Frequently asked questions

The Open Rivers Programme supports projects within Greater Europe. For a list of those countries, please review our Information Guide.

We encourage diverse partnerships in projects and a state organisation could partner with an NGO, assuming it has water management responsibilities and expertise. In this case, we would expect the NGO to be the coordinating partner and take the lead in the project. State authorities would be expected to offer in-kind support or substantial co-funding.

As of July 2023, a public entity applying as a lead partner for a Category A3 “Dam removal” grant must provide at least 50% of project costs, and the programme will contribute up to 50% of project costs. Detailed information can be found in the Information Guide.

Public entities must demonstrate that the staff managing the grant have the relevant river restoration and dam removal experience to necessarily implement the project. Agency experience alone is not enough. The intention of this change is for the programme to support the removal of small dams where it might not otherwise be possible to do so due to a lack of dam removal experience in the NGO community or lack of funding. Therefore, applicants must demonstrate a commitment to partnership, involving NGOs and stakeholders in implementing a selected project. Applicants must also describe the availability of public funding for river restoration and dam removal in the implementing country and demonstrate the need for resources provided by the Open Rivers Programme.

Whilst it is not a mandatory requirement, we strongly welcome co-funding, and your application will be positively reviewed if co-funding is in place. We also strongly welcome applications seeking dam removal funding in locations where other projects are providing complementary work, with wider ecological benefits. You may also wish to source co-funding for activities in your project that are not supported by the Open Rivers Programme, e.g. post-dam removal restoration.

There are no matching funding requirements. However, projects that have sourced funding from other sources to support the dam removal process or for wider restoration measures in the catchment will be viewed favourably.

This is not possible. Any use of funds from Open Rivers Programme must be approved by and directly related to projects that the programme has itself chosen to support.

A grant is usually disbursed in three portions: the first part upon contract signature, the second following approval of an interim progress report, and the last following approval of a final report and successful completion of the project.

No. All project expenditures and implementation timescales must be in the future and after a grant has been awarded. Applicants cannot budget for activities that have been started or executed prior to the grant award.

Yes, owner and community engagement can be an important part of the dam removal process and is an eligible activity/cost under catchment development, preparatory, and dam removal grants. As a part of the application process, we ask that applicants provide a budget and schedule of activities. In this, you may list activities associated with involving the local community and public so long as it relates to the proposed project and is an essential requirement to enable the removal of the dam.

However, the primary objective of the project needs to be barrier removal. The work associated with it should be structured around getting permission and promoting the removal of the barriers that are part of that project.

We provide a template online that can be used to prepare your budget. Whilst every project is different, typically, it will include staff and subcontractor costs and if necessary for its successful completion, travel, communications, or other miscellaneous costs.

Given that our projects are short, we do not support the purchase of equipment or protective clothing that we expect you to hold already e.g. laptops, phones, software, cameras, waders. We expect all projects to offer value for money in terms of the cost of delivery against the expected ecological impact. We will carefully review your budget against the planned activities and outcomes to ensure that the budget is appropriate.

Please also refer to our Information Guide for further information. If you are unsure about whether a particular cost is eligible, please contact us before submitting your application. 

Simple baseline and post-project monitoring are eligible activities, although applicants should consider that activities must be completed within the expected duration of the grant (i.e. one year). A more extensive monitoring programme is being explored and developed by the programme to better understand and communicate dam removal impacts.

ORP funding is designed to support activities up to the removal of a barrier, so we would not normally support post-dam removal restoration work. The exception is if the restoration is seen as an essential part of the removal process, for example, bank stabilisation. 

Yes, a barrier that is partially damaged or collapsed is still eligible for funding if it continues to prevent a river from flowing freely. You should submit clear photos of the damage or collapsed section with your application.

Public liability insurance covers the cost of claims made by members of the public for incidents that occur in connection with your business activities, for example, personal injuries or loss of or property damage. As most projects (even identification) will have some kind of field component, we expect project implementers to be suitably insured. We would expect that most European NGOs will have public liability insurance already. We ask for all project implementers to hold public liability insurance. Full liability is with the implementing organisation and not the Open Rivers Programme. Therefore, project implementers should carefully assess the risks associated with their project and ensure that appropriate insurance is in place.

