Seed Sourcing Grant

About the Seed Sourcing Grant

The Seed Sourcing Grant (SSG) is a competitive grant to provide support for activities that enhance the quality, quantity, and diversity of tree seed sources in England. The government aims to at least treble tree planting rates in England by 2025 and has set legally binding targets to increase tree and woodland cover to 16.5% of total land area by 2050.

The SSG will help to ensure the availability of planting stock to meet these targets.

The SSG issupports looking to support projects that will increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of Seed Stands and Seed Orchards on the Forest Reproductive Material (FRM)(FRM) Register of UK Basic Material. See Marketing forest reproductive material for forestry purposes for more details.

Technical experts have developed a set of recommended Tree Seed Species Strategies (PDF, 864 KB, 64 pages).

TheseThe strategies cover 21 species that have been identified as a priority for support. They provide suggested ideal approaches to enhance the delivery of enhanced quality, quantity, and diversity of registered Seed Stands and Orchards for 21these speciesspecies. which have been identified as a priority for support. Delivery of these recommendedstrategies activities for the priority species is the priority for financial support from the SSG,SSG, which is reflected in the grant evaluation criteria and payment rates. However, given the likely uplift in seed requirement of all kinds to meet planting targets, the scheme is open to proposals covering all species included in the UK FRM scheme including the voluntary scheme.

Guelder rose and wych elm were previously identified as priority species but have been removed as several projects to address these strategies are currently underway. However, they are still eligible for 50% funding as a non-priority species.

View a list of successful seed sourcing projects from previous rounds. We are unlikely to fund work that duplicates activities already funded in rounds one and two so please refer to this list when considering your application.

Read our case study about how Clive Ellis used SSG funding to manage and register a small leaved lime Seed Stand at Oxley Wood in Essex.  

Sign up to Seed Sourcing Grant webinar 

We are hosting a “Seed Sourcing Grant: how to apply” webinar at 2pm on Wednesday 17 January 2024. During this session, we’ll give advice on putting together an SSG application and you will be able to ask questions about the grant.

What funding is available?

ProjectsUp mustto £260,000 of funding is available through the SSG, subject to sufficient high-quality bids being received.  

All activities related to the 21 priority species seed sourcing strategies will be completedfunded at 100%, and invoicedother byprojects 27will Marchbe 2025.funded Projects,at whether50%. 

If singleapplying orfor multi-year,a non-priority species, you should consider the source of your match funding before applying and explain this in your application. You may not source match funding from another Nature for Climate Fund funded grant. 

Projects must have a minimum total cost of £2,000 to be eligible for fundingfunding. underYou the SSG. Applicants may submit more than one bid during each funding round, but each lead applicant may only apply for a maximum of £75,000 per annum, across all their bids in aeach given funding round.round. 

Funding is available for the 2024-2025 financial year only. All items must be received and work completed between 1 April 2024 and 27 March 2025. Before applying, please make sure you are confident that you can complete all activities relatedand receive all items before this date. Any spend after this date will not be eligible to claim for.

If you are following a recommendation from the 21priority species seedstrategies sourcingthat strategiesyou cannot complete fully by 27 March 2025, you should demonstrate the outputs that will be fundedachieved atin 100%,the funding period and otherhow projectsthese willcontribute beto fundedthe atgrant 50%.objectives. You should also explain any future plans beyond the funding period and how the work in your SSG proposal would contribute to these.

Eligible activities:

1. Management of existing Seed Stands, to ensure they are productive for seed collectors.collectors e.g., thinning, improving access, or installing fencing. Seed stands must either already be registered on the National Register of Basic Material or should be registered on the National Register of Basic Material as part of the proposed project. This may include bringing current Source Identified (SI) seed sources under management and registering them as a seed stand as part of the projectproject. (see guidance note for further information). These must be time-bound rather than ongoing activities.

2. Desk studies and field studies to identify and bring additional seed stands onto the National Register of Basic Material.

3. Planning and planting of new seed stands, and their registration on the National Register of Basic Material.

4. Planning and planting of new seed orchards and their registration on the National Register of Basic Material.

Proposals can include a combination of activities from the list above.

