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

17 of 417 match your filters

Checked against verified programme data for 98 of 417 funders. 319 not yet verified are listed below; 81 that don't fit were excluded.

Arts Council of Wales | Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru

Matching programme: Arts, Health and Wellbeing

Arts Council of Wales (Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru), established by Royal Charter in 1994, is the principal national agency championing the arts across W...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £200,000

Ashley Family Foundation

Matching programme: Revenue Grants

The Ashley Family Foundation, established in 1986 by Sir Bernard and Laura Ashley, embodies a mission to harness creative enterprise for community ben...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch

Matching programme: Gulbenkian Exhibitions Fund

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch, established in 1956 from the bequest of Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, is a London-based arm ...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £600,000

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Matching programme: Industrial Decarbonisation: Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plans

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), established in February 2023 as a UK Government ministerial department, leads the nation's tr...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Department for Transport

Matching programme: Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG)

The Department for Transport (DfT), a UK ministerial department established in 2002, provides leadership and strategic frameworks for reliable, safe, ...

Grant Range
£30,000 - £45,000

Ebico Trust for Sustainable Development

Matching programme: Build. with Ebico

The Ebico Trust for Sustainable Development, established in 2008 from funds of Ebico Limited—a not-for-profit energy provider founded in 1998 to comba...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £60,000

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

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

John Ellerman Foundation

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

MCS Foundation

Matching programme: Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship Grant Scheme

The MCS Foundation, legally the MCS Charitable Foundation (charity number 1165752), was established in 2016 to accelerate a carbon-free future for all...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £50,000

Merriman Charitable Foundation

Matching programme: Merriman Charitable Foundation grants

The Merriman Charitable Foundation is a grant-making charity with a mission to enable positive change through flexible funding for education, health, ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £5,000

National Lottery Heritage Fund

Matching programme: National Lottery Grants for Heritage £10,000–£250,000

The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK's largest dedicated heritage funder established in 1994 (with roots in the 1980 National Heritage Memorial ...

Grant Range
£25,000 - £100,000

Neighbourly Foundation

Matching programme: Neighbourly Foundation Grant Programme

Neighbourly Foundation, a UK-registered charity (1189514) established in March 2020 as the charitable arm of Neighbourly Limited, emerged in response ...

Grant Range
£400 - £1,500

Ovo Charitable Foundation

Matching programme: Climate Changers

The OVO Charitable Foundation, established in 2014 by OVO Energy, drives a greener, brighter future for young people by tackling climate change and en...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £20,000

Peter Sowerby Foundation

Matching programme: Impact in Healthcare Fund (Strand 1)

The Peter Sowerby Foundation, established in 2011 by Dr Peter Sowerby—a rural North Yorkshire GP and co-founder of EMIS—with a substantial endowment, ...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £25,000

Real Farming Trust

Matching programme: LEAP (Loans for Enlightened Agriculture Programme)

The Real Farming Trust, a UK charity established in 2009 by Colin Tudge and Ruth West from the Oxford Real Farming Conference, drives the agroecologic...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £30,000

Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Matching programme: Volunteering Wales Strategic Grant Round 2 - 2025-28

Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), established in 1934 as a response to economic hardship, is Wales' national membership body for charities, c...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Waterloo Foundation

Matching programme: World Development WASH Small Grants

The Waterloo Foundation, an independent grant-maker established in 2007 in Cardiff by Heather and David Stevens with an endowment from Admiral Group p...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £150,000
319 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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