Environment

Our guide to funders that specialise in the environment, including conservation, open spaces, animal welfare and climate change.

As with any charitable project, it’s worth considering the funders that will fund a wide variety of projects.

This page is updated annually. Spotted an error? Please let us know.

Amey Community Fund

Grants of £10,000 to £100,000 are available to not-for-profit organisations for a variety of projects including “The provision, maintenance or improvement of a public park or other general public amenity”, and “The conservation of a specific species or a specific habitat where it naturally occurs”. Projects must be within 10 miles of an active landfill site, and applicants must be able to contribute 11% of the value of the grant. The next deadline is 7 December 2020.

Mick George Community Fund

Grants from £10,000 to £50,000 are available to not-for-profit organisations for capital improvement works to public amenity projects including village greens, nature reserves and country parks. Projects must be within 10 miles of a Mick George Landfill site (check the map here), and applicants must be able to contribute 11% of the value of the grant. Upcoming deadlines are 9 March and 31 August 2022.

Biffa Award – Rebuilding Biodiversity

Grants of £10,000 to £75,000 are available to not-for-profit organisations that deliver a direct improvement to biodiversity. The project site must be within 15 miles of a significant Biffa operation and within 10 miles of any licensed landfill site (not necessarily owned by Biffa Group Limited). Projects can support a variety of living things, including all species of plants and animals and the natural systems/habitats that support them. Work can include habitat improvement works, tree surgery, scrub removal, and the purchase of plants, seeds and trees, but not research costs. Ideally projects will have a strong element of public access or inclusion such as volunteer involvement. Applicants require a third-party contributor for 10% of the total grant that is being requested.

FCC Community Action Fund

FCC Communities Foundation (formerly WREN) offers grants from £2,000 to £100,000 to registered charities, parish and town councils, local authorities and CASC registered sports clubs for projects for the provision, maintenance or improvement of a nature reserve, public park, woodland or another public amenity. Projects must be based within 10 miles of an eligible FCC Environment waste facility, and applicants must be able to contribute 11% of the value of the grant. There are four rounds per year, with deadlines on 2 March, 8 June, 7 September and 7 December 2022.

Postcode Places Trust

Grants £500 to £25,000 are available registered charities, CICs and Community Benefit Societies (up to £2,500 for constituted, unregistered charities and exempted charities) for projects on a variety of themes including:

Improving biodiversity and green spaces
Responding to the climate emergency and promoting sustainability
Increasing community access to outdoor space

Organisations’ annual income must be below £1 million. There are monthly funding rounds from February to October 2022.

Fenland DC – Glassmoor Local Environment Fund

Grants are available to non-profit groups for projects which enhance or protect the environment and allow local people to learn within a five kilometre radius of the Glassmoor wind turbine. Priority will be given to projects within Whittlesey, Eastrea, Coates, Ramsey Mereside or Pondersbridge. Suitable projects will address issues such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, water efficiency, wildlife, waste, transport and sustainable materials.

Fenland DC – Whitemill Environment Fund

Grants are available to non-profit groups in Coldham, Friday Bridge, Elm, Rings End and Christchurch that wish to make improvements in their community that will have an environmental and educational benefit. The same issues as per the Glasmoor fund (above) apply here.

Fenland DC – Ransonmoor Community Fund

Grants of up to £5,000 are available along the same criteria as the Glasmoor and Whitemill funds, above, for groups in Benwick, Doddington and Wimblington.

Chapman Charitable Trust

Grants from £1,000 to £2,000 are available to registered charities that for projects on three themes including conserving our natural environment and promoting the sustainable use of resources.

D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

Grants from £500 to £6,000 for UK registered charities delivering projects on various themes including improvement or protection of the environment. This covers conservation of the countryside and its woodlands, with an emphasis on voluntary work, particularly for young people. It also includes projects that use gardening or other environmental activities to bring about positive changes in the lives of those who are living with disabilities or ill-health. Core and project costs are both eligible.

