The Bupa Foundation’s Green Community Grants programme, which is being managed by Groundwork UK on behalf of BUPA, is designed to support practical projects which enhance the health of people and the planet by providing grants of between £250 and £2,500. The scheme, which is part of Bupa’s Healthy Cities campaign, is open to all to schools, registered charities, not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and social housing providers across the UK.
Priority will be given to the regeneration of green spaces for community use. However, other examples include:
o Improving green spaces for community activities that improve wellbeing.
o Tree planting to improve air quality and biodiversity.
o Schools wanting to create an outdoor classroom or forest school.
o Community groups who would like to create an allotment, and
o Voluntary organisations wanting to install sustainable equipment, such as a heat pump.
Grants of between £500 and £2,500 are available with no matched funding requirement. Projects should commence from the beginning of October 2023 and must be completed by the end of April 2024.
Projects should have a positive impact on people in their local community and the health of the planet by addressing one or more of the following “people” and “planet” outcomes:
People Outcomes:
o Improved community cohesion
o Improved community safety.
o Improved educational opportunities.
o Improved mental health and wellbeing.
o Improved physical health, and/or
o Increased access to green space.
Planet Outcomes:
o Habitats created.
o Improved air quality.
o Improved biodiversity.
o Improved local environment.
o Improved soil quality.
o Reduced dependency on fossil fuels.
o Reduced polluted water.
o Trees planted, and/or
o Use of sustainable and/or recycled materials
Funding is not available for:
o Activities which collect funds for redistribution to other charities or individuals
o Community Interest Companies with guarantee that are less than 2 years old,
o Community Interest Companies with shares.
o Conferences or seminars
o Fundraising activities.
o Individuals.
o Marketing promotions.
o Organisations that are not constituted.
o Overseas projects, including expeditions an overseas travel
o Profit-making organisations.
o Projects or activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide.
o Promotion of a religious or political cause, including political donations.
o Research projects.
o Running costs and organisational overheads, or
o Work that has already taken place.
Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on Groundwork’s website.
The deadline for applications is Friday 30th June 2023 at 12 noon (midday).