Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) - Aims and Outcomes

The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland Fund (FIRNS) is a collaborative initiative led by the Scottish Government, NatureScot, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It supports the development of environmental projects that attract responsible private investment in Scotland’s natural capital. It aims to address two of the four major barriers to scaling investment in UK nature identified by the Financing Nature Recovery UK initiative:  

  • Limited sources of revenue – Nature is systemically undervalued, and many ecosystem services are public goods, meaning there is no incentive to pay.
  • Limited pipeline and scale – Limited capacity in the supply chain mean that 

The FIRNS programme will aim to:

  • Attract more high-integrity private investment in Scotland’s natural capital.
  • Achieve or enable the aims of Scotland’s Natural Capital Market Framework, including the six Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital:
    • principle 1: investment that delivers integrated land use;
    • principle 2: investment that demonstrates engagement and collaboration;
    • principle 3: investment that delivers public, private and community benefit;
    • principle 4: investment that is ethical and values led;
    • principle 5: investment that is of high environmental integrity;
    • principle 6: investment that supports diverse and productive land ownership
  • Grow the number, scale and diversity of projects that seek to attract private investment in natural capital restoration.
  • Support Scotland's land managers in accessing Natural Capital Markets.
  • Strengthen market demand.

Through FIRNS organisations and partnerships will be able to access up to £240,000. Applications are encouraged from eNGOs, community groups, landowners, farmers and other private sector organisations, individually or in consortia. FIRNS 3 funding will prioritise projects with a credible pathway to establish legal contracts and close deals within the grant timeline. 

Successful projects must explore and demonstrate the means to co-create projects and to share benefits with community interests, contributing to a just transition. 

NatureScot Funding awards are subject to confirmation of the Scottish Government Budget and securing the necessary spending approvals for the 2025/26 financial year.

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