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

“Improving our natural world” is one of three themes for this fund, for which there are three key impact goals: preserved and improved species health and habitats, clean and healthy freshwater, and sustainable and ethical food. The Foundation has awarded grants ranging from £30,000 to £1.5m for charitable projects (but not capital costs) in the UK. Organisations must have a regular turnover of at least £100,000.

Garfield Weston Foundation

The nine themes for this foundation include the environment, “from practical conservation to education work and volunteering.” A range of charitable organisations can apply, but not individuals, CICs, local authorities or animal welfare charities. Regular grants are up to £100,000, with Major Grants over £100,000 for organisations with an annual income over £1m. Match funding is required; applicants should have around half of their funding secured, and most grants are for up to 10% of the total project costs.

HDH Wills

Registered charities can apply for funding for the preservation of wildlife and the environment. There are two grant schemes offering £250 to £500 and £1,000 to £2,000. The large grant scheme (£5,000 to £50,000) is currently closed.

Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust

Grants are available to UK animal welfare charities for activities that benefit and protect animals, relieve the suffering of animals, address the conservation of wildlife or encourage a greater understanding of animals. Deadline are in January, May and September.

John Ellerman Foundation

Grants of at least £10,000 for small to medium-sized charities in the UK working in three themes including the environment. This has two sub-themes: protecting the seas, and creating richer, more sustainable places on land. The guidance goes on to say, “Building healthier ecosystems in urban or rural settings, through better management of these areas; experimenting with or linking together habitats; large-scale interventions that help restore places of special significance. We will also support work to reduce or prevent damaging effects of human activity, such as climate change, air pollution or pesticide use.”

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – Sustainable Future Programme

Grants are available for charitable projects at a national level that develop and promote sustainable, low-carbon alternatives to the current consumerist and growth-based paradigm. Its four themes are Better Economics, Beyond Consumerism, New Voices and Responding to the dual harms of Covid-19 and systemic racism.

Lush Charity Pot

The high street cosmetic retailer’s charitable fund gives grants from £100 to £10,000 to non-profit organisations working in animal protection, human rights or the environment. Organisations must have an income under £250,000 and be predominantly run by volunteers. There is no deadline and decisions are normally given in eight to 12 weeks.

Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation

Grants of £50,000 to £150,000 per year for up to three years for UK registered charities to promote environmental sustainability. Grants usually constitute between 5% and 50% of the charity’s annual income, which puts annual income at between £100,000 and £3 million. The Foundation supports work that addresses the pressures and conditions that contribute to global environmental breakdown. Support is only available for practical projects that have potential for influencing UK national policy and can be scaled up at pace.

Steel Charitable Trust

Grants of £10,000 to £25,000 for UK registered charities and CICs for projects under five themes including the environment. Revenue, core and capital costs are supported, and applications are reviewed quarterly.

The Nineveh Charitable Trust

Grants are available to registered charities, CICs and schools for projects that promote a better understanding of the environment and countryside whilst facilitating improved access, education and research.

The Tree Council

The Branching Out Fund offers Grants of £300 to £1,500 are available to schools and community groups for conduct tree- and hedge-planting projects, preferably during National Tree Week. Proposals must include active educational engagement of children and young people, up the age of 21. Register on the website for information about when this fund will reopen. Various other funds are also available from The Tree Council.

W F Southall Trust

Grants of £1,000 to £5,000 are available to UK registered charities for projects under various themes including environmental action and sustainability. Capital and revenue costs are eligible. The funder tends to favour grassroots initiatives that make good use of volunteers in their local community.

Woodroffe Benton Foundation

Grants of £500 to £2,500 for UK registered charities for projects under various themes including Environmental conservation, preservation, protection and improvement – in particular where this would encourage the provision of access by members of the general public. Applications are considered quarterly; the next round is expected to open on 1 March 2022.