Sources of Grants and Funding

The Worcestershire Partnership maintains a very comprehensive searchable database of funding sources on its website. It is free to register to use and is highly recommended.

Funding for Land Management

• Natural England administer the Environmental Stewardship schemes, providing grants to farm owners and managers for environmental land management activity.
• The Forestry Commission administer grants for woodland restoration, creation and management through the English Woodland Grant Scheme.
• Natural England also administer a number of other grant schemes that are often time-limited. Check to see which schemes are currently accepting applications.

Funding for Community Projects

• The Big Tree Plant is a new Government initiative to support communities to plant one million trees over the next five years.
• Worcestershire County Council run the Fruit Trees for Worcestershire scheme every winter.
• LEADER is a Worcestershire County Council-administered grant scheme to support projects in rural communities.
• Voluntary and community groups can search for funding from Local Authorities and other Government sources using the Government Funding website.
• The Lottery Funding website is the portal for all the major UK lottery funders, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery Fund, Awards for All, Arts Council and Sport England.
• SITA Trust support community and environmental improvement projects with Landfill Communities Fund monies. There is also a fund aimed at young people and youth volunteering.
• Worcestershire County Council's Voluntary and Community Sector Unit can advise groups looking for sources of funding.
• You can search the database of registered charities in the UK on the Charity Commission website. Use the 'advanced search' facility to find charities in your area who support the type of project you want to do.
• Groundwork UK manages the Community Spaces Fund and will award money to community groups for projects to improve or create green spaces in your neighbourhood.
• The Local Food grants programme distributes lottery funding to community projects based around sustainable food production.

Funding for Businesses

Businesses can search for grants to help their company become more environmentally friendly using the Green Grants Machine website.