Project Seagrass
What it does
Project Seagrass is committed to saving the worlds seagrass. Project Seagrass works towards the conservation of seagrass ecosystems through community, research, and action, both in the UK and globally.
Its charitable purposes
THE OBJECTS OF THE CIO ARE TO ADVANCE THE CONSERVATION OF SEAGRASS ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH EDUCATION, INFLUENCE, RESEARCH AND ACTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WIDER PUBLIC BOTH NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE.
Causes
- What it works on
- General charitable purposes
- Education and training
- Arts, culture, heritage and science
- Environment, conservation and heritage
- Economic and community development, and employment
- Who it helps
- Other charities and voluntary bodies
- The general public
- How it works
- Makes grants to organisations
- Provides services
- Provides advocacy, advice or information
- Sponsors or carries out research
- Other charitable activities
Where it works
- Elsewhere
- Throughout England and Wales
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Scotland
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Australia
- United States
- France
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
Income and spending
In the year ending 31 March 2025, it had income of £1,825,775 and spent £1,360,208.
| Year ending | Income | Spending | Paid staff | Volunteers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £1,825,775 | £1,360,208 | 22 | 837 |
| 31 March 2024 | £1,290,305 | £1,270,587 | 20 | 1,200 |
| 31 March 2023 | £932,638 | £866,237 | 17 | 155 |
| 31 March 2022 | £826,826 | £371,989 | 8 | 70 |
| 31 March 2021 | £365,622 | £174,484 | Not reported | 5 |
Financial position
Separate measures from the charity's own returns and accounts, each with its year. Read them together: no single measure says how well a charity is run.
- Income over time
- Up 399%, from £365,622 in the year to 31 March 2021 to £1,825,775 in the year to 31 March 2025.
- Spending against income
- It spent 75% of its income in the year to 31 March 2025. It spent less than its income in each of the 5 years shown.
- Money from government
- 4% of its income in the year to 31 March 2022 came from government grants and contracts (£33,280).
- Largest funder
- Climate Impact Partners gave £453,588 in the year to 31 March 2025, 25% of that year's income.
Government funding, as the charity reported it
Government grants in the year ending 31 March 2025: £19,179 from 1 grant. Government contracts: Not reported.
| Year ending | Government grants | Government contracts |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £19,179 from 1 grant | Not reported |
| 31 March 2024 | Not reported | Not reported |
| 31 March 2023 | Not reported | Not reported |
| 31 March 2022 | £33,280 from 2 grants | None |
| 31 March 2021 | £314,051 from 4 grants | Not reported |
Where its income came from in the year ending 31 March 2025
- Donations and legacies£286,944
- Charitable activities, including grants and contracts for its work£1,399,617
- Trading and fundraising£133,448
- Other£5,766
Who funds it, according to its accounts
In its accounts for the year ending 31 March 2025, the charity named 34 funders who gave £1,503,200 between them. £157,249 of that came from public bodies.
These figures were read from the accounts the charity filed with the Charity Commission by Claude, an AI model, in OpenEconomy's accounts reader. AI can misread a table, so check the accounts on the register before relying on a figure.
| Funder | Type | Mar 2025 | Mar 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Impact Partners | Trust, company or other | £453,588 | |
| WWF | Trust, company or other | £387,816 | £227,008 |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | National Lottery | £88,070 | |
| Solent Seascape Project | Trust, company or other | £87,069 | |
| Bonefish & Tarpon Trust | Trust, company or other | £63,814 | |
| Ocean Infinity | Trust, company or other | £55,000 | |
| Ozone | Trust, company or other | £50,000 | |
| Bridgend County Borough Council | Council | £50,000 | |
| Rebel Restoration SW | Trust, company or other | £30,043 | |
| Tandem Ventures | Trust, company or other | £27,832 | |
| Waterloo Foundation | Trust, company or other | £27,000 | |
| Synchronicity Earth | Trust, company or other | £25,000 | |
| Dinswade Trust | Trust, company or other | £25,000 | |
| Welsh Government | Welsh Government | £19,179 | |
| Highland Park | Trust, company or other | £15,000 | |
| Purina Consult | Trust, company or other | £13,750 | |
| Whitehead Ross Education | Trust, company or other | £11,793 | |
| Sealife | Trust, company or other | £10,000 | |
| Hartswood Trust | Trust, company or other | £10,000 | |
| Salix | Trust, company or other | £8,879 | |
| ERM | Trust, company or other | £7,879 | |
| Natural England | Trust, company or other | £7,500 | |
| The Botanist Foundation | Trust, company or other | £7,500 | |
| Seacology | Trust, company or other | £6,638 | |
| Rebel Restoration | Trust, company or other | £5,574 | |
| Seagrass Restorations | Trust, company or other | £3,172 | |
| Rebel Restoration NW | Trust, company or other | £2,000 | |
| Florida International University | Trust, company or other | £1,254 | |
| Furthr Earth | Trust, company or other | £1,020 | |
| The Sea Ranger Service | Trust, company or other | £844 | |
| Dale AMS | Trust, company or other | £544 | |
| Art for Our Sea | Trust, company or other | £442 | |
| Affinity Water | Trust, company or other | £144,055 |
Grants awarded to it, published on 360Giving
Funders that publish to 360Giving list 6 grants to this charity since 2016, worth at least £366,109.