To be eligible for funding:

• the project proposal must be relevant to the production of tree seed from species covered by the UK FRM scheme (including those in the voluntary scheme)
• the Seed Stand or Seed Orchard must be in England
• the work to be funded must not have commenced, and must not commence until a funding agreement is in place
• activities must be associated with anone of the eligible FRM categorycategories as detailed below

All eligibility criteria are fully described in the SSG application form and associated Guidance Notes.

Eligible categories of FRM:FRM:

• Source-Identified (SI) Seed Stands
• Selected and Tested Seed Stands
• Qualified and Tested Seed Orchards

Source-Identified (SI) Seed Sources are also eligible for funding under this grant if they meet the criteria to be registered as SI seed stands and are registered as seed stands as part of the proposed project.

Eligible costs that may be claimed for include but are not limited to:

• staff, or contractor, costs for project delivery, including for research and technical advice
• seeds and saplings
• consumables and temporary infrastructure required for management of seed stands, for example fencing
• contribution sought towards costs of equipment required to complete the project. For equipment over £500, the contribution offered will be at the evaluation panel’s discretion
• travel and subsistence specifically for the SSG grant activity, carried out in the most economically and sustainable way possible

The following expenditure is ineligible:

• ongoing maintenance of seed stand and/or seed orchard after the project delivery window
• insurance for capital items or staff
• repairs and ongoing maintenance to existing or purchased equipment
• any other travel and subsistence (inclusive of other grant schemes)
• costs or overheads such as rent, and utilities apportioned to those staff directly or indirectly employed on the project. For equipment over £500, the contribution offered will be at the evaluation panel’s discretionproject. 
• costs incurred outside of the project delivery window
• costs involved in preparing your application or work on another grant scheme
• retrospective funding for work that has already been started/carried out before grant agreement
• capital items relating to seed processing or storage
• business as usual seed collection

Find out ifmore youabout areseed sourcing 

In 2022 the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) ran an online event about ‘Seed Sourcing for Trees of the Future’. The sessions contained a range of guidance and advice that may be helpful when preparing your SSG application. You can watch the sessions by following the links below: 

• session 1: Welcome and overview of seed sourcing in England 
• session 2: An introduction to Forest Reproductive Material (including how to register basic material on the FRM system) 
• session 3: Scientific considerations in seed sourcing (including the importance of genetic diversity) 
• session 4: Commercial seed collecting and the needs of seed collectors 
• session 5: Approaches to developing and managing seed sources 
• session 6: Landowner and manager perspectives

Am I eligible

The SSG is open to any UK-based public, private, or third sector organisation that can demonstrate how the grant will be used to enhance the quality, quantity, and diversity of English seed stands and seed orchards. Individual private landowners may also apply for eligible activities on their own land. Joint applications are also acceptable, and any partners should be listed in the application form.

Previous applicants to the SSG,SSG, whether successful or unsuccessful, are able to reapply in this round.

Applicants The following groups are identified as potential applicants to the SSG:SSG could include:

• public and private sector tree nurseries and tree seed suppliers
• research institutes including public sector research establishments
• landowners including private and public landowners and NGOsNGOs, agents may make an application on behalf of a landowner
• NGO’s working on tree improvement and other aspects of seed and tree production

Forestry England (FE) and Forest Research (FR) are not eligible for grant funding under the SSG butSSG but may be subcontracted on behalf of eligible organisations to complete SSG related work.

How

Consortium doapplications

You Iare apply?welcome to apply for the SSG in partnership with other organisations. In your application you should identify which organisation will be lead organisation.

ApplicationsIf your application is successful, the lead organisation will become the sole agreement holder and will be the sole recipient of grant funding upon receipt of valid claims. They will be responsible for the secondundertakings roundand obligations detailed in any grant agreement, in line with Terms and Conditions of SSGfunding. haveThe nowcontractual closed.arrangements held between the lead organisation and their collaborators are not the responsibility of the Forestry Commission. The SSGlead organisation will reopenhave forsole aresponsibility thirdfor roundonward disbursal of applicationsgrant soon.funding to co-applicants, for example.

How do I apply?

