Zoos and the sustainability message funding

1
Zoos and the sustainability message funding
A round peg in a round hole
2
Contents

• Why European zoos are a perfect fit, and how to
  tell this to the funders
• Case study Twycross Zoo, UK
• Some specific funding opportunities

3
1. Your turn, Cinderella
Why the fit is so perfect the case for zoos
4
A large, socially inclusive audience
..open to new things, but not already converted
5
Synergy and existing expertise
Zoos aquaria already teach about the natural
world
6
Financially stable, administratively robust
7
and thrilling !
8
In contrast to
9

Your message for decision makers?
10
Listen, Stupid
11
PEOPLE
People...
12
want...
13
to see...
14
live...
15
animaals!!!!
16
WANT
17
TO SEE
18
LIVE
19
ANIMALS!!
20
The other themes

• Community
• Jobs
• Inward investment
• Entrepreneurship
• Links with universities
• Vocational advocacy
• Cultural elements

21
a fortuitous funding source
Your nice, neat, finished project
squeezed into ?
22
Get out of the zoo ghetto
23
Become part of the decision making landscape
24
And think laterally about your Okapi exhibit
25
Why should you? Because

• You want the the money!
• Social responsibility
• A better, more creative, one of a kind project
• It is more fun
• You may be left behind if you dont

26
2. Case in point Twycross Zoo project
5 million towards new front entrance
27
Constituent elements

• Entrance and ticketing facilities
• Retail
• Catering
• Offices
• Snow Leopard enclosure
• Wading bird enclosure

28
Project finessed to

• Building itself act as a sustainability icon
• Act in research partnership with universities
• A regional Tourist information centre
• A community centre
• A opportunity to direct young people towards jobs
  and training
• A shared place where different communities can
  see their own cultures reflected in animal and
  natural symbolism

29
Part 3 specific funding opportunities

• LIFE
• AIDCO
• Interreg partnership
• Other funding
• Structural Funds

30
EUs LIFE funding

• Nature Biodiversity potentially up to 75 of
  your costs
• Policy Governance up to 50
• Communication Information up to 50

31
LIFE in general

• 2.143 billion
• 78 for projects
• 50 reserved for nature and biodiversity
• Can buy land under LIFE Nature
• 20 of Nature Biodiversity must be concrete
  activity (always looking for such projects)
• Target of 15 for legitimate trans national
  projects (historically would not have made this
  target)

32
LIFE Policy Governance

• 50 capital funding for an on site zoo project
  that offer a innovative, prototypical solution to
  a prioritised sustainability problem
• Living Rainforest UK drew down 2 million

33
LIFE information and communication

• Communication campaigns and other activities
  relating to EU sustainability and environmental
  policy
• Conferences, sharing of experience

34
large, ambitious communication projects that
bring people in, especially children,
..involve the the public, explaining how they
can make a difference, reflect on their own
behaviour, and feeding back to Brussels to
influence EU policy priority to awareness
raising campaigns environment, nature protection
and biodiversity matters.
35
The Bad News

• Opens now
• Deadline for submission to national authorities
  will be 30/11/07
• From national authorities to Brusselsby end of
  calendar year
• Provisional long list drawn up by 1/05/08
• LIFE Committee sits 31/07/08
• Grant agreements signed between 16/10.08 and
  30/11/08
• Projects start 01/01/09

36
AIDCO

• Sustainability/environmental budget line inside
  EUs external aid
• 80 - typical size 2 4 million
• Unsucessful approach by AIDCO to European
  Association of Parks welcomes interest of Euro
  zoos
• Multi zoo projects in developing world
• Zoo audience important

37
More funding

• Rural Development Funding
• New Neighbourhood Funding
• Science in Society
• Leonardo funding for professional training

38
Structural Funds for zoos in New States within EU
39
Interreg partnership

• Potential benefits
• Capital funding for native species exhibits on
  site
• Staff to develop the project
• Policy change to increase
• by your government in
• funding your zoo

40
In principle partners to date

• The Eden Project, UK
• Fota Wildlife Park, Ireland
• Emmen Zoo, Netherlands
• Further partners sought

41
How to find out more

• Talk to me!
• http\\www. zoofunding.wordpress.com (free
  resources to help you get funds)
• http\\www.whatcouldzoosbe.wordpress.com
• (interactive discussion on the nature and
  potential of zoos)
• Interreg invitation

42
John Regan Associates

• Johnreganassociates.com
• John_at_johnreganassociates.com
• 00 44 (0)161 434 1618