funding should also have been explored. The group does not fund ongoing long term studies, surveys or work that is deemed to be 'core work' of other organisations. A condition of the funding is that the final project output will be made available to NEG for public dissemination.  The project lead will also be invited to present their findings at a NEG meeting.

Once the priority requirements have been met, any other projects may bid for the remaining funds.  These are ranked accordingly:

Bidding Timetable

The timescale for bidding and voting in a given year is as follows:

Download the - project bidding pro forma.


Projects Awarded Funding for 2024/25


Projects Awarded Funding for 2023/24


Projects Awarded Funding for 2022/23


Projects Awarded Funding for 2021/22


Projects Awarded Funding for 2020/21

Four bids were received and voted on by NEG members.  There was a clear case to award funds to the following projects:


Projects Awarded Funding for 2019/20


Other Past Funded Research 


Past Projects with NEG Contribution