Local School Nature Grants
What do bird boxes, bee hotels, and nature experts all have in common? They’re all available for free as part of our Local School Nature Grants programme, supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Open to schools and early years settings in England, Scotland and Wales, this outdoor learning grant fund has four elements – an outdoor learning training course for your staff, a school grounds climate survey, a Climate Curriculum Kit (valued at £150) and £500 of outdoor equipment chosen from a catalogue of over 100 items.
Learn more about the grants below or head straight to the application portal.
Discover our tips
for writing a winning
grant application!
for writing a winning
grant application!
Our impact
Since their launch in 2017, our Local School Nature Grants have helped nearly 3,500 schools across England, Scotland, and Wales to improve their outdoor learning provision, enabling thousands more children to profit from time in nature.
2022 was our biggest and best year yet: we awarded 900 grants – more than any previous year.
There was a general lack of confidence with ideas to take outdoors, so the staff found the training hugely beneficial. Some said it was the best training they have ever had.
Key Information
Product catalogue
With a Local School Nature Grant, you’ll have a budget of £500 to mix and match on items from our product catalogue. We offer a wide variety of products to appeal to a broad range of age groups and projects. All the products are delivered direct to you from our partner suppliers.
Training catalogue
You’ll be able to select an outdoor learning training session from a range of themes. A member of our skilled team will then deliver an engaging session for your staff for up to half a day. You will be offered a choice of dates, but we do ask that the training is delivered within the funding round.
Funding
The project is funded by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and their funding trusts (either People’s Postcode Trust, Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, Postcode Places Trust, Postcode Society Trust, Postcode Local Trust, or Postcode Community Trust).
Eligibility
The grants are available to all schools and early years settings in England, Scotland, and Wales only. Early years settings must employ at least five staff and have a dedicated building, either stand alone or part of a school. School nurseries and the attached school will be classed as one setting.
We cannot fund outside of the geographical limits. Individual childminders are not eligible to apply. If you have previously been awarded a Local School Nature Grant, you cannot apply again.
Please read the FAQ on the application portal for more information.
More details
- The total spend on products cannot exceed £500.
- All prices include VAT and delivery.
- Any under-spend will be used to help further schools partake in the project and cannot be reimbursed to the school.
- Schools are welcome to select the same item multiple times, as long as the £500 budget is not exceeded.
- Items will be delivered to your site within three months of a successful application.
- We manage all the ordering and payments – you simply make a choice via the online catalogue.
- We cannot let you ‘top up’ the grant.
- The training will take place at your own site.
- You will have a choice of themes for the training session.
- The training will be outdoors and interactive (our preference), or delivered remotely online.
- Up to 30 staff can take part, although up to 15 (including the trainer) is preferred.
- We include handouts and follow up information, including lesson plans and ideas.
- You will have a choice of times and dates for the training session.
- All our staff are following strong Covid-19 protection protocols as well as our standard risk management processes.
2024 dates
| Round | Closing date |
| 1 | Friday 26 April, 2024 |
| 2 | Friday 6 September, 2024 |
| 3 | Friday 8 November 2024 |
