Grant News

Community-led projects can apply for grants of up to £500,000 through the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund – Our Shared Future programme. With a total of £20 million available, this is one of the UK’s most significant funding opportunities aimed at addressing climate change through locally driven initiatives. The programme will close to new applications later in 2025.

The final deadline will be announced shortly.

The fund is designed to support projects that encourage more people to take climate action by connecting it to their everyday lives and interests. It also seeks to build partnerships across different communities and sectors, either within one country or across the UK as a whole.

The type of actions supported could include:

• Engaging communities through arts, sports, or other interests to link climate action to their daily lives.
• Influencing policy at regional or national levels through public engagement campaigns.
• Involving underrepresented groups in climate action, particularly those new to it or facing disadvantage.
• Testing innovative engagement methods to find the most effective ways to involve diverse groups in climate action.
• Expanding successful local initiatives to a national scale by sharing effective approaches.

Applications must be submitted by partnerships that bring together a mix of organisations and sectors, including smaller groups working at the local level. Eligible organisations include voluntary and community groups, registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, not-for-profits, community interest companies, schools, colleges, universities (provided the project benefits the wider community), public sector bodies, and co-operative societies.

Although the minimum grant available is £500,000, most successful projects are expected to receive between £1 million and £1.5 million for work delivered over a period of three to five years. A small number of larger or longer-term projects may also be supported. In total, it is anticipated that up to 25 projects will be funded through this programme.

Projects previously supported through this programme include:

Climate Action Leeds (CAL)
Climate Action Leeds is a five-year initiative to make Leeds a zero-carbon, socially just city by the 2030s. Led by a partnership of local organisations, the project hosts climate assemblies, youth events, and arts activities across the city to engage diverse communities. It builds grassroots capacity and strengthens collaboration between civil society and local institutions to embed climate action in everyday life.

Communities Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (Edinburgh)
This project, led by ELREC and partners, promotes climate justice among ethnic minority communities in Edinburgh. It offers carbon literacy training, waste reduction workshops for local businesses, and redistributes surplus food through community fridges and shared meals. The programme integrates cultural relevance into climate action by including traditional recipes, cooking workshops, and language-accessible resources tailored to diverse audiences.

Birds, Bees, Bikes and Trees (Gateshead)
Led by North East Young Dads and Lads, this project engages young fathers in green skills training—such as beekeeping and horticulture—while collaborating with five local schools. Around 150 pupils take part in hands-on nature activities, and up to 30,000 students benefit through annual school tours and workshops. Partners include the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and Newcastle University, linking creative engagement with environmental awareness.

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