What is an Impact Project?

Impact Projects are covered by the Spatial Adaptation Incentive Programme. An Impact Project is authoritative in terms of spatial adaptation in the realisation of climate-proof areas or with respect to a relevant issue. Many of such projects involve the climate-proofing of cities, the water resilience of an area, vital and vulnerable objects, or smart combinations for multi-layer flood risk management and other societal taskings. Applicability of the project strategy in another area or to another issue is imperative. In principle, the project operates on its own accord, with its own financial coverage, to resolve a bottleneck in an area or involving a particular issue.

Exemplary function

Impact Projects contribute to the development of workable practices and practical tools. They constitute a learning environment in which knowledge and experience is shared; thus, they help bring about the required shift in thought and action. As a result, the Impact Projects serve as manifest examples in terms of the activities and processes supporting the integration of water and climate opportunities and actors in spatial (re)developments. An Impact Project may form part of a larger track or project.

Assessment and support

The Spatial Adaptation Incentive Programme is happy to support such projects. Projects that qualify for support are aimed at promoting the transition to water-resilient and climate-proof spatial planning. Applications submitted are assessed in rounds, on the basis of pre-determined criteria, by the Incentive Programme team. The four government tiers (national government, provinces, municipalities, and district water boards) are represented on this team. In the ultimate selection of Impact Projects, an even distribution in terms of issues, regions, nature, and scope will be pursued, avoiding duplication in terms of content with Impact Projects selected earlier.

The Spatial Adaptation Incentive Programme offers a customised support package to expedite selected Impact Projects, in the form of consultancy services, process supervision, design capacity or calculating capacity to a maximum value of EUR 25,000 including VAT. The Impact Projects are requested to formulate the results of and lessons learned from the project in concrete terms, in order to disseminate them on a wider scale.