Environment & Conservation417+ Funders

Environment & Conservation Grants & Funding

There are 417 UK funders offering grants for environment & conservation charities, with typical awards from £100 to £6,000,000.

Environmental and conservation funding in the UK has grown substantially as climate change rises on the national agenda. Funders support a wide range of work: habitat restoration and biodiversity, climate education and campaigning, community energy schemes, sustainable food systems, and urban greening projects. Several dedicated environmental foundations — such as the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation's environment strand and the Garfield Weston Foundation — provide multi-year grants for strategic environmental work. Smaller funders often focus on local conservation: protecting specific habitats, waterways, or species within defined geographic areas. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports environmental projects with heritage significance. There is growing funder interest in climate justice — projects that address the disproportionate impact of climate change on disadvantaged communities. Nature-based solutions, rewilding, and projects that combine environmental outcomes with health and wellbeing benefits are particularly well-funded. Community-led environmental action consistently attracts strong support from both national and regional funders.

Quick Stats

Total Funders
417
Grant Range
£100 - £6,000,000
Open to Applications
54%

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Filters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.

Environment & Conservation Funders

12 of 417 match your filters

Checked against verified programme data for 101 of 417 funders. 316 not yet verified are listed below; 89 that don't fit were excluded.

Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: London Luton Airport Operations Ltd (LLAOL) Community Trust Fund

Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF), established in 1999 and registered as a charity in 2001 by founders Geoffrey Farr MBE DL, Sir Samu...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Community Foundation North East

Verified open

Matching programme: Newcastle Culture Investment Fund

Community Foundation North East, established in 1988 by local business and civic leaders in North East England, serves as the UK's largest community f...

Grant Range
Up to £25,000

Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Medium Grant

The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (EKCT), established in 1963 by Ernest and Joan Kleinwort, is a family-led grant-making foundation dedicated to m...

Grant Range
£2,000 - £25,000

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Grants

The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, established in 1961 by Ian Fairbairn in memory of his wife, is one of the UK's largest independent funders, dedicated ...

Grant Range
From £30,000

Friends Provident Charitable Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Building Resilient Economies programme

Friends Provident Charitable Foundation, an independent UK grant-making charity established in 2004 with a £33 million endowment from Friends Providen...

Grant Range
£100,000 - £120,000

Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grant Programme

The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust, established in 1988 by the will of G.H. Micklem C.B.E., is a grant-making trust dedicated to advancing public ben...

Grant Range
£8,000 - £15,000

John Ellerman Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grants programme (2025-2030 strategy)

The John Ellerman Foundation, established in 1971 by John Reeves Ellerman with wealth from shipping, brewing, and other industries—acknowledging its h...

Grant Range
Up to £180,000

Network for Social Change Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Charitable Major Project grants

Network for Social Change Charitable Trust drives progressive social change by funding initiatives tackling root causes of injustice, inequality, and ...

Grant Range
£8,000 - £20,000

Postcode Local Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Postcode Local Trust Core Grant Programme

Postcode Local Trust, established in 2014 as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, channels proceeds from the People’s Postcode Lotte...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £20,000

Shanly Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Training & Careers in Construction Fund

The Shanly Foundation, established in 1994 by property developer Michael Shanly as the charitable arm of the Shanly Group, drives practical, hands-on ...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £50,000

Sussex Community Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grants Programme

Sussex Community Foundation, established in 2006 by the late 10th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, is an independent UK Community Foundation dedicated to ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Woodsmith Foundation Limited

Verified open

Matching programme: Community Grants

Woodsmith Foundation Limited, established in 2012 as the York Potash Foundation and now funded by Anglo American via a unique 0.5% revenue share from ...

Grant Range
£200 - £10,000
316 funders not yet verified against these filters

We haven't confirmed these funders' programme details yet, so they may or may not fit. Showing the first 10.

Tips for Applying to Environment & Conservation Funders

Environmental funders expect quantified impact projections in your application. Specify measurable targets such as hectares of habitat restored, tonnes of CO2 saved, species population counts, or trees planted — vague environmental aspirations will not compete against applications with concrete metrics. Demonstrate alignment with established frameworks such as biodiversity net gain requirements, the Nature Recovery Network, or local environment record centre data. If your project involves habitat restoration or species conservation, reference baseline surveys and explain your monitoring methodology for tracking ecological change over time. Community engagement is increasingly important alongside conservation outcomes — show how local people will be involved as volunteers, citizen scientists, or decision-makers rather than passive beneficiaries. Address the relationship between your project and the wider landscape or catchment context, explaining how site-level work contributes to regional environmental priorities. Strong applications in this space combine scientific rigour with accessible communication, demonstrating both ecological expertise and the ability to inspire public engagement. Include partnerships with statutory bodies such as Natural England, local wildlife trusts, or environment agencies that validate your approach and connect your work to strategic environmental planning.

Frequently Asked Questions about Environment & Conservation Grants

What grants are available for environment & conservation charities in the UK?

There are 417+ UK funders offering grants for environment & conservation charities. These range from small community grants under £5,000 to large multi-year funding programmes exceeding £100,000. Use Fundermatcher to find the best match for your organisation.

How much funding can environment & conservation organisations get?

Grant amounts for environment & conservation charities vary widely depending on the funder and project. Typical grants range from £1,000 to over £100,000. Many funders offer multi-year funding for established organisations with a strong track record.

How do I apply for environment & conservation grants?

Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your environment & conservation work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 417+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.

How to Find the Right Environment & Conservation Funders

1

Describe Your Charity

Tell us what your charity does, who you help, and where you work. Takes 30 seconds.

2

Get Matched Instantly

Our AI ranks all 417 environment & conservation funders by how well they fit your specific work.

3

Write Winning Applications

Our AI assistant helps you draft and refine grant applications tailored to each funder.

Which of These 417 Funders Are Right for You?

Browsing 417 funders manually takes hours. Describe your charity once and get your top matches ranked by compatibility — in seconds.

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