Climate Action Fund - Our Shared Future

Who can apply

You do not have to be a climate or environment focused organisation to apply

We want to reach people who are new to climate action by funding other types of organisations too. And by using people’s everyday activities as a starting point for climate action. This could include communities people are part of and clubs they attend. Or other interests like arts, sports and health.

We expect at least one of your partners to have experience of climate or environment work though.

You can apply even if you have funding from the Climate Action Fund already, or have applied in the past. If you already have funding we’ll consider how this fits in with any other projects you apply for.

We’ll only fund organisations working in formal partnership

All of the partners should be working together towards an agreed purpose.

This includes partnerships that:

• are based around a local area or region
• cover one of the countries that make up the UK
• cover the whole UK
• are based on a shared theme or identity rather than a place
• are new or already work together.

To get funding, a partner organisation must be a:

• constituted voluntary or community organisation
• registered charity
• charitable incorporated organisation (CIO or SCIO)
• not-for-profit company limited by guarantee – you must be a registered charity or have a not-for-profit ‘asset lock’ clause in your articles of association
• community interest company (CIC)
• school, college, university (as long as your project benefits and involves the wider local communities)
• statutory body (including local authorities, town, parish or community councils)
• community benefit society
• co-operative society – you must have a not-for-profit ‘asset lock’ clause in your society rules and also be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority.

We’re also interested in you working with other types of organisation in your partnership – like private companies. But they cannot get any of our funding.

We usually give our funding to the lead organisation in a partnership

They can then pay the other partners for the work they do.

You’ll need to create and sign an agreement with your partners

You do not need have this in place before you apply. But you’ll need it before you can start your project. You’ll have up to 6 months to start your project after we offer you funding.

Your partnership agreement should explain:

• how you'll work together
• everyone's roles and responsibilities
• your commitment to working together.

You can use our partnerships agreement template (PDF, 229 KB). Or you can create your own partnership agreement.

Our template is helpful if you have one lead partner who gets all of the funding and passes some of it on to the other partners. The template is only for guidance, and we cannot give you legal advice. So make sure to get your own legal advice before signing any agreement if you’re not sure.

If your partnership will not have a lead organisation

We will pay out the funding separately to each organisation. To get funding, the partners must all be one of the types of organisations we’ve listed.

We'll still expect you to have a formal agreement with your partners, even if there is no lead partner.

You need at least two board or committee members who are not related

Related can mean:

• related by marriage
• in a civil partnership with each other
• in a long-term relationship with each other
• related through a long-term partner
• living together at the same address
• related by blood.

All companies who apply must have at least two directors who are not related in any of these ways. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.

Who you should involve in your partnership

Your partnership should involve the communities you’re working with

You should include them in the design and delivery of your project. And make sure they continue to have a say in how the project works. For example you could include smaller local community groups in your partnership. Or involve people with lived experience of the issue you’re working on.

Your partnership should work across different sectors

For example, community groups working with public sector or local government. Or a group of sports clubs working with an environment charity. We’re interested in projects working with other organisations like the private sector – but they cannot get any of the funding.

Your partnership should involve experts that can help with:

• evaluation and learning
• communications - such as campaigns, press and public relations, social media, and how to tell your story.

We would also expect most partnerships to involve experts in public engagement. These could be from your organisation, or by involving another organisation that has expertise. For example if you want to involve the public in making decisions. Or are trying out a new way to reach out to people about taking climate action.

Your partnership should include at least one organisation with experience of climate or environment work

Especially if this is not the focus of your organisation.

Who cannot apply

We cannot accept applications from:

• single organisations that are not working in a formal partnership with others
• individuals
• sole traders
• organisations that look to make profits and share these profits out privately – including companies limited by shares, organisations without the right asset locks, or organisations that can pay profits to directors or shareholders.
• organisations based outside the UK
• anyone applying on behalf of another organisation (but it’s ok to apply for funding for another organisation if they’ll be in formal partnership with you)
• organisations applying to more than one of our funds for the same project over the same period. This is because you cannot get duplicate funding for something we’re already funding you to do. It’s OK to apply to another programme if you’ve already had an unsuccessful decision though.

If you’re a school or an organisation working with a school

Your project should involve and benefit the community outside of the school

Not just teachers, pupils, and parents of pupils.

We do not usually fund activities in schools that:

• improve school facilities or equipment
• help with staff training
• are part of the school curriculum
• the school should already be doing (like teaching reading during school hours)
• take place during teaching times (lunch breaks, or before and after school might be OK).

If you’re not sure if you can apply

If you are not planning to work in a partnership you should check our other funding.

You can also:

• phone us on 0345 4 10 20 30 – lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• contact us by email at general.enquiries@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

What we’re hoping to fund

We’ll fund partnership projects that inspire more people to take climate action.

By climate action we mean how people can reduce the impact of human activities on the climate. Or even have a positive impact. And also how we can prepare for, and adapt to, the inevitable impacts of climate change.  

