FUNDING
How REN can support groups
Where to search for funding
Sources of funding
Lottery funding available
Local funding sources
Other sources of fundraising support
Using an outcomes approach to monitoring
How REN Can Support Local Groups*
Richmond Environment Network supports local environment groups and organisations to attract additional external funding. To achieve this, we provide signposting to funding sources (details below) and support groups in making funding applications. In addition to the information here, we also send out e-mail updates "Information for Local Groups from REN ...date ". If you would like to receive these updates, please use the Contact Us form and tick the relevant box. You will also need to ensure that your e-mail account will receive these e-mail into your Inbox and not into your junk box. This can be done by adding the e-mail address info[at]richenvironmentnet.org.uk to your safe list or contacts (call us if you need help with this). We can also give you access to subscription website to search for funding, please contact the office for more information.
* REN can only support groups/organisations/projects/schools that are based in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
Where to Search for Funding (other than us)
www.fundingcentral.org.uk
www.governmentfunding.org.uk
www.lotteryfunding.org.uk
www.communityfoundations.org.uk
www.fundinginformation.org
www.funderfinder.org.uk
www.grantfinder.co.uk
www.fundraising.co.uk
Environmentawards.net - source of environmental awards.
Grantnet is a database of funding opportunities that you can search for free (although you have to register).
Greenspace has a funding database on it's website, which is searchable.
Take a look at these lists of environmental funders (Word document) and trust funds relevant to flora and fauna conservation (Word document), provided by Jane Selman, formally of RCVS's Organisational Development Team.
A list of community environmental funders produced by BTCV & London 21
Sources - Local Funders and Grant Givers
There are a large number of local grant givers/funders who fund a variety of activities. We are lucky enough in the borough to have several large funders, small funders and a community foundation as well as the Council.
Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity - funds a variety of activities within the borough with priority given to Hampton, Teddington, Twickenham and then the wider borough in that order.
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Small Grants Fund - it is strongly advised that you contact the Grants Officer before making any application. They will award up to £5k. In our experience, environmental projects are likely to stand a better chance of being funded under Thames Community Foundation's Richmond Civic Trust fund (below).
Richmond Parish Lands Charity - this local funder funds activities that meet their criteria and take place with the old Richmond Borough (Richmond, Ham, Kew, Sheen and Barnes but are currently prioritisting activities in Ham and Mortlake). The also administer the Barnes Relief in Need Charity (BRINC).
Thames Community Foundation - manage a number of grant funds, some borough specific. A number of their grant funds are under subscribed!
We have produced a list of Local Funders' Details (Excel document) for you to download.
BTCV London also have a list of funders suitable for local environmental groups, further information can be found on there website here and the latest newsletter downloadable here.
Funderfinder is a very useful source of fundraising information. Their funding tool can be downloaded from http://www.funderfinder.org.uk on the top right side link Apply Yourselves.
Trust Funding is a searchable database of funders covering all manor of funding. There service is a subscription one but REN currently can help local groups if you contact us.
Lottery Funding
Access to Nature (part of BIG Lottery) will fund projects in urban, rural and coastal communities that will encourage more people to enjoy nature and the environment. It is particularly focused on helping people who currently have little or no contact with the natural environment to get back in touch with the natural world. Awards For All is part of the Lottery funding. It has a particularly high applicant success rate and the upper limit has now been raised to £10,000 so it is well worth looking at for your group.
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has a number of funding programmes that are of interest to environmental and civic amenity groups listed below. BIG Lottery funding tends to bigger amount available and sometimes unsuitable for small local groups or charities.
National Funders and Grant Givers
The Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy highlight the vital role which renewable energy and energy efficiency, used at the local level, can play in an industrialised country, notably in meeting climate change targets, providing greater energy security, and encouraging investment in new sustainable businesses. There will be three first prizes of £30,000 each, and three second prizes of £10,000 each, in the following areas:
- Heat generation
- Electricity generation
- Energy efficiency
Changing Places (administered by BIG Lottery) is an environmental programme focusing on three priority areas – community spaces, local community enterprise and access to the natural environment.
The Chestnut Fund, an independent charity, is specifically intended to support environmental groups who have no money at all when they are first set up, whose principal purpose is conservation volunteering and who need support to enable them to undertake practical work. Download the Chesnut Fund Application Form (Word document) here.
O2 in partnership with the Conservation Foundation have launched "It’s Your Community", a new award scheme to help people make a difference in their local environments. Awards of up to £1000 will be available to local groups and individuals for the hire of tools or equipment, and to purchase plants, paint, signs, materials etc. All types of environmental projects will be considered such, as turning derelict land into an amenity park or wildlife area, tree planting, creating a wildlife pond, renovating neglected river and canal footpaths, providing water butts and recycling facilities in village halls. More info is available here and you can see answers to some common questions here.
