Grant: £500
Funding Type: Project based
Registration Status: UK Registered Charities, Community Interest Companies, Non-profit organisations or Charitable Incorporated organisations
Diversity Area: Disability, Limited Financial Means, Young People
Activity: Nature Connection, Outdoor Learning
Application Deadline: N/A - Open fund

The Ernest Cook Communities Grant is an award aimed at supporting charities and non-profit organisations who encourage young people aged from 11-19 years (or up to 25 years old for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) from underserved communities to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature.

This grant is offered for the following options:

• Work that resources nature connection - Connecting young people to nature so they can reap the wellbeing benefits. This grant is available to enhance ‘nature on the doorstep’ through improvements to areas within local communities. Projects that provide spaces for Outdoor Learning and improvements to biodiversity, which could include wildflower meadows, creation of raised beds, allotment gardens, ponds, woodland areas or sensory gardens, are desirable.

• Transport costs to Outdoor Learning venues - This grant supports travel and transport costs to any centre or provider that can facilitate outdoor learning, such as: The Ernest Cook Trust Outdoor Learning sites, Outdoor Learning centres, forest schools, countryside parks, woodlands, national parks, farm parks, farms (including city farms), coastal areas and beaches. Trips to outdoor adventure centres for outdoor activities (such as kayaking and climbing) may be considered, but nature connection and environmental learning must be the primary focus.

• Outdoor Clothing - This grant helps to fund outdoor clothing to enable young people to learn outdoors.

Find out more here