Climate Action Fund opens for applications, with up to £8 million in National Lottery funding for communities focusing on nature and climate change

The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund is today making up to £8 million available to community projects across the UK that are focusing on the link between nature and climate.

From today groups can apply for National Lottery funding of up to £1.5 million over two to five years to support place based and UK-wide partnerships that use nature to encourage more community-led climate action and help communities tackle climate change.

The National Lottery Community Fund expects most projects to be funded between £300,000 and £500,000, but development grants of £50,000 to £150,000 over 12 to 18 months are also available for those communities wanting to develop initial ideas.

Research from The National Lottery Community Fund shows that over half of people (54%) in the UK are worried about the impact of climate on their local community.* Successful applicants will join the 48 projects currently part of the Climate Action Fund; a ten-year £100 million fund that is supporting people and communities to reduce their carbon footprint and get to net zero, whilst helping people and communities to prosper and thrive.

Climate Action Fund grantees work together, share their learning and are active participants in a broader movement of change.

Nick Gardner, Head of Climate Action at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We know communities have a big role to play when it comes to the climate emergency, and we’re excited to again be accepting applications to the Climate Action Fund to support climate action.

“We’re looking to provide National Lottery funding to projects across the UK that explore deeper connections with nature, change behaviours and bring nature back into the places we live and work, helping communities to reduce or adapt to the impacts of climate change.”

The National Lottery Community Fund will assess applications to the Climate Action Fund on a rolling basis and will review the thematic focus of nature and climate towards the end of the year.

Since 2017, The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded more than £410 million through over 7,000 grants which involve environmental action, including action on waste and consumption, energy, transport, food and the natural environment. National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week across the UK for good causes.

Find out more about the Climate Action Fund