The Spey Catchment Initiative is supported by a wide range of public and private funders, partners, estates, landowners and farmers who share our commitment to restoring and enhancing the River Spey and its catchment.
We receive support in several forms, including:
- core costs for staff employment and office expenditure
- funding and grants for projects
- in-kind support, such as time, expertise and access to land
We are deeply grateful to everyone who makes our work possible, especially those who help support our core costs.
Many of our projects take years, rather than months, to move from initial scoping through to project delivery. This often means working closely with landowners over long periods to design projects that are genuinely beneficial for everyone involved.
Thanks to the support of the organisations below, our project officers are able to develop a strong pipeline of projects before seeking funding for delivery.
Our key financial supporters
The following organisations all make a significant contribution to our core costs and/or our project work.
Chivas Brothers – The River Within Programme
(2021 – ongoing)
Chivas provides an annual management fee to support core costs, as well as project funding, through The River Within Programme.
Restoration and riparian woodland projects that have been supported by Chivas and The River Within include:
- Auchnascraw Water Margins
- Clachaig – Dorback burn
- Kingussie Grazings Riverbank Project
Diageo
(2013 – ongoing)
Diageo have been stalwart supporters of the SCI for many years, providing key annual funding towards our core costs, as well as funding for individual project delivery.
Recent supported projects include:
- Riparian planting on the River Truim
Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA)
(Core funding and project support from 2010 – ongoing)
In 2023 the CNPA capitalised the SCI to help establish it as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. They also support individual projects, including:
- Revitalising the River Spey at Kinchurdy Farm
- Coire na Ciste Montane Woodland Project
- Delliefure Burn
- The River Cuaich Restoration Project
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
(2024 – ongoing)
Esmee Fairburn provides funding for our core costs for staff and organisational development.
Riverwoods “Blueprint” funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
(2025 – ongoing)
The Riverwoods Blueprint project provide half of the funding for our Spey Tributaries project officer.
The Blueprint project is a four-year project, starting in the Autumn of 2024. It is administered by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. SCI is one of three Demonstration Areas under the project, which aims to create a practical blueprint for river woodland restoration across Scotland.
NatureScot
(Core costs from 2010 – 2024 and ongoing project support)
NatureScot have until recently been able to provide a small annual grant towards the core costs of SCI. Their Nature Restoration Fund has also funded a range of SCI projects including:
- The River Calder riparian woodland project
- Upper Spey River Restoration Project
- Allt Mor Erosion Scar Investigation
The Scotch Whisky Association
The Scotch Whisky Association have supported SCI project work on Freshwater Pearl Mussel habitat assessment and the scoping of river restoration projects on the Allt Bhran and Cuaich.
Support from estates, landowners and farmers
Our projects would not happen without the support of landowners and farmers. Their support and agreement to changes in land use is crucial to enabling us to deliver restoration on the ground.
Estates
Our work is supported by the following estates and land managers:
- Reidhaven Estates
- Pitmain and Glenbanchor Estate
- Cluny Estate
- Biallid
- Jahama Highland Estates and GFG Alliance
- Crown Estates Scotland
- Ralia Estate
- Phoines & Cuaich Estates
- Wildland
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise (Cairngorm Mountain)
- Glenavon Estate
- Rothes Estates
Local farmers and crofters
Working closely with farmers is integral to our work, and we are grateful to all those who have partnered with us to deliver projects that support both farm businesses and catchment habitats.
Projects have been made possible through collaboration with local farms, including those at:
- Auchnascraw
- Clachaig
- Auchriachan
- Kingussie Grazings
- Kinchurdy
- Delliefure
- Breakachy
Our thanks
We are deeply grateful to all our funders, partners, landowners and supporters, including the members of our Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee and Members, all of whom provide us with invaluable support.
Your contributions — whether financial, practical or advisory — enable us to deliver real, lasting improvements for the river, its wildlife and the communities that depend on it.
