Details

In 2025, Volunteering Matters Action Earth will offer grants to help urban communities to respond to our nature and climate crises. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and 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 up to £250 to run environmental activities in green spaces in built-up areas and centres of population. They welcome applications that make major environmental impacts and/or involve mass participation.

Activities should emphasize local nature enrichment and biodiversity improvements. This could include creating or improving community gardens, shared spaces, wildflower meadows, ponds, community woodlands and creating other wildlife habitats.

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

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

Projects must complete and submit feedback by February 28 2026.

Premium information is available exclusively to SCVO members and supporters

Geographical areas funded: Scotland

Fund type

Type of funding:

Grant

Type of cost:

Capital, Revenue

Fund award sizes

Minimum:

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Maximum:

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Notes on award amounts:

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Who can apply

• 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 and greenspace restoration or improvements.
• A minimum of 15 volunteers (and preferably more) 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 some volunteer expenses can be claimed. Their strong recommendation is to plant native species only.

When to apply

Apply now. No stated deadlines.

How to apply

Complete application form via their website.

Contact information

Exclusions

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Activites funded: Citizenship and community involvement Environment Climate action

Beneficiaries funded: Economically/socially disadvantaged General public Socially isolated people Disabilities Local communities Voluntary sector organisations Volunteers Young people Urban communities

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Last reviewed 2 days ago