Evaluation of the Community Pollinator Fund

AMION recently completed an evaluation of the Community Pollinator Fund on behalf of the West of England Combined Authority.

The Community Pollinator Fund was created to fund community-led ecology projects which enhance biodiversity and pollinator habitats across the West of England Combined Authority area. The Fund had a total grant funding pot of £1.27 million and supported projects which met the following objectives:

• to create and enhance the biodiversity in the area, with an emphasis on improving pollinator habitats, to contribute towards the local ambition to double the abundance of wildlife (pollinators) from 2018 levels by 2050; and
• to raise awareness and empower communities to take action to address the ecological emergency.

The fund was open to a wide range of groups including: voluntary and community organisations; town and parish councils; local authorities; and schools.

AMION were commissioned to carry out an evaluation covering issues such as: strategic relevance of the project; continuing rationale; extent to which outputs had been achieved; management and delivery; biodiversity and community impacts; value for money; reasons for success; and identification of strengths and areas for improvement.

The evaluation found that the Community Pollinator Fund had delivered substantial biodiversity benefits along with a range of community benefits such as improved resident health. It had also acted as a catalyst for people in local communities to engage in biodiversity enhancing activities at home.