Projects should do this by either:

• linking climate action to the everyday lives and interests of local communities
  We want to get people involved in climate action through their regular activities. This could include communities they are part of and clubs they attend. Or other interests like arts, sports and health.
  
  We want projects to show that climate action works best when communities have their say. And to help communities share their message. For example, with peers or with other sectors.
  
  
• influencing communities at a regional or national level
  Like linking up groups across locations. Or working with public engagement experts on a bold campaign to inspire change. Or helping communities to influence the people who make policies that affect them. This could be in one country, or across the whole UK.
  
  

For example, your project might:

• involve people who have not had a say. For example because they are new to climate action. Or because they come from communities that experience poverty, disadvantage and discrimination.
• work with a group who came together around another interest or activity. And help them use their existing interest or activity as a way to take climate action.
• try out ways to engage different groups of people in climate action to see which works best
• spread an exciting local approach to climate action by sharing it nationally.

You can read our blog for examples of projects we're likely to fund.

All projects also need to show how they’ll:

• get more people to take climate action
• involve communities, including:
  • responding to their priorities
  • treating people fairly
  • making sure people experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination are supported to have their say.
• help communities take advantage of opportunities and reduce barriers they face when taking climate action
• build on approaches that have worked elsewhere
• bring together organisations from across sectors
• involve partners with expertise in engagement and communications
• make a long term change that keeps going after the project ends
• measure and show their impact, and have expert partners to help do this
• share what they’ve learned, to help others.

The projects we’re unlikely to fund

We’re unlikely to fund projects that:

• are run and delivered by a single organisation
• will engage people but not help them take action
• do not have representation from the communities they are working with. We want to fund projects where activities are being done with community members, not to them
• cannot show how their project matters to the community
• include political activities that promote a particular political party, political belief or any targeted action to influence elections
• promote the agenda of a single organisation or group
• include activities that should be funded by local or national government
• are for building or refurbishment work.

If you’re not sure if you should apply

If your project does not fit with what we’re hoping to fund you should check our other funding.

You can also:

• phone us on 0345 4 10 20 30 – lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• contact us by email at general.enquiries@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

What you can spend the money on

How much funding you can ask for

The minimum you can ask for is £500,000. We expect to fund most projects for between £1 million and £1.5 million over 3 to 5 years.

We aim to fund up to 25 projects.

We may fund a small number of larger or longer projects

Contact us if you would like to discuss this. You can email us at ClimateActionFund@TNLCommunityFund.org.uk.

You can spend your funding on:

• staff costs
• volunteer expenses
• general project costs
• engagement activities
• learning and evaluation, including sharing these with others
• communications and campaigns
• utilities or running costs
• organisational development and management costs
• costs to help you engage with and support communities, or smaller partner organisations
• equipment
• delivering your project in other languages, such as Welsh.

We can fund some political activity and campaigning

But only if:

• the activity is not party political. This means that it must be about policy, practice, or legislation rather than opposing or supporting a political party.
• the activity is meant to help the cause of your organisation and benefit the public or society.

We will not fund projects where political activities are the main purpose. But we can fund projects that are mainly about campaigning.

What you cannot spend the money on

We cannot fund:

• activities that make profits for private gain
• religious activities (we can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and does not include religious content)
• activities that replace government funding (for example, we can only fund school activities that happen outside of normal teaching hours)
• activities that benefit individuals, rather than the wider community
• projects where political activities are the main purpose, or that support or oppose a specific political party
• lobbying activities
• things you’ve spent money on in the past and are looking to claim for now (retrospective costs)
• loan repayments
• the topping up of organisation reserves
• overseas travel or projects that take place outside of the UK
• electricity generation, such as from solar panels.

We’re unlikely to fund building or refurbishment costs

These are sometimes known as capital costs. But we can fund some equipment costs if you need them.

We’re unlikely to fund projects that will use the money to give out grants

We call this onward granting. Onward granting means using our funding to then give out grants to other organisations.

If you are thinking of doing this, you should contact us to discuss it first.

Considering your environmental impact

We're committed to helping you protect the environment. You can check our guidance on:

• reducing your environmental impact
• making an environmental action plan.
  

Our Climate Action Hub also has information about our approach to tackling the climate emergency, including learning and insights, stories and funding.

Delivering your project in Wales 

If you’ll be working in Wales you must deliver your project bilingually in Welsh and English. You can read our guidance on managing your project bilingually.  

If your project works with children, young people or vulnerable adults

You and all of your partners need to have policies in place that explain how they'll be kept safe. We might ask to see these policies if we decide to give you funding.

Find out more about what you and your partners need to do in our safeguarding expectations for organisations we fund.

UK’s subsidy control commitments

Our grants come from public funds. If we fund you, you’ll have to comply with the UK's International Subsidy Control Commitments listed on the GOV.UK website. You should seek independent legal advice if you need more guidance.