In 2023 Volunteering Matters Action Earth will be offering grants to help urban communities to respond to our nature and climate crises. Funded by NatureScot, these nature grants support volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and abilities in practical outdoor activities in Scotland’s cities, towns and villages.

Any group of volunteers in urban areas are able to apply for Volunteering Matters Action Earth nature grants of between £50 and £250 to run environmental activities in Scotland’s green spaces in built-up places and centres of population and their surroundings.

Activities should emphasise local nature enrichment and biodiversity improvements. This could include creating or improving community gardens, shared spaces, wildflower meadows, ponds and wetlands, community woodlands and building other wildlife habitats.
Please note that we cannot support applications for activities which are primarily about food growing.

Projects must be completed by January 31st 2024.

We prioritise applications from volunteer groups that do any of the following:

-Work in areas where there is substantial social or economic deprivation
-Improve and develop the health and wellbeing of their local community
-Involve disabled people, vulnerable people or those at risk of exclusion
-Encourage and involve people under 26 in practical outdoor conservation

We welcome applications that make major environmental impacts and/or involve mass participation.

Action Earth grant funding is provided by NatureScot.

WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES QUALIFY FOR A GRANT?
-The project must involve practical outdoor activity by volunteers in Scotland. —They should make environmental improvements to urban green spaces – planting projects, wildlife habitat creation etc.
-A minimum of 15 volunteers must be involved in the project, each giving at least 5 hours of volunteering time
-Sites to be worked on must be accessible to the general public
-Plants, tools, materials and volunteer expenses can be claimed. You MUST use non-peat compost if this is one of your purchases and our strong recommendation is to plant native species only.

WE ARE UNABLE TO FUND:
-Projects in remote rural settings (unless involving disabled people/defined health groups or in areas of multiple deprivation)
-Activities which are primarily about food growing.
-Staff time or sessional workers wages, accommodation, cameras or large pieces of equipment (lawnmowers, power tools etc), fuel costs or compost that is not ‘peat-free’,
-Any project taking place on school grounds.

ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?
Projects pay costs upfront and then claim back from us by sending in receipts, feedback forms and a grant claim form within 4 weeks of your project end date. We will then repay the money into your group’s bank account.

We’re here to help and can offer help and advice throughout the application process. We can also assist successful applicants with social media posts, local press releases and advice on how to promote and develop your project.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I’M SUCCESSFUL?
Successful applicants will be sent an email with a letter showing the unique reference number which you should use throughout the process. We will send you all the information you need including promotional material and certificates.