Potential Funding Sites and Organisations
A variety of sources for potential funding are listed below, this is not a complete list and all information was correct at the time of publication, nevertheless, it may be helpful in achieving your goal. As a result of the funding, you may get your ideal outdoor area. Please click on the title or image below to be directly linked to the following pages.
The ASDA foundation focuses on transforming communities and improving lives. Schools, community groups and charities can apply for funding for a local project between £5,000 and £10,000. These grants are available for community groups and good cause in your area.
Aviva Community Fund offers a scheme to support and project funding, related to health, wellbeing and activities for children and young people. If you feel your project will have a positive effect on your local community, take a look at Avia's Community Funding page.
The Big Lottery Fund, 'Awards For All' enables projects to take place in the community that promote education, sports and the arts. This funding scheme is focused on helping the environment as well as the health and wellbeing within our local communities. All applicants must be a voluntary, community or statutory organisation and have a governing body.
The Bank of Scotland is offering small, medium and large grants that support people and their local communities across Scotland. All three grant levels are open in four stages throughout the year. An eligibility test has to be passed for applicants who apply for grants from local, regional and national charities.
BBC's Children in Need provide grants for projects which focus on improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people. A variety of grant programmes are open all year round and are awarded three to four times a year.
The Royal Society of Wildlife trust manages a funding programme called Biffawardis - supporting and enhancing community spaces, outdoor recreation and cultural facilities across the UK. These funded projects must benefit local people of all ages and cannot be more than 10 miles from a Biffa site or any landfill site.
The Big Lottery Fund aims to improve communities and the lives of disadvantaged people, who are most in need. Funding is available for health, education, environment and a variety of charitable purposes. Other applicants can apply including organisations in the public, private and third party sectors.
British Ecological Society - School Ground Development Grants
The British Ecological Society provides funding for initiatives such as building a school pond or developing a nature area. "In an average year, we support the global ecological community with over £350,000 in grants" (EES, 2020). For more information visit the website by click on the link or logo above.
The Clore Duffield Foundation has two grant-making schemes: The Main Grant Programme and a Smaller Grant Programme (which is currently under review). This criteria is available on their website which shows a variety of schools they've supported in the past. Clore Learning Spaces has supported funds from £2.5m to donations of less than £50,000.
Community Foundations UK manages and allocates funds donated by individuals, charitable trusts and statutory bodies. These funds are targeted at projects that aim to make a difference to local communities. Only local community groups and voluntary organisations can apply this fund.
Community Matters Yorkshire offers a funding service with a specialist funding database which allows you to search for national funders in the Yorkshire sub-regions. These sub-regions include, North, West and South Yorkshire.
Comic Relief aims to provide funding comprising of small, medium and large grants, to different groups of people with different needs. Eligible groups are looking to support social change in their local area and throughout the UK and other parts of the world. Local, regional and national charities and community groups may all apply.
A guide to a variety of accessible disability grants can be found by clicking on the link.
Ernest in Trust support educational grants that are related to the environment, countryside and architectural conservation. Two types of grants are offered. Small grants (£100 - £3000) and Medium grants (£3000-£10,000).
An independent UK-wide charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing outdoor sports and play spaces with the purpose of protecting playing fields. Fields in Trust aim to improve the health and quality of life of everyone throughout the UK. This is achieved by developing and protecting well-used local facilities. Applicants can apply for grants to improve their local play and sports facilities.
The Football Foundation is the largest sports charity in the UK - providing grants of between £100 and £1 million. These grants aim to revitalise parks, schools, playing fields and grassroots sports. The aim is to embrace the power of the game within local communities and promote education and social inclusion.
Foundation Scotland is an independent charity, established in 1996, distributing over £50 million throughout Scotland. Funding is available for good causes and innovative ideas that support Scotlands communities. Applicants include registered charities, companies, individuals and community groups working in Scotland. All applications are subject to guidelines.
The Foyle Foundation supports the arts and education which operates as an independent grant-making trust, funding charities throughout the UK. This foundation favours and priorities applicants that cater to special needs. The foundation also aims to support projects that have a long term strategic impact. Registered UK charities are able to apply, however, organisations must meet strict criteria to prove their projects will provide a direct benefit or service to the public.
The Garfield Weston Foundation is one of the largest charitable institutions in the UK. It has donated over 1 billion in total and focuses their funding on education, the environment, the arts, religion, youth projects, health and wellbeing.