All applicants must send us accounts for the past three financial years. We wish that organisations have a steady income and can handle funds to the size of the grant you are applying for. We also wish that organisations do not rely on just one funder and have several different income streams. If you are looking to apply for a project and you are a new or recently formed NGO, we would like to discuss your suitability before receiving your application.

We do not have a maximum permissible value for most grants, although we apply a maximum cap of €100,000 for barrier identification and prioritisation projects. We expect all projects to demonstrate value for money and will assess this during our review of applications. We will look carefully at your activities and the local context and assess the potential ecological impact of your project against the cost. 

We expect all barrier removal projects to be viable and deliverable within a year. This means that we are less likely to support projects that have strong local opposition which could delay a project being implemented. Community engagement and support is an important part of the identification and prioritisation process so that barrier removals can be identified that have the general support of local communities / do not have strong local resistance.

It is unlikely that we would support organisations based outside the country of implementation unless there are exceptional reasons to do so, for example, there are no suitable organisations able to deliver the project in the country of implementation. If you wish to apply for funding and you are not based in the implementing country, please contact us to explain your case before you apply.

No, these grants are restricted to countries that offer very high potential for the restoration of river flow and biodiversity (ecologically valuable areas) and where there is currently low capacity, resources, and attention to dam removal. This means that these grants are not available in countries with a history of dam removal and/or with more advanced inventories and support for dam removal such as Spain. A full list of eligible countries can be found in our Information Guide for applicants.

We will accept multiple project applications from the same coordinating organisation. Applicants should use one application for multiple barriers within the same catchment as long as the project sites are at the same phase of work. If your projects are in several different catchments, you should submit a separate application for each catchment. 

Yes, the same organisation can be a lead partner in one project and a supporting partner in another. 

There is no limit to the number of barrier removal (A2, A3 and A4) grants that you can apply for, although if you apply for more than one grant, we will assess the capacity of your organisation to receive multiple grants from ORP and deliver multiple projects. You can only have one live A1 grant unless your previous project(s) have been awarded a follow-on dam removal grant (A2 pre-demolition, or A4 dam removal)

It would be unusual for projects to combine grant categories within the same application as the budget and activities for the next phase are normally dependent on the outcomes from the previous phase.

We do make an exception which enables you to carry out some preparatory work within a dam removal grant. This only applies if a) it would speed up the removal of the dam b) the preparatory phase is brief c) the cost of dam removal is already known and d) the tasks from the preparatory work are known not to influence the removal of the barrier. For example, securing a permit is guaranteed but an application must still be submitted. Please note that we offer three calls for applications each year so there are plenty of opportunities to apply for follow on funding as your existing project draws to an end.

Category A1 grants are specifically designed for projects encompassing an entire catchment or a substantial portion, with the primary objective of identifying, assessing, and prioritising instream barriers for potential removal. A crucial deliverable for these grants is the development of a comprehensive barrier inventory, including pertinent details such as location, dimensions, and visual documentation. 

Category A2 grants are tailored to initiatives focused on removing specific barriers already identified. Examples of known barriers may include those recognised through a Category A1 grant, prior assessments or existing data. These projects may involve preliminary activities before demolition, such as conducting feasibility studies, preparing technical design documents, and obtaining the necessary permissions and permits. 

Pre-demolition work involves activities that are required before dam removal can begin. Some examples of preparatory work include feasibility studies, preparation of technical design documents, and securing permissions and permits.

An A3 dam removal grant is for new projects that are ready for demolition and where the programme has not supported previous preparatory phases. An A4 dam removal grant supports demolition projects where the programme previously supported preparatory work for the dam.

If a dam is not yet ready for removal, an applicant is encouraged to apply for an A2 pre-demolition work grant first. After the applicant successfully finishes an A2 project (or has completed most of the necessary work), they can apply for dam removal funding under the A4 grant category for that same barrier.

We only support the removal of longitudinal barriers to river flow.

The expected grant duration is up to 12 months, give or take several months to capture the required field season, if appropriate. Depending on the project’s complexity, dam removal timelines can vary widely from inception to demolition. One year is intended to cover one phase of work (e.g. preparatory work or demolition) as determined by the applicant. The applicant should develop a clear project schedule with milestones and deliverables. For projects that require preparatory work before demolition can take place, the applicant is eligible to apply to the programme in successive grant cycles for the same project site i.e. first for preparatory work and then later for demolition.

