WRAP opens £10 million Regional Market Development Fund

Up to 10 million Pounds  over three years allocated to regional market development programs.

The first tranche of a  Pounds10 million fund to strengthen regional market development in England is being launched by the Waste & Resources Action Programme. The Regional Market Development Fund will provide support for local and regional projects that will contribute to healthy markets for recycled materials nationally.

A large proportion of the fund will focus on projects that create markets from the biodegradable elements of the waste stream but applications can also include other materials streams under WRAP’s remit (glass, paper, wood, plastics) and those outside of WRAP’s purview (e.g. tires, WEEE, ELV). 

The first call for funding will open on Dec. 15^th and will be worth up to Pounds 5million. It will comprise two phases, the first will call for outline applications (pre qualification stage) and will be followed by a request for full applications at the second stage. 

“Consultation with members of the Remade Network UK and others has identified a clear need to maintain the momentum of regional initiatives,” says Ray Georgeson, WRAP Director of Policy and Communications, “ Local knowledge and expertise will be an essential ingredient in achieving strong markets for recycled materials across the UK”.

“The fund will provide a strategic approach for market development work at the local and regional level,” says Jennie Price WRAP chief executive “By operating as a competitive project fund, the RMDF will identify and support market development initiatives appropriate for delivery at the regional level that generate the best tonnage and value-for-money projects.”

Applications will be assessed against a number of key criteria including contribution to the tonnage target of 373,000 metric tons by 2006 and the commercial viability of the initiatives once funding has ceased. The overall environmental impact of the project will also be evaluated.

Further details including eligibility, evaluation criteria, timetable, application forms and guidance notes for the initial competition will be available from Dec. 15.