The following criteria are guidelines only and we reserve the right not to progress any initial enquiry to a full application. We recommend you read our ‘Getting the best from your project’ guide before making an initial enquiry.
Where do we fund?
Use our online postcode checker to confirm your project is in an area we cover.
| What do we fund? | What don’t we fund? |
| ✓ Constituted, not-for-profit groups | ✗ Regulatory bodies (e.g. Forestry Commission, Environment Agency) |
| ✓ Capital improvement projects at a single site with discrete start and end dates | ✗ Zoos, museums, libraries, theatres or arts organisations |
| ✓ Community buildings and rooms: e.g. community centres, village halls, community spaces within religious buildings, Scout or Girlguiding buildings | ✗ Schools or other educational establishments |
| ✓ Outdoor Spaces: e.g. public parks, nature reserves, community gardens, footpaths, bridleways or cycle-paths | ✗ Restoration of buildings |
| ✓ Play and recreation: e.g. play areas, skateparks, Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs), sports grounds, pavilions or changing rooms | ✗ Organisations where members receive a financial benefit |
| ✓ Supporting Biodiversity: e.g. the species related element of a BAP (national or local), the habitat related element of a BAP or HAP (national or local), reintroduction programmes to a specific habitat | ✗ Shops or projects established to generate an income for use other than for the upkeep of the project |
| ✓ Projects with a total cost of under £500,000 (including VAT and professional costs) | ✗ Projects that involve the purchase of land or buildings |
| ✓ Projects that have already secured at least 20% of the total cost | ✗ Exhibitions, sculptures, statues or memorials |
| ✓ Awards to a maximum of £75,000 | ✗ Allotments, graveyards or crematoria areas |
| ✓ Projects (with the exception of biodiversity) that are open to the wider general public for at least 104 days a year without any limit or unreasonable restrictions of use | ✗ CCTV |
| ✗ Portable equipment, including sports and fitness kit | |
| ✗ Furniture or white goods | |
| ✗ Access roads or car parks | |
| ✗ Street scene improvements – street trees, hanging baskets, aesthetic improvements, village or highway signs | |
| ✗ Renewable energy projects to access feed-in tariffs e.g. solar panels | |
| ✗ Not more than 10% of any award for project management costs (which include head office and any additional associated costs) |
When can you apply?
There are four funding rounds each year. The deadlines for full applications are 26 February 2016 (12pm), 27 May 2016 (12pm) and 26 August 2016 (12pm). An organisation is limited to one application per region per funding round. Any organisation that has received a previous award must wait 24 months following the payment of the final claim before submitting an application for another project on the same site. If you are unsuccessful you must wait 12 months before submitting a new application for a project on the same site.
Third party contributions
For awards of £40,000 and above, an independent third party contributor will need to reimburse the landfill operator the 10% shortfall to release the grant. This contribution can be made by another funder, a local council or an individual.
To assist your application
When considering proposals, we look for the following:
- Community consultation with evidence of support and need
- A wide range of community users
- Good use of volunteers, with relevant qualifications being sought
- A wide range of fundraising activities
- Value for money
- Sustainability for the future
- Completion within an expected timeframe – public amenity projects must be completed within 12 months and biodiversity projects within 18 months.
To apply and for more information go to the website.
