A pilot project in Glasgow will see nature-based businesses and organisations receive council support.
The scheme will be applicable for a wide range of activities including beekeeping, carbon offsetting, ‘green’ roofs, community growing schemes or tree planting enterprises.
The Nature-Based Accelerator Programme is now open to applications and is a three-month fully-funded scheme - worth more than £1500 to each successful applicant.
A World Economic Forum report suggested that actions to take nature-based solutions into account could create $10 trillion annually in business opportunities.
According to the council the programme aims to "encourage a more resilient local nature-based economy" while improving and maintaining the city’s open spaces.
Sean Vincent Kelly, Senior Connecting Nature Project Officer at Glasgow City Council, said: “After several months of planning with our expert partners, we are very excited to finally open our nature-based accelerator programme to applications.
"This is a real opportunity for budding nature-based entrepreneurs in Glasgow to get valuable support to grow their enterprise ideas and help us make a real contribution to more local and nature-friendly economies.”
Professor Cam Donaldson, Pro Vice Chancellor of Research and Yunus Chair at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “The launch of the Nature-Based Accelerator, in partnership with Glasgow City Council’s Connecting Nature programme, Glasgow’s Centre for Civic Innovation and The Melting Pot, is a perfect example of civic partnerships for the Common Good, reflecting the strategic commitment of Glasgow Caledonian University to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals through our range of research, teaching and community engagement activities."
The deadline for applications is May 21 and a wider programme is expected to begin around the time of COP26 in Glasgow later this year.
For more details on how to apply for support visit https://good-ideas.org/nature-based-accelerator/.
More detail on the Connecting Nature project is available at: https://connectingnature.eu/about.
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