Grant News
The Tree Council, in partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has reopened the Trees Outside Woodland Fund, with £2.5 million available for the 2026/27 planting season.
Local authorities and registered charities in England can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £40,000 to support the establishment of trees, hedgerows, and orchards in public spaces, helping to enhance local environments, increase biodiversity, reduce flood risk, and improve community wellbeing.
Projects could include urban tree planting to improve air quality, the creation of tree-lined avenues to enhance public spaces, and community orchards that encourage local food production and community engagement.
To be eligible, charities must have an annual income or turnover of more than £100,000.
In its first year, the scheme supported projects ranging from work to make Avebury Manor Garden in Wiltshire more climate-resilient following severe flooding, to programmes increasing canopy cover in tree-deficient areas of Lancashire and Doncaster and restoring traditional orchards in Worcestershire.
The fund forms part of the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, which aims to increase England’s overall tree canopy cover from 14.5% to 16.5% of total land area by 2050.
Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis until 31 October 2026, or until all funding has been allocated. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
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