Environmental
Borders Act for Change
In February 2025, schools and organisations across the Scottish Borders are invited to come together to inspire others and commit to making a positive impact in their communities. This initiative encourages taking action to protect, enhance, or connect with the environment.
Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are now open. Scroll down to fill out a form and find out more!
What is it?
Schools, groups, and organisations are encouraged to take action in February to make a positive impact in the Scottish Borders and beyond. Activities might include litter picks, tree planting, working on green spaces, or organising film screenings of environmental films.
How did it come about?
At the Youth Green Summit, young people expressed a desire to take meaningful climate action within their communities while connecting with other groups across the Scottish Borders. Due to logistical challenges of bringing everyone together physically, Borders Act for Change was created to allow for decentralised but coordinated action across the region.
How to get involved:
- Think about an action to take in February, whether individually, with a project group, or with a class.
- Fill out the form committing to the action and send it back by 24th January.
- Apply for funding. Up to £250 per group/organisation/school is available to cover marketing, catering, venue hire, materials, etc. Funding is on a first-come, first-served basis and applications are reviewed weekly. When it is gone, it is gone!
Key dates for your diary:
- 25th November: Launch of Borders Act for Change. Application forms for small grants open.
- 24th January: Application deadline (funding may expire before this, so apply quickly!).
- 1st February: Borders Act for Change month begins!
The Naturesave Trust
The January – February funding window is now open and the theme is Sustainable and Active Travel.
The deadline for this window is 12 noon on 27th February 2025.
Sustainable and active travel options are more important than ever, as more people shift toward eco-friendly practices. The impact of travel on the environment has become a key focus, with consumers increasingly demanding greener options.
Transport is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, producing 26% of the UK’s total emissions in 2021. The majority (91%) of emissions from domestic transport came from road vehicles. The biggest contributors to this were cars and taxis, which made up 52% of the emissions from domestic transport, Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) (20% of domestic transport emissions) and vans (17% of emissions).
The Naturesave Trust are looking to support projects that actively promote sustainable and eco-friendly approaches to travel and transport:
- Vehicles: clean fuel, batteries, or both. This can include electric vehicles, hybrid power systems, and fuel cells.
- Infrastructure: such as public transportation systems.
- Energy source: Using renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels like coal.
- Activity: Walking, cycling, or using a scooter instead of driving.
Got a project that fits the bill?
Ian Findlay Path Fund
Please note this is a rolling programme, demand is likely to be high and the fund will close when it is fully allocated. You are advised to apply as soon as possible.
The Fund supports projects that clearly demonstrate that they will make it easier for people to travel actively. They must also meet at least one other of the program outcomes.
- To Improve the accessibility of existing paths
- To improve the resilience of paths
- To improve the use of existing local path networks through the development of new link paths
- To improve safety and increase community confidence
- To increase a community of core path and local path networks
Funding between £10,000 and £100,000 is available, with 30% match funding required (15% can be in kind). If you are at an early stage of your project, they can offer up to 100% of design costs. Open to charities and CICs.
Fallago Environment Fund
Completed applications must be submitted by 12 noon on 1st September and 1st March.
The Fallago Environment Fund offers two funding programmes, a Main Grants Programme and a Core Funding Programme. The main emphasis of the Fund will be on capital projects that leave a long-term legacy (Main Grants Programme). However, core funding support will be considered, in exceptional circumstances, to those organisations that can clearly demonstrate how their activities complement and deliver on the aim of the Fund (Core Funding Programme). The aim of the fund is to enhance the quality of life for local communities and visitors to the Borders through investment in the protection, enhancement and appreciation of the natural, built and cultural heritage of the Scottish Borders environment.
The SUEZ Communities Fund
Please note the closing dates for applications are Wednesday 7 August and Wednesday 20 November 2024
The fund supports community and environmental improvement projects through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund. Applications for capital projects, i.e. those that focus on physical improvement at an identified site, will be considered. Projects must be located within 10 miles of a Landfill Site – projects in multiple sites cannot be considered. The maximum grant amount is £25,000 in Scotland both charities and CICs are eligible. Funding typically covers materials, equipment, and contractors for improvement work.
Nature Restoration Fund
Please note the closing date for applications is Monday 12 August 2024
NatureScot are accepting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for Helping Nature and Transforming Nature streams. Helping Nature funding is available for grants of £25,000 to £250,000 for activities lasting up to 24 months from the start date of the project, however, all activity must be completed by the end of March 2026. Your EOI will be responded to within 20 days, if successful you will be invited to submit an application.
John Ellerman Foundation
Grants of between £10-50K are available under their 3 priority areas – Arts (creators and curators), Environment (People and Planet) and Social Action (Campaigning Change). They prioritise UK charities with a turnover of between £100K and £10mn, and their preference is to fund core costs though project costs will be considered.
EB Scotland - Scottish Landfill Communities Fund
EB Scotland will consider applications across all types of projects included in the SLCF Objects including land reclamation, community recycling, public amenities and parks, biodiversity and historic buildings. The fund gives between £1 million and £1.5 million annually. They don't operate any minimum or maximum application amounts. They do not operate strict timescales and assess based on demand. Once they decide on a meeting they will set a deadline for receipt of applications.
Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme
Registered Charities, Community Interest Companies, Co-operative Societies and Community Benefit Societies can apply for funds to deliver energy-related projects that meet the scheme priorities and benefit people. The core priority aims to help people who are most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills.
- Innovation Projects - 15% of Energy Redress funds can support the development of innovative products and services related to energy that have a realistic prospect of delivering benefits to existing and/or future energy consumers and that help to reduce the environmental impact of energy use
- Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund (CERF) - Up to 15% of Energy Redress funds can also be used to support energy-related activities aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from energy use. These projects must focus on energy generation, distribution or energy use
The Mushroom Trust
Grants of up to £10,000 are available for community groups / voluntary organisations to support the creation, maintenance and improvement of urban green spaces. Groups should demonstrate public involvement and community-based fundraising.
Green Heat Innovation Support Programme
Funding is available to encourage the growth of the green heat market in Scotland, supporting innovation and capital investment. Three different levels of support are available, depending on the type of project - Large R&D and Capital Grant Funding; Feasibility Studies; and CAN DO Innovation Challenges.
Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS)
This grant scheme supports projects that shape and grow the use of private investment and market-based mechanisms to finance the restoration of Scotland’s nature. Grants of up to £240,000 will be offered to organisations and partnerships to help develop a viable business case and financial model, to attract investment in projects that can restore and improve the natural environment.
Friends Provident Foundation
The small grants programme is a rolling programme, aiming to support under-resourced or newer entrants to economic systems change work to develop their ideas for a 4D economy with grants of up to £10,000.
The Electricals Recycling Fund
The Fund aims to grow existing methods (up to £100K) or test new creative and practical ones (up to £50K) for recycling small household electricals through projects that make it easier for the public to repair, reuse or recycle their electricals.
EFN Rapid Response Fund
Funding is available to support groups trying to seize unexpected opportunities or respond to unanticipated crises with a potentially significant environmental outcome. Preference to work on thematic issues that EFN research has found to be less well funded in particular:
- Trade and finance
- Consumption and waste
- Toxics and pollution
- Transport
- Fresh water
The Martin Wills Wildlife Maintenance Trust
Grants of up to £2,000 are available to support the conservation and maintenance for the benefit of the public of the natural environment and its indigenous woodland flora and fauna with reference to the conservation and maintenance of the character and amenity of rural areas. Grants are made only to charities, which focus on the conservation of wildlife and the environment.