Projects are selected based on the ease with which they can result in dam removal over short timescales, and projects that take longer than 12 months to implement will be seen as less attractive to the programme at the time of application. Once live, all projects must be delivered within 12 months of the grant award, and we are unlikely to agree to postpone the start or end date of a project unless there is an exceptional reason, e.g. severe weather delayed demolition or permit approval took longer than expected.

The term ‘dam’ is used by the programme to refer to any man-made barrier that has been constructed transversely across a river to alter its flow and thus the transport of sediments or the movement of organisms. Examples include dams, weirs, culverts, fords, and sluices. The programme generally refers to a small dam as one between 1-3 metres in height.

Please review our Information Guide for more information on what the programme considers ecologically significant.

When applying for an A2 (pre-demolition), A3 and A4 (demolition), or B (enabling others to remove dams) grant, applicants must define the upstream and downstream length of the proposed barrier(s). The key measurements to include are:

• Distance to the next downstream barrier (in km)

Note: If there are no further barriers downstream, estimate the distance (in km) from the proposed barrier to the sea or a lake.

• Distance to the next downstream barrier plus tributaries (in km)

This includes the distance along the main river plus the length of any tributaries downstream of the proposed barrier that will become accessible to fish. If there are no tributaries, this distance is the same as the previous one.

• Distance to the next upstream barrier (in km)

Note: If the project site is the last barrier upstream on the river, estimate the total upstream distance that will become accessible to fish. Consider fishways and natural barriers (e.g., waterfalls) as obstacles.

• Distance to the next upstream barrier plus tributaries (in km)

This includes the distance along the main river plus any tributaries upstream of the proposed barrier that fish will be able to access. If there are no tributaries, this distance is the same as the previous one.

Find here an infographic that schematically shows how to measure these four distances and which river sections should not be included in the total.

It depends on where you are in the stage of the project. The main steps to take to remove a barrier include: 

1. Identification of the most suitable barriers for removal – catchment development 
2. Preparing barriers for removal – this could include sourcing permits, preparing technical designs, carrying out feasibility studies and any other essential work to prepare for demolition.
3. Demolition – full removal of the barrier. 

You can find more detailed information on preparing projects on our website. 

The programme focuses on removing small barriers that will maximise the potential for ecological gain, are achievable in short timeframes, are relatively low risk, stand out as unique and important and demonstrate value for money. Most importantly, the programme would like to support dam removals that open up large stretches of river, impact whole river basins and have a significant ecological impact. Carefully assess your project’s potential to fulfil each of these attributes. If there is the opportunity to remove multiple barriers in a catchment in a single proposal, that is strongly encouraged.

Because the grant timeline is limited to approximately 12 months, it may be necessary to apply for removals in different applications over time. If a single removal is part of a holistic basin plan, please discuss the overall restoration goals in the proposal. If you have questions about how to apply for a project with multiple removals proposed over time, please contact us.

For further information, please read Best practices for selecting barriers within European catchments 

Please see the guidance on our website for  Best practices for selecting barriers within European catchments. In particular, section 5.3 may be of use. Overall, we are seeking projects that have appraised a whole catchment and selected barriers to be removed that will maximise the potential for ecological gain, are achievable in short timeframes, are relatively low risk, stand out as unique and important and demonstrate value for money. 

You will need to submit one application per catchment, so projects that consider two rivers in one catchment can be submitted as part of one application. Ideally, we welcome applications to prepare for and remove multiple dams within a catchment rather than one isolated dam. 

A successful catchment development project will be at a scale that is feasible for the applicant to complete in one year. The programme would like to assess and remove as many barriers as possible, so larger and more ecologically significant catchments are welcome. Ultimately, the scale should be determined by the applicant, judging what is feasible given the specific conditions of the catchment of concern. 

A project is generally considered controversial or risky if the dam in question does not have the support of local permitting agencies and communities and if the dam’s demolition could have adverse effects (for whatever reason) following removal. If you would like to discuss your specific case to assess if the programme would consider it to be feasible, please contact us.

Our target is to support projects that open up at least 10km of river but we accept that some projects that open up less can still be ecologically significant and worth supporting. Your project will be assessed based on many factors which are outlined in our information guide for applicants. If your project will restore less than 10km, you should clearly document why it is ecologically significant and why it should be supported. As a general rule, projects will score highest when the cost per barrier removal is low and the ecological impact is high and lowest when the cost per barrier removal is high and the ecological impact is low.