ThisTo isapply to the SSG, you must submit a competitivecompleted grantApplication Form and soFinance itSpreadsheet isto possiblessg@forestrycommission.gov.uk thatby not11.55pm allon eligibleTuesday applications13 willFebruary be2024. funded. A single stage application process will be followed.

Applications mustThis beis writtena incompetitive English,grant usingand theso formsit availableis atpossible thethat Seednot Sourcingall Granteligible Applicationapplications Formwill Page (withoutbe alterationsfunded.

In the application form you will be asked to provide details about:

• the project and how it fits within the scope of the fund to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of tree seed available for planting in England
• the activities to be funded
• the species covered by the proposal
• the longevity of the impacts resulting from the proposed activities
• who is in the project team and what their roles are
• howyour theapproach projectto willdelivering run and be managed effectively
• the mainproject risks for the project, and howany thesedelivery will be mitigatedrisks
• the impact that an injection of public funding would have on the project
• the cost of the project and how it represents value for money for the project team and for the taxpayer
• the expectedsource outputs of theyour project

Allmatch costsfunding andif financialapplying detailsfor shoulda benon-priority inspecies 

whether £you Sterling.have Ifreceived, youhave areapplied VATfor, registered,or allintend coststo shouldapply befor exclusiveany ofother anygovernment VATfunds

In thatyour canFinance beSpreadsheet, recoveredyou fromshould HMRC.itemise Applicantsproject mustcosts detailand thefunding sourceapplied offor. theirWhere matchpossible, fundingplease andbase clearlycosts outlineon thequotes. activities,All milestonescosts and outputsfinancial thatdetails willshould be deliveredin by£ MarchSterling 2025.and Theshould Forestrybe Commissionexclusive doof notany haverecoverable the ability to transfer funding beyond March 2025.Please carefully consider this when submitting your application,, taking into account factors such as delivery time.VAT.

All questionssections inof the application form are mandatory and you must submitcomplete athe Financeforms Spreadsheetin asEnglish. partPlease do not make any alterations to the layout or format of yourthe application.forms. If any part of your application is incomplete, yourwe application will bereturn returnedyour application to you within three3 working days for you to revise and resubmit before the deadline should you wish. If any part of your application is unclear, thewe Forestry Commission may contact you – at any time prior to informing you of a funding decision – to request further information. If you wish to amend your application before the published deadline or withdraw your application at any time, please email ssg@forestrycommission.gov.uk.

If you consider the information contained within your application to be commercially sensitive, you must notify theus Forestry Commission of this when submitting your application.

Consortium applications are welcomed. A lead partner should be identified in the application. The lead applicant will become the sole agreement holder with the Forestry Commission; they will be responsible for the undertakings and obligations detailed in any grant agreement, in line with Terms and Conditions of Funding. If your application is successful, the lead applicant will become the sole agreement holder and will be the sole recipient of grant funding upon receipt of valid claims. The contractual arrangements held between the lead applicant and their co-applicants are not the responsibility of the Forestry Commission and the lead applicant will have sole responsibility for onward disbursal of grant funding to co-applicants, for example.

The Forestry Commission reserves the right to change the deadline for applications or make changes to the Invitation to Apply and the application process at short notice. The Forestry Commission reserves the right to amend, add to or withdraw all or any part of the funding application process at any time during the process. All changes are recorded at the bottom of this page (click ‘show all updates’) and where these are made following the opening date the lead applicant for all applications already received will be contacted directly by email. Material changes (for example to the closing date or eligibility rules) will also be communicated via the Forestry Commission’s Grants and Regulations eAlert.

If you wish to clarify any application requirements or the application process, please email ssg@forestrycommission.gov.uk. We will aim to respond to all requests for clarification within three working days of receipt. If we consider information requests relevant to any applicant, we will provide additional guidance to all applicants (via point of contact provided) by email to ensure a fair and open process. We may be unable to respond to other support requests due to the competitive bid process. The Forestry Commission reserves the right not to answer clarifications where it considers that the answer to that clarification would or would be likely to prejudice commercial interests.

Applicants who canvass Forestry Commission or Defra employees associated with the SSG may have their applications rejected from the process.

Applicants who are unable to accept standard terms and conditions may have their application eliminated from the application proces

How will applications be assessed?

