• 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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FRF grantees 2020

Grantees 2020

Last year we have granted projects from different parts in the world. This year, applications came again from all over the planet with a large number of applications from the Balkans. Most projects are new initiatives, but we also continue … Read More

The challenge of granting

Each year Free Rivers Fund receives more grant applications than the previous year. This year we received 34 applications! The applications are very diverse and come from all over the world. Some come from large NGOs that have existed for … Read More

Ekološki-Pokret Donja Bukovica

It’s time to officially introduce the project Ekološki-Pokret Donja Bukovica to you!   In the municipality of Savnik, Montenegro, locals are fighting against mini hydro power plants on one of the cleanest rivers of the Balkan. The projects ‘Bukovica 1’ … Read More

Mission East to West

Anup Gurung is a passionate Nepali kayaker and the founder and president of Nepal Kayak Club. Together with the Club he has been organizing training and events to promote the Nepali whitewater scene and has been promoting awareness about rivers … Read More

Students for Rivers Camp

The Students for Rivers Camp (SRC) is the kick-off event of the Balkan River Defence’s (BRD) River Intellectuals Network. It will be a week-long gathering of students who love nature and want to protect it by using their brains. Whether … Read More

Balkanka Association in Bulgaria

The “Balkanka” Association is a Bulgarian non-profit, non-governmental organization that is trying to save and protect all Bulgarian rivers – the main objectives being the protection and conservation of river biodiversity in general, as well as the conservation and restoration … Read More

The National Campaign to Protect the Bisri Valley in Lebanon

In this year’s pile of applications there were some surprises – one being the Bisri valley project. First we are happy to have reached people all over the world and river conservationists even in Lebanon have heard about the Free … Read More

The Marañón Waterkeeper in Peru

Marañón Waterkeeper is a community lead organisation working to protect the Marañón River in Peru in its natural, free flowing state, as well as protecting the greater Amazon below. The Marañón river is the second longest river in Peru and … Read More

The three founding organisations pass on funding

The three organisations that started the Free Rivers Fund will not be included in the grant programm 2019. Each of them has decided that it is time to give their share to new grassroot projects.In 2016, WET – Wildwasser Erhalten … Read More

Funding moved to Vrbas

Funding moved to Vrbas river campaign

The CZZS  Centar za životnu sredinu / Center for Environment approached us with infos about their Ugar canyon project which is supported by the Free Rivers Fund this year. The plans for new hydro power plants in Ugar canyon (Bosnia … Read More

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