The Greggs Local Community Projects fund aims to support and build stronger and healthier communities. The Greggs Foundation is focused on providing funds to disadvantage groups throughout the UK, addressing issues of poverty and inequality. The local community projects fund is open in three stages throughout the year.
Groundwork - Changing Places, Changing Lives
Groundwork is a UK environmental regeneration charity which aims to supports communities in need. Groundwork works with other charitable partners in order to improve the quality of people's lives. They achieve this by enhancing their prospects, work and their living standards - building stronger and safer communities. Groundwork provides young people with activities to do that enhance their health and wellbeing, as well as promoting environmental sustainability.
The Heritage Lottery Fund is run by the National lottery - supporting a variety of projects regarding heritage, communities and individual cases. Public, private and third sectors can apply for lottery funding - with two deadlines each year.
The Landfill Communities Fund, an innovative tax credit scheme, enables the operators of landfill sites to contribute money to environmental projects. Together Landfill operators and environmental bodies work in partnership to develop environmental benefits and jobs - improving the lives of communities living near landfill sites.
Lankelly Chase Foundation priorities small grants for young people, the arts, communities and local places. For more information visit the website link above.
London Marathon Charitable Trust
The London Marathon Charitable Trust provides capital funding for a variety of building projects or facilities that inspire physical activity, sport or play. The trustees make decisions four times throughout the year.
Learning Through Landscapes is a national school grounds charity - believing that school playgrounds play a vital role in every child’s learning and development. This charity main aim is to support and enhance schools and early years settings. Learning Through Landscapes help schools to make the most of their outdoor spaces for play and most importantly learning.
The Lord’s Taverners provides grants to SEN schools so that they can purchase a wide variety of outdoor playground and gym equipment - catering to their needs. Eligible applications only include schools that cater to young people (under the age of 25) who have a physical/sensory/learning disability.
The Morrisons Foundation supports charities throughout the UK to help make a positive difference to local communities across England, Scotland and Wales. They award grants for charity projects that aim to enhance people's lives. These groups include homeless shelters and children's hospitals. All applicants are eligible if their project supports a good cause.
The One Family Foundation funds community projects and also provides financial support to customers or their families in difficult times. Applicants can receive up to £25,000. Additionally, The One Family supports school projects (successfully funded through the ‘Community Awards’ programme) that aim to enhance outdoor play spaces that promote education and play.
Play England campaigns for all children and young people, throughout the UK, to have space and freedom to play throughout childhood. Play England works with national partners, corporates and other organisations with shared aims to raise awareness about the importance of play.
The Peoples Health Trust funding program is a community-driven not-for-profit organisation. With a £350,000 on average budget each year that supports a variety of projects that support local communities.
The People Postcode Trust funds projects that support good causes in England, Scotland and Wales. For more information click on the link above.
The Roberston Trust (Scotland)
The Roberston Trust supports capital developments at education establishments throughout Scotland. These projects are in the community and are used to encourage young people with special needs to get involved in educational activities. These community-based activities include youth training which aims to develop links between families and schools. For more information on available funds visit the website via the link above.
Sport England funds local communities with new sports equipment, encouraging people of all ages to get active and socialise in their community. Every year Sports England invests more than £250 million of National Lottery and public money to help people take part in physical activities.
The Sutton Trust is particularly interested in supporting children that come from a disadvantaged background. This trust supports children, no matter what their background is, to succeed in life with the right education. Funds are available for Early years, schools, higher education, access to the workplace and apprenticeships. More information regarding funding can be accessed via the link above.
Tesco stores raise money from their 5p bags in furtherance of supporting local projects across England, Wales and Scotland. These projects aim to enhance and create green spaces in communities. Projects that are likely to be accepted for funding are the building of green spaces, community gardens, woodland walks, pocket parks and sports facilities.
The Trust-house Charitable Foundation
The Trust-house Charitable Foundation is a medium-sized grant-making foundation. They offer small grants to well-established organisations in the UK who support local issues in areas of extreme urban deprivation, or in remote and rundown rural communities.
Veolia Environmental Trust Funds community projects across the UK. They restore green spaces, create new play areas and construct skate parks. These projects must close to a site owned by the Veolia Trust.
Wooden Spoon is a charitable grant-giving organisation - funding projects across the UK and Ireland supporting disadvantaged and disabled children.
FFC Communities awards grants to community projects eligible under the Landfill Communities Fund. These projects must be within a 10-mile radius of landfill sites in the WREN operating area. For more information on funding click on the link above.