All applications will be evaluated by a panel with expertise and experience of tree and seed production in EnglandEngland. andIf the grant is oversubscribed, funding will be awarded to the highest scoring successful applicants. Any applications deemed to fall outside the scope of the fund willor notthat bedo evaluated.not Yourmeet applicationthe willSSG beeligibility rejectedcriteria ifwill yournot projectbe isevaluated ineligibleand forwill fundingbe (seerejected. ‘IsIf my project eligible?’ above) or if your application scores 0 infor response to any questionof in the applicationscored formquestions whenor reviewedscores byless thethan panel.20/40 A minimum overall scoreit ofwill 20/40 is required to be eligible for SSG grant funding.unsuccessful.

ProjectsWe mustwill notaim beginto beforenotify theapplicants start date of anythe grantoutcome agreementof offeredtheir application by the22 ForestryMarch Commission.2024.

The Forestry Commission reserves the right to not award all the funding available if insufficient bids of an appropriate quality are received. Thereceived. All Forestry Commission will regard all eligible applications aswill remainingremain valid for 6 months after the initial closing date. If the funds are oversubscribed and additional funds become available, validwe applications may bereconsider reconsideredvalid applications for funding.

The

Reporting Forestryand Commissionpayments

If mayyour carryapplication outis checkssuccessful, onyou eachwill applicationbe usingissued with a varietygrant ofagreement. governmentYou toolsmust includingnot thebegin Cabinetyour Office’sproject automatedbefore grantsthe duestart diligencedate toolof calledyour ‘Spotlight’grant andagreement Bankor Accountbefore Verificationyou software.have Assigned partyour agreement. Expenditure outside of the duefunding diligenceperiod process,will thenot Forestrybe Commissioneligible mayto shareclaim detailsback. 

You ofmay claim at the organisationsend involvedof inthe applicationsfinancial toyear thisand grantat withtwo other partstimes of government.

Reportingyour andchoosing payments

Paymentsin willthe befinancial madeyear. inYou arrearsmust byhave BACSreceived transferan followingitem receiptor completed a piece of claimwork forms.before Inyou anycan givenclaim financialfor year,it. successfulThe applicantsdeadline for final claims will be able27 toMarch submit2025.

We will pay claims atin thearrears endby ofBACS thetransfer financialfollowing year,receipt andof oncompleted oneclaim otherforms. datePayment of theirthe choosing.claim Claimswill can only be made forwithin work30 thatdays hasof beenthe completedus orapproving itemsyour thatclaim. haveAll beenclaims delivered and must be supported by evidence of all expenditure (i.e., invoices/ timesheets). Where not accompanied by a final or end of year report, a progress update must be provided to demonstrate that works have been carried out as per the grant agreement. End of year claims and reports will be due by 27 March 2025.

SuccessfulYou projects must notsubmit beginan beforeend the start date of anyproject grant agreement offered by the Forestry Commission – expenditure made outside of the funding period stated in the grant agreement will not be eligible to claim back.

Successful applicants will be required to complete a report atwith theyour endfinal ofclaim. eachThis financialshould yeardetail and at the end of the project, detailing achievement against stated outcome and outputs, lessons learnt,learnt a complete cost breakdown outlining how the grant funding has been spent and any need for further development. A Report templates will be provided to successful applicants. Payments may be withheld or reclaimed if reports are not submitted on time.

Where applicants are failing to deliver against agreed outputs and objectives, or it becomes clear that avenues of work are no longer worth pursuing, multi-year agreements may be terminated at the discretion of the Forestry Commission.

Intellectual Property Rights and rights to genetic resources

Intellectual property and rights to genetic resources shall remain with grant recipients. Grant recipients should have appropriate Material Supply Agreements in place with the landowners and other interested parties involved in sourcing and final planting locations of material to cover ownership of the resulting genetic resources and intellectual property rights.

Long term use of the Seed Stands and Seed Orchards

As stated in the eligibility criteria, all Seed Stands and Orchards resulting from the SSG funding must be registered on the National Register of Basic Material and will therefore be subject to the usual FRM inspections (see Marketing forest reproductive material for forestry purposes for more detail). Should these inspections show that the Seed Stand or Orchard is not being properly maintained during the period of grant award, the Forestry Commission reserves the right to claw back funds.