By funder
- Esmée Fairbairn Foundation£300,000, 1 grant
- The National Lottery Community Fund£46,109, 4 grants
- SHAREGIFT£20,000, 1 grant
| Awarded | Grant | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul 2026 | The National Lottery Community Fund | £19,622 |
| 15 Jul 2026 | The National Lottery Community Fund | £11,865 |
| 15 Jul 2026 | The National Lottery Community Fund | £9,622 |
| 4 Feb 2026 | Esmée Fairbairn Foundation | £300,000 |
| 29 Apr 2025 | SHAREGIFT | £20,000 |
| 28 Mar 2016 | The National Lottery Community Fund | £5,000 |
Payments from public bodies, from their spending data
Public bodies' published spending shows 2 payments to this charity worth £57,767 between 17 November 2021 and 24 April 2026.
| Public body | Paid | Payments | Financial years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welsh Government | £57,767 | 2 | 2021/22, 2026/27 |
In the Senedd and Welsh Government
Senedd and Welsh Government records that name this charity, gathered by OpenSenedd. Newest first.
12 August 2026
Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: CMRRS
Purpose: Project Seagrass.
Project Seagrass
4 March 2026
Named by Joel James in the Senedd
…lie quietly beneath the waves. As the Welsh Parliament's seagrass champion, I'm proud to be working alongside fantastic organisations such as Project Seagrass, the Marine Conservation Society, Seagrass Network Cymru, Wales Environment Link, and WWF Cymru to advocate for its protection and restoratio…
29 July 2025
Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: DFM Cabsec CCRA
Purpose: WWF and Project Seagrass.
WWF and Project Seagrass
10 January 2025
Named in a written question from Paul Davies
Addressed to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.
Will the Cabinet Secretary provide further details on the project seagrass pilot in Pembrokeshire, further to the written statement made on 10 January 2025? The latest report is available here.
5 December 2024
Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: DFM Cabsec CCRA
Purpose: Project Seagrass.
Project Seagrass
24 September 2024
Named in a written question from Janet Finch-Saunders
Addressed to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.
What consideration has the Welsh Government given to directly funding Project Seagrass and saltmarsh projects, rather than making them compete for funding? Since 2021, Welsh Government has provided £298,000 of funding to Project Seagrass through the Nature Networks Programme and the Coastal Capacity…
24 September 2024
Named in a written question from Janet Finch-Saunders
Addressed to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.
Why have projects such as Project Seagrass not been allocated a specific budget, considering that they are part of the Welsh Government's programme for government? Since 2021, Welsh Government has provided £298,000 of funding to Project Seagrass through the Nature Networks Programme and the Coastal…
18 September 2024
Named by Dr Richard Unsworth in the Senedd
…for Wales has put together a proposal for an action plan for seagrass for Wales. That's a consortium of all sorts of different partners from Project Seagrass—Swansea University, Bangor University are part of that, the Port of Milford Haven are part of it, and WWF. There's a whole range of organisat…
18 September 2024
Named by Dr Richard Unsworth in the Senedd
…scale. And from a marine environment perspective, that is absolutely critical. Recent analysis that we've done within Swansea University and Project Seagrass shows that all of the highest recorded nitrate levels ever in the Cleddau tributaries into Milford Haven waterway, the highest levels ever re…
31 July 2024
Named in a written question from Janet Finch-Saunders
Addressed to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.
…species, recognising their national and global value including their blue carbon potential. Welsh Government has recently awarded funding to Project Seagrass through the Nature Networks Fund. This is an important step towards expanding seagrass restoration in Wales. Together with the other UK gover…
11 June 2024
Named by Huw Irranca-Davies in the Senedd
…are currently working on this to see what barriers they do have going forward. But I am pleased that we've been able to award the funding to Project Seagrass through the nature networks fund. It is an important step towards our seagrass restoration in Wales, and I'm looking forward to seeing how th…
11 June 2024
Named by Joel James in the Senedd
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement today. I'm delighted that you have mentioned Project Seagrass because, as many Members might know, I'm the Senedd seagrass champion, and I'm very keen to make sure that the Welsh Government doesn't forget its commitment to seagrass restoration. As the…
11 June 2024
Named by Huw Irranca-Davies in the Senedd
…w we can do more to encourage marine nature projects that bring huge benefits to people and nature. Just look at the work that's been done by Project Seagrass, funded through the coastal capacity building fund. Their work engages the local community, it upskills young people, and it engages with thr…
7 May 2024
Named by Janet Finch-Saunders in the Senedd
…s that is really worrying our farmers, yet a square metre of seagrass captures triple the amount of the equivalent from a rainforest. We have Project Seagrass in Wales, but we should be investing more in making such projects bigger. Progress could also be made in the marine area by doing more in rel…
27 February 2024
Named by Joel James in the Senedd
…ty and storing carbon. Trefnydd, Wales has some of the world's leading seagrass scientists, and through the work of organisations such as the Project Seagrass and WWF Cymru, there are large numbers of dedicated volunteers who are prepared to help in collecting and planting seagrasses. However, I fee…
25 October 2023
Named by Julie James in the Senedd
…th the climate and the nature emergency here in Wales. I recently had the real pleasure of visiting the seagrass meadow at Porthdinllaen with Project Seagrass, to see and assist in the collection of seagrass seeds. I met the most delightful set of young people there, who were collecting the seeds—1…
25 October 2023
Named by Janet Finch-Saunders in the Senedd
…te in here for Frankie Hobro of the Anglesey Sea Zoo, who works really hard on this seagrass restoration on a voluntary basis. So, currently, Project Seagrass chair the group, but they need increased and continued funding to keep this momentum going. So, will you commit? I know that finances are tig…
8 June 2023
Named by Dr Richard Unsworth in the Senedd
My name is Richard Unsworth. I'm associate professor at Swansea University and also chief scientific officer at Project Seagrass, and my background is marine ecology and restoration.
