• Protecting Rivers
    for the next generation

Free Rivers Fund

The world’s rivers are under a greater pressure than ever before. With a tsunami of hydro developments proposed across Europe from the Balkans to the Welsh Mountains this threat to our environment is being brought closer to home than ever before.

Across globe dedicated kayaker led activist groups are fighting for free flowing rivers, fighting hydro power that would drain the life from our rivers and the sport we all love.

Activist groups cannot operate on their own, although voluntarily staffed by dedicated individuals they needs funds and support. For advertising, web hosting, logistics and the commissioning of specialist help both legal and scientific. Many existing activists struggle to find the vital funds they need and others struggle to get started in this desperate fight against governments and multinationals.

Free Rivers Fund will partner the paddlesport industry and river community with the activists on the ground. As a registered non-profit organization it will supply grant funding to the NGOs fighting to keep our rivers flowing free. Distributing much needed funding to the actions and campaigns that will have the greatest impact and are in the greatest need. These grants will enable the campaigns, demonstrations and legal battles required to protect our last untouched rivers.

Free Rivers Fund is founded by WET - Wildwasser Erhalten Tirol, Balkan Rivers Tour and Save the Conwy with representatives your company can deal with in Austria, Slovenia and the UK. Please get in touch to discuss the different ways you can become our partners and carry the Free Rivers Fund trademarked logo linking your company to river protection and a dam free world.

Free Rivers Fund partners the paddlesport industry with river protection activists to provide funding for those fighting to keep our rivers dam free.

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Projects 2022

We are happy to announce the 2022 Free Rivers Fund Grantees! We had more than 30 applications this year from all over the world – it is so exciting for us to read through these and to get to know … Read More

The Free Rivers Fund Rivers Day at the Oetz Trophy

The Free Rivers Fund joins the OETZ TROPHY

The Ötztal in Tyrol, Austria is our backyard and so we are proud to play our part in the OETZ TROPHY Extreme Kayak World Championships in October 2021. With a kayak race, we pay respect to a river that provides … Read More

Hydropower Pressure on European Rivers - Copyright: FLUVIUS, commissioned by WWF, Riverwatch, EuroNatur, GEOTA

Free Rivers Fund goes French!

France is an important destination for kayakers: from the steep runs in Jura, over the Haute Alps with the wonderful Durance valley, to the creeks in the Pyrenees and with endless beautiful scenery for river touring. Unfortunately, this majestic natural … Read More

Grantees 2021

We proudly present – the Free Rivers Fund Grantees 2021!  With another record number of applications it gets harder and harder to chose every year. We will continue to work on obtaining more funds to be able to give out … Read More

Salva la Valle del Sorba

Valsesia, Piemonte; un paradiso nelle Alpi del Nord Italia. In inverno, le montagne innevate attirano sciatori ed alpinisti. In primavera, mentre la neve si scioglie, i fiumi della valle diventano una mecca per i canoisti d’acqua bianca e i pescatori … Read More

Save Val Sorba – Rettet Val Sorba – Salva la Valle del Sorba

Application for grants in 2021

The application period for Free Rivers Fund grants for 2021 starts now. Almost all of the 2020 grants were given out towards the selected projects by now and we will give you some updates and stories about the 2020 projects … Read More

Stop2 - EN

Supporting WET in protecting the Ötztaler Ache in Tyrol

Originally the Free Rivers Fund was an idea of the grassroots activists and masterminds behind the Balkan River Defence from the Balkans, Save our Rivers from the UK and WET – Wildwasser Erhalten Tirol (Protect Tyrol’s Whitewater). At the moment … Read More

Emergency Grant

This year, we managed to set up an ‘Emergency Grant’. The Free Rivers Fund’s aim is to help small grassroots initiatives as unbureaucratic and straightforward as possible. Having experienced ourselves how time and energy consuming the application processes of grants … Read More

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