The Kävlingeå river project is, considering its scope and organisation, a unique environmental cooperative scheme. It is based upon a co-operation agreement between the nine municipalities that have a share in the Kävlingeå river basin. Measures within the project have been divided into three stages, the first two stages running for four years each and the third stage for six years. The project started in 1995 and ends in 2009. 

The Kävlingeå River Project has been run by management committee consisting of political representatives from each municipal member. A group of civil servants, one from each municipality, has supported their work. The project management has also had support from the County Administration Board of Skåne, representatives from the agricultural sector, nature conservation organisations, drainage organisations and researchers.

Basic funding for the project, approximately 50 %, has been provided by yearly financial contributions from each of the participating municipalities. The division of costs has been based upon the size of each municipality´s part of the drainage basin, its number of tax payers and the estimated environmental benefit of measures in each area. 

Most of the remaining financing has been provided by the Swedish government and the EU through various subsidies. During the first stage of the Kävlingeå River Project, external financing was obtained from EU:s LIFE fund. During Stage II, the major part of external contributions came from so called LIP (Local Investment Programmes), which was applied for by each municipality individually. During the later part of Stage II and all of Stage III, Environmental Investment support (Agro-Environmental and Rural Development Programme) has been the dominating source of external financing. These grants have been applied for individually for each pond or wetland.

Other contributors to the project have been the Region Skåne County Council (through its Fund for Environmental Conservation) and one private donation.

The total cost of the Kävlingeå River Project from 1995 up to and including 2009 has been approx. 107 million SEK. Around 65 % of this sum relates to actual construction work. The remaining costs pertain to project planning, designing, compensation for land use, information, administration and evalution of effects. A smaller part of the project budget has concerned compensation for harvest losses and costs for the sowing and planting of grass, trees and bushes.

Costs for participating politicians, civil servants and NGOs are not included in the accountancy of the Kävlingeå River Project. Ponds and wetlands of commercial value, such as for irrigation purposes, have been partly paid for by the landowner. In addition to the Kävlingeå River Project, government subsidies directed towards the management of wetlands and buffer zones are available once a wetland has been completed.