o Application deadline: to be confirmed. The Branching Out programme is scheduled to open to applications in July 2023.
o Funder: The Tree Council (founded 1973. Charity number 279000. Total charitable expenditure for the year ended 31 March 2022: £2,794,169 (2021: £1,177,714)).
o Who can apply: UK constituted community groups, schools, parish and town councils, tree warden networks (please note that this is not an exhaustive list and requests for funding may be considered by other types of organisation).
o Key Words: Children and Young People, Trees, Tree Planting, Environment, Conservation of Trees and Woodland, Orchards, Hedges, Education about Trees, Wildlife, Biodiversity, United Kingdom.
The Tree Council’s Branching Out Fund opens for applications in July. You can sign up HERE for updates.
The Branching Out Fund supports schools, community groups and Tree Warden Networks to plant trees, hedges and orchards. All projects should have strong community involvement, and ideally involve children and/or young people. In 2023, for the first time, The Tree Council is including funding for larger projects, (including the Network Rail Community Tree Planting Programme.
Previously, the Tree Council’s Branching Out Fund provided small grants of up to £2,000 for well-planned educational projects to plant trees, orchards, and hedges in the UK that involve and educate children and young people up to the age of 21. The maximum grant limited is expected to increase for 2023.
Projects can take place at any time during the 2023/24 planting season, which falls from mid-November 2023 to around mid-March 2024 (grants must be claimed by the March 2024 date. Please note that grants are awarded after the project has been completed, so applicants must have sufficient resources in place to fully fund their project).
Branching Out grants can be used for:
o Buying trees, including fruit trees, and hedges, and/or
o Reasonable costs of non-plastic protection and supports such as canes/stakes or ties, mulch, mulching mats and peat-free compost or soil improvers.
Applicants are encouraged to plant a wide variety of species to aid resilience. Preference will be given to projects which are planned with specific and special emphasis on wildlife and biodiversity. Non-native species can be considered where appropriate. Any trees purchased should:
o Be bare-root stock, if possible (if container-grown stock is being used, applicants must explain why).
o Detail how the trees will be sourced, planted and cared for, whilst also demonstrating excellent value for money and active educational engagement of children and young people up the age of 21.
o Encompass appropriate species, size and numbers, including fruit trees, that are sourced from bio-secure stock. Apple and pears must be grown on semi-vigorous, vigorous and very vigorous rootstocks, and
o Planted in the ground.
In previous rounds, grants of between £200 and £2,000 have been available with no matched funding requirement. Projects that cost a total of more than £2,000 were advised to contact the Tree Council to discuss their proposal, and it looks as if there have been sufficient projects over the £2,000 maximum grant limit to persuade the Tree Council to make larger grants available. The new maximum award has yet to be announced.
Funding is not available for:
o Chemicals for weed removal or suppression.
o Costs of contractors or staff time to plan or plant the hedge or trees.
o Dwarfing varieties, espalier, step-over fruit trees.
o Individuals.
o Intermediary organisations.
o Non-native, ornamental or evergreen hedges like Leyland Cyprus or cherry laurel.
o Peat-based compost or soil improvers.
o Plastic tree guards, ties or matting.
o Projects which plant on existing sites of wildlife or historic interest where tree or hedge planting is potentially damaging.
o Retrospective costs.
o Stock proof fencing, expensive guards and cages unless there is a very good reason.
o Trees planted in containers and container grown stock.
o Value Added Tax (VAT), or
o Volunteer tools and equipment, protective clothing, or costs of running community events.
Further information, guidance and an application form, which should be returned by email to the address below, is available on the Tree Council website.
The programme is scheduled to open in July 2023 with a deadline for applications yet to be announced. Agencies interested in applying or finding more out about Branching Out can register for updates on the Tree Council website.
Contact details for the Tree Council are:
The Tree Council Branching Out Grants
The Tree Council
4 Dock Offices
Surrey Quays Road
London
SE16 2XU
Tel: 07927 550431
Email: info(at)treecouncil.org.uk
