Grant Directories

This UK-wide grant programme supports transformative, community-led initiatives in rural areas. It aims to inspire change and encourage economic vibrancy by funding innovative solutions. The programme targets projects that align with themes such as keeping young people in the countryside, powering up rural communities, increasing environmental sustainability, and building emergency resilience. Isolated rural areas where alternative services are unavailable receive focused support. Projects must be community-led, demonstrating a clear understanding of local needs and showcasing characteristics like long-term vision, collaboration, and innovation.

Welsh Water funds local projects that benefit communities by making grants to support charities, schools and other not-for-profit organisations which make a difference within their local area. Through the Community Fund, Welsh Water provides grants of up to £5,000 to organisations working in the Welsh Water area for local projects that protect and enhance the environment and help improve the health and wellbeing of communities. The funding has previously helped community groups purchase new essential equipment, schools raise environmental awareness in the community and develop outdoor learning areas, and sports groups purchase the kit they need to keep their clubs going.

A total of £1 million is available to support community groups and schools in deprived areas of the UK to protect and restore nature in their local area. The Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund is a crowdfunding initiative that will give £2 for every £1 raised by each project. A wide range of nature projects can be supported. This can include restoring and protecting local habitats, promoting pro-environmental behaviours at the community level and connecting local communities to nature and each other. Applications can be made at any time until all funding has been allocated.

Rewilding Britain's Challenge Fund offers £100,000 yearly for rewilding projects in England, Scotland and Wales. The fund supports initiatives aimed at restoring natural woodland and habitats and promoting the benefits of rewilding to communities and biodiversity. The fund supports innovative projects that have potential for upscaling rewilding efforts.

The Swire Charitable Trust makes grants to charities supporting some of the UK’s most vulnerable people to overcome barriers and realise their potential, and to charities who are protecting the  environment and heritage.

The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund (PWCF) is a grant making organisation which aims to transform lives and build sustainable communities across the UK by funding a wide range of good causes within their core funding themes: Heritage & Conservation, Education, Health & Wellbeing, Social Inclusion, Environment and Countryside. Through the Small Grants Programme, the PWCF will award grants of up to £5,000 to not-for-profit organisations with an income of up to £1 million. The average award is £1,500. Priority will be given to organisations of which HRH The Prince of Wales is Patron. Applications can be made at any time and will be considered by the Small Grant committee at their quarterly meetings.

The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund is a grant making organisation which aims to transform lives and build sustainable communities across the UK by funding a wide range of good causes within their core funding themes: Heritage & Conservation, Education, Health & Wellbeing, Social Inclusion, Environment and Countryside. The Major Grants Programme will award grants of over £5,000 to not-for-profit organisations. Organisations can apply for major grants by invitation only.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund uses money raised by players of the National Lottery to fund projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. The Community Woodlands programme is a capital grant scheme intended to restore, create, connect and manage woodlands in Wales. The programme is jointly funded by the Welsh Government and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Grants are available of £10,000–£250,000 for capital projects that will restore, enhance and in some instances acquire land to create new community woodlands in Wales.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund uses money raised by players of the National Lottery to fund projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. The Local Places for Nature programme is a capital grant scheme intended to enable communities in Wales to restore and enhance nature. The programme is jointly funded by the Welsh Government and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Grants are available of £10,000–£100,000 (in 2020-21) for capital projects in Wales that will acquire, restore and enhance nature.

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust was established in for the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement.   Through the Environment programme the Trust aims to protect the countryside, species and habitats as well as well as the UKs heritage and rural crafts and skills.

The Ernest Cook Trust is an educational charity who aim to help the nation better understand the environment. The Outdoor Learning Officer Grant programme will provide funding of up to £15,000 per year (estimated as 50% of a full time salary) to charities and non-profit organisations that want to employ learning officers/outdoor educators who can: encourage others to create deep lasting connections with the natural environment; Engage people to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature; Educate communities; Enable society to understand the damaging effects of activities that harm the environment; Extend participation to hard to reach groups; Embed an understanding of environmental issues and promote sustainable behaviour.

The Waterloo Foundation is an independent grant making charity that supports initiatives aimed at reducing man-made climate change and increasing the health of the marine environment, both in the UK and worldwide. Their objective is to help mitigate the damaging effects that humans are causing and contribute to a positive change both now and in the future. Under the Environment Fund, The Waterloo Foundation has two main themes: Forests and Marine. In addition to the forest and marine programmes The Waterloo Foundation may occasionally support water and energy projects. 

The John Ellerman Foundation's People and Planet funding scheme provides grants to charities that work to promote a healthier environment for both people and nature.  The scheme prioritises projects that enhance ocean health through stronger marine protected areas and on land and in freshwater through sustainable management, habitat restoration, and landscape-scale conservation.  The scheme also aims to address the impact of human activities like climate change and pollution on air, land, and water.