Further information

ApplicantsThe mustForestry declareCommission ifreserves theythe haveright received,to havechange appliedthe for,deadline for applications or intendmake changes to applythe forapplication anyprocess otherat governmentshort funds.notice. The Forestry Commission willreserves carrythe outright checksto onamend, eachadd applicationto usingor awithdraw varietyall or any part of governmentthe toolsfunding includingapplication process at any time during the Cabinetprocess. Office’sAll automatedchanges grantsare duerecorded diligenceat tool.

Thethe Forestrybottom Commissionof isthis notpage responsible(click for‘show anyall losses,updates’) breakagesand orwhere injuriesthese incurredare bymade following the opening date the lead applicant whilstfor engagedall inapplications activitiesalready associatedreceived withwill thebe SSG.

Neithercontacted directly by email. Material changes (for example to the Forestryclosing Commissiondate noror itseligibility respectiverules) advisers,will directors,also officers,be members,communicated partners,via employees,the otherForestry staff,Commission’s orGrants agents:and Regulations eAlert.  

1. Makes

   If you wish to clarify any representationapplication requirements or warrantythe (expressapplication orprocess, implied)please asemail ssg@forestrycommission.gov.uk. We will aim to therespond accuracy,to reasonableness,all orrequests completenessfor ofclarification thiswithin guidance;three or

2. Acceptsworking anydays responsibilityof forreceipt. theIf we consider information containedrequests relevant to any inapplicant, thiswe guidancewill orprovide foradditional theguidance fairness,to accuracyall orapplicants completeness(via point of thatcontact informationprovided) norby shallemail anyto ofensure thema fair and open process. We may be liableunable forto anyrespond lossto other orsupport damagerequests (otherdue thanto inthe respectcompetitive ofbid fraudulentprocess. misrepresentation)The arisingForestry asCommission areserves resultthe ofright reliancenot onto suchanswer informationclarifications orwhere anyit subsequentconsiders communication.

Findthat outthe moreanswer aboutto seedthat sourcing

clarification would or would be likely to prejudice commercial interests. 

InApplicants 2022who canvass Forestry Commission or Defra employees associated with the InstituteSSG ofmay Charteredhave Foresterstheir (ICF)applications ranrejected anfrom onlinethe eventprocess. Applicants aboutwho ‘Seedare Sourcingunable forto Treesaccept ofstandard terms and conditions may have their application eliminated from the Future’.application process. 

The sessionsForestry containedCommission may carry out checks on each application using a rangevariety of guidancegovernment andtools adviceincluding thatthe mayCabinet beOffice’s helpfulautomated whengrants preparingdue yourdiligence SSGtool application.called You‘Spotlight’ canand watchBank Account Verification software. As part of the sessionsdue bydiligence followingprocess, the linksForestry below:Commission may share details of the organisations involved in applications to this grant with other parts of government.

• session

  The 1:Forestry WelcomeCommission andis overviewnot ofresponsible seedfor sourcingany inlosses, England

• sessionbreakages 2:or Aninjuries introductionincurred toby Forestthe Reproductiveapplicant Materialwhilst (includingengaged howin toactivities registerassociated basicwith materialthe onSSG.

  Neither the FRMForestry system)

Commission nor its respective advisers, directors, officers, members, partners, employees, other staff, or agents:
• sessionmakes 3:any Scientificrepresentation considerationsor inwarranty seed(express sourcingor (includingimplied) as to the importanceaccuracy, reasonableness, or completeness of geneticthis diversity)guidance
• sessionaccepts 4:any Commercialresponsibility seedfor collectingthe andinformation contained in this guidance or for the needsfairness, accuracy or completeness of seedthat collectors
• sessioninformation 5:nor Approachesshall toany developingof andthem managingbe seedliable sources
• sessionfor 6:any Landownerloss andor managerdamage perspectives(other than in respect of fraudulent misrepresentation) arising as a result of reliance on such information or any subsequent communication

Enquiries

You can get further help from the Forestry Commission by emailing your enquiry to ssg@forestrycommission.gov.uk. Find out how to make a complaint or appeal.