# Plastic bag levy raises £1.3 million in NI for environment projects

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/09/10/plastic-bag-levy-raises-1-3m-ni-environment-projects/
- Published: 2014-09-10T07:00:01+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Northern Ireland Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has announced £1.3 million
funding from the carrier bag levy for the NGO Challenge Fund 2015 which will support
environmental projects.**

The Challenge Fund will provide funding for short term projects which have to be
completed by March 2015 and three year projects which end in 2017.

Funding themes include:

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 * Access and recreation
 * Community action
 * Education and awareness
 * Environmental management
 * Historic environment
 * Marine and freshwater

Funding will also be provided under a separate schools theme.

Last year 363 applications were made to the Challenge Fund with 251 grants provided.
Grants will be allocated in this round of funding in three categories – small (under
£10,000), medium (under £20,000) and large (under £30,000).

Organisations must have been in existence for two years or must have a track record
of delivering environmental projects. The deadline for both the short term and longer
term grants is 3rd October and application details are on the [NI Environment Link ](http://www.nienvironmentlink.org)
website.