Financial support from the Province of Utrecht gives boost to existing and new green spaces

The Province of Utrecht is making funds available again through the Green Grows With Us tender scheme to strengthen existing green spaces and develop new ones. With this special scheme, the province is inviting public bodies in particular to submit green area plans that ensure recreational green spaces, nature, water and landscapes grow in line with the rising number of homes in the Province of Utrecht. Applications can be submitted from 15 April to 15 June 2026.

With this tender scheme, the Province of Utrecht aims to encourage parties to submit integrated proposals for green area plans that can be implemented in the short term. This requires not only good plans, but also the involvement of applicants. This can take the form of a solid project plan, a clear business plan and associated co-financing. Another condition is that the application for a contribution must be made by a combination of at least two public bodies, possibly supplemented by a water board, a land management organisation and/or a private party.

This tender scheme can accelerate the collaboration and implementation of new and existing plans. It can also make necessary measures possible (such as the construction of bridges or paths) that cannot be financed from other national or provincial funds or the existing subsidies of the Province of Utrecht.

8 April 2026: webinar on the Tender Scheme and advisory services Green Grows With Us

Would you like to know more about the Green Grows With Us tender scheme and the financial and landscape advisory support on offer? Or do you have any questions? On Wednesday 8 April, Green Grows With Us will hold a webinar on these topics from 12.00 to 13.00. You can find more information on the Green Grows With Us website.

The tender scheme differs from regular subsidy schemes

• A tender scheme gives providers more design freedom and focuses on the realisation of concrete, integrated green area development. This is different from a subsidy scheme, which usually focuses on the realisation of one specific component of such a development.
• A regular subsidy scheme requires one party as the applicant. To increase the integrality of a proposal and the involvement of the parties concerned, the Province of Utrecht in this case asks for a combination of (at least) two applicants. A tender scheme offers that possibility.
• In a tender scheme, consultation between the applicant and the Province of Utrecht is only permitted in the preliminary phase and not after submission. After submission, an Advisory Committee assesses the proposal and decides whether or not to award a contribution.

Application period and Advisory Committee

Applications can be submitted from 15 April to 15 June 2026. An independent Advisory Committee will assess the applications. The committee will advise the Provincial Executive, which will take the formal decision on the allocation of contributions from the Green Grows With Us tender scheme.

Financial and landscape advisory support available

To support public bodies in submitting concrete project proposals, the province has entered into a framework contract with two advisory firms for the period 2025-2026. This support can be used to draw up a proposal for the Green Grows With Us tender scheme, but is not exclusively for this purpose. Other initiatives that contribute to the implementation of concrete projects that fit the objectives of the Green Grows With Us programme are also warmly supported. You can find more information about this support.

In 2025, the Zuilen Nature Area was the first project to receive a contribution from the Green Grows With Us tender scheme. From 2027, the Municipality of Utrecht will further develop the area, giving nature more space and creating more opportunities for walking, sports and enjoying nature. The municipality will receive a contribution of 1 million euros from the Green Grows With Us tender scheme for this development. In this article, Floris van Proosdij explains the plans and the role of the tender scheme and advisory support in this.

More information and applications

You can find more information about the tender scheme and the conditions on the subsidy page of the Green Grows With Us tender scheme.

Green Grows With Us

More and more people want to live in the Province of Utrecht. Demand for space is high and the amount of green space per inhabitant is under pressure. Yet green space is of great value for the happiness and health of residents, for climate adaptation and for biodiversity. Green Grows With Us is the ambition to let recreational green spaces, nature, water and landscapes grow in line with the rising number of homes in the Province of Utrecht. Through the Green Grows With Us Pact, the Province of Utrecht, together with municipalities, water boards and green organisations in the Province of Utrecht, Vereniging Deltametropool and the ANWB, is striving for a joint and effective approach that will result in a larger, greener and better-connected end result than would be possible through individual initiatives.

For press information: 06 18 54 01 37

See also

• Green Grows With Us tender scheme external link
• Subsidy page Green Grows With Us tender scheme
• Green Grows With Us external link
• Factsheet Green Grows With Us tender scheme external link
• New boost for Zuilen Nature Area thanks to Green Grows With Us tender scheme external link