Association of Charitable Trusts - a comprehensive list of grant giving charities
B & Q Better Neighbour Grant Scheme- £500 for local neighbourhood projects.
BAA Environment Awards - up to £1,000 for local environmental projects in the Heathrow area (South-West London).
Biffaward - grants upto £5,000 for a community project or a community amenity.
Bridge House Trust/City Bridges Trust (London) - grants for London based initiatives benefiting communities and the public.
Community Champions Fund (Scarman Trust, London) - £2,000 for local community focussed event, workshop, exhibition, information day or other initiative to benefit the community. Next deadline 16th September, and 16th of each month thereafter.
CEMEX - We are a grant-giving fund established in 2004 to support environmental and community projects close to CEMEX’s operations. Annually we support around ten projects each worth around £15,000 in England, Wales and Scotland through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
Futurebuilders - grants for community & voluntary sector groups to deliver services to local community.
Millenium Awards Trust (UnLtd – The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs) - £2,000 - £15,000 to support community projects.
Minority Ethnic Fund (Charities Aid Foundation) - £4,000
Royal Bank of Scotland & Natwest - If you are a community or youth group, local organisation, school or charity based in the UK or Eire, and you are seeking our support for your good cause or event, we would encourage you to get our employees involved. They are best placed to identify the needs of the communities in which they live and work and if you can persuade them to support your activity - as fundraisers, as volunteers or as payroll givers, RBS group will back their commitment with cash.
Woodward Charitable Trust - The Trustees favour small-scale, locally based initiatives. Funding is primarily for one-off projects, but the Trustees are willing to consider funding for core costs. The Trustees operate a reactive and flexible grant-making strategy and are currently giving priority to the areas listed on their website. All applicants are encouraged to discuss their application with the administrator.
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Funding for Young Peoples/Children's Projects BIG BOOST (Scarman Trust, London) - up to £5,000, If you’re aged 11 to 25, and you have an idea that will benefit your community, the Big Boost programme could help. GreenPrints - is an England-wide volunteering programme which offers funding and practical support for greenspace improvement projects carried out by young people aged 16-25 Help Yourselves (British Gas & Save the Children) - £1,000 for a children or youth initiative (including environmental). Low Carbon Buildings Programme Grants for the installation of microgeneration technologies are available to public sector buildings (including schools, hospitals, housing associations and local authorities), charitable bodies as well as individuals/households. Pounds4youngpeople - If you are 13-19 years old and live, work or study in Richmond Upon Thames you can get awarded from £200-£5000 by the Youth Opportunity Fund or Youth Capital Fund (a.k.a. Pounds 4 Young People) to help your ideas get off the ground. For example, we might be able to help if you have an idea for a karate class, sports league, music event, something for the disabled community, an idea to make the area safe, refurbish an area or anything else that will benefit young people in Richmond Borough Switched on Communities - Thanks to the kind support of Currys as part of the ‘Switched on Communities’ programme, Schools in England that are registered with Eco-Schools will now have the opportunity to apply for funding to help them progress through the programme. Vcashpoint - vcashpoint is one of our youth led projects which has been run by v20, v’s youth advisory board. It’s the funding initiative for young people (aged between 16 – 25) who want to set up their own community project. By providing grants of up to £2500, vcashpoint can help young people turn their ideas for voluntary projects into reality! Walking Bus Schemes - The Department for Transport and Department for Education and Skills have announced a new scheme to provide grants of £1,000 a year for three years to state-funded primary schools in England who want to set up walking buses. Wates Foundation - emphasis on the physical, mental and spiritual welfare of the young and disadvantaged aged 8 to 25. Racial equality is stressed throughout. Grants are concentrated on projects in the Greater London area with a preference for South London. Funds of £5,000 to £60,000. Applications invited anytime (see website for details). Youth Opportunity Fund & Youth Capital Fund (Department of Education & Skills) - £15,000 and above. You can get further information from your local voluntary service council (its named pounds4youngpeople in this borough). Many bodies like the Co-operative Group, Metropolitan Police, Environment Agency and private commercial organisations (e.g. B & Q, IKEA, Sainsbury) in your area, also offer additional top-up funds. Teachernet - is also a excellent source for funding information |
Outcomes
Finally, when explaining what a difference your project/organisation does and its outcomes, we have found this guide helpful. Its by the Lottery, so should proove useful when apply for funding from them. It can be found here.
The Organisational Development team at RCVS have also produced some good guides on using outcome focuses on funding bids, these can be found here.