7 June 2023
Named by Joyce Watson in the Senedd
…attract less interest and therefore political energy, which is why projects like the pioneering Welsh seagrass nursery in Pendine are vital. Project Seagrass's restoration project at Porthdinllaen on the Llŷn peninsula is already a big success story. Developing a large nursery is the next step to ac…
7 June 2023
Named by Janet Finch-Saunders in the Senedd
…riple the amount of the equivalent from a rainforest, and 10 times the amount from grassland. So, clearly, we need to build on the success of project seagrass. It is considered that salt marshes in estuaries with high suspended sediment loads in the water column, such as the Severn estuary, would ac…
7 June 2023
Named by Gareth Davies in the Senedd
…, because I've run out of time. So, just to sum up, though, briefly: let's develop that national blue carbon recovery plan and work to expand Project Seagrass, bringing the benefits to all parts of Wales and especially the Vale of Clwyd. Thank you. Iawn. Rwyf am ei gadael yn y fan honno am fod fy am…
9 December 2021
Named by Janet Finch-Saunders in the Senedd
Richard, as part of my work to mark the Great Big Green Week, you'll be pleased to know that I rightly praised the work of Project Seagrass. Elsewhere, in my own constituency, I have been undertaking discussions with Professor Chris Baines, who has rightly outlined that if windfarms can become sanct…
9 December 2021
Named by Llyr Gruffydd in the Senedd
…ales with the Marine Conservation Society; and Dr Richard Unsworth, associate professor in marine biology, Swansea University and director of Project Seagrass. I welcome all of you. We'll go straight into questions, and we'll start with Janet Finch-Saunders. Janet. Croeso nôl i gyfarfod y Pwyllgor N…
9 December 2021
Named by Dr Richard Unsworth in the Senedd
…ne seagrass meadow may not actually be the same as the next, so we are working with Governments to bring those opportunities together. Within Project Seagrass, we were actually also fortunate to link up with NRW and bring in some fantastic capital expenditure into our project, which has helped lever…
Trustees
6 trustees run the charity.
- Rosslyn BarrChair
- David King
- Dr Sarah Pilgrim-Morrison
- Laura Audrey Evans
- Michael David Furness
- Robert Christian Raimes
Filing record
Of the last 5 annual returns that were due, 4 arrived by the deadline.
| Year ending | Due | Annual return | Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | 31 January 2026 | Received 18 December 2025, 44 days early | Received 18 December 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | 31 January 2025 | Received 12 December 2024, 50 days early | Received 12 December 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | 31 January 2024 | Received 21 December 2023, 41 days early | Received 21 December 2023 |
| 31 March 2022 | 31 January 2023 | Received 30 January 2023, 1 day early | Received 30 January 2023 |
| 31 March 2021 | 31 January 2022 | Received 4 April 2022, 63 days late | Received 4 April 2022 |
About this charity
- Charity number
- 1162824
- Status
- Registered
- Registered with the Commission
- 24 July 2015
- Governing document
- CIO - Association Registered 24 Jul 2015 as amended on 05 Dec 2024
- Website
- www.projectseagrass.org
- Council area of its contact address
- Bridgend
Sources
- Register details, income, spending, trustees and filing dates: Charity Commission for England and Wales, register of charities. Loaded by OpenEconomy on 2 November 2026.
- Funding from accounts: the charity's filed accounts, read by OpenEconomy's AI accounts reader on 1 November 2026.
- Grants awarded: 360Giving open grants data, from funders that publish there. Loaded by OpenEconomy on 2 November 2026.
- Payments from public bodies: each body's own published spending data, matched to the charity by OpenEconomy. 5 public bodies' data is included so far.
- In the Senedd and Welsh Government: records gathered by OpenSenedd and matched to the charity by OpenEconomy on 5 November 2026.