Open Call for Green Grants Initiative (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 16-Oct-2026

The Green Grants Initiative provides grants of up to £1,000 to small charities, voluntary groups, and community organisations in Hertfordshire undertaking local climate action and sustainability projects. The programme is designed to help organisations take practical environmental action while improving health, independence, social inclusion, and opportunities for local communities. Funding can contribute to a larger project, but the grant must be spent within six months, with monitoring submitted within seven months of the award. Priority is given to organisations that would otherwise struggle to afford the requested items. The Green Grants Initiative supports small-scale environmental and sustainability projects that respond to local needs in Hertfordshire. The programme is supported by the Green Herts – HCF Sustainability Fund, which brings together contributions from individual, family, and corporate donors managed by the Hertfordshire Community Foundation.

The fund focuses on:

Local climate action. Environmental sustainability. Climate change resilience. Community benefit. Addressing local need and deprivation. Supporting organisations with limited financial resources. The programme is aimed at organisations delivering services directly to communities in Hertfordshire.

Eligible applicants can include:

Registered charities. Companies with charitable status. Social enterprises. Constituted voluntary groups. Constituted community organisations. Applicants must deliver services in Hertfordshire and demonstrate how their work benefits local people. The Green Grants Initiative supports practical projects that promote climate action and environmental sustainability while producing a direct benefit for the local community. Projects should align with one or more of the following outcomes: Protecting people who use care and support services. Advancing physical health. Supporting mental health and wellbeing. Promoting independence. Increasing social inclusion. Improving opportunities and life chances. Strengthening local resilience to environmental or climate-related challenges. Funding can be used as part of a larger project, provided the Green Grant itself is used for eligible purposes and within the required timeframe. The maximum grant available is £1,000.

Important funding conditions include:

Maximum grant: £1,000.

Spending period: The grant must be spent within six months.

Monitoring: Monitoring information must be submitted within seven months of receiving the award.

Larger projects: The grant can form part of a wider project.

Applicants should therefore plan carefully so that funded items or activities can be purchased and delivered within the six-month spending period. The initiative gives priority to organisations that may not otherwise be able to afford the items they are requesting. This means applicants should clearly explain: What they need funding for. Why the item or activity is important. How it supports climate action or sustainability. Why the organisation cannot easily fund the cost itself. Who in the local community will benefit. What difference the grant will make. A clear explanation of financial need can help demonstrate why the requested support is important to the organisation. Small community organisations can play an important role in delivering practical climate and sustainability initiatives at a local level. The Green Grants Initiative connects environmental action with wider community outcomes, including: Health and wellbeing. Independence. Social inclusion. Community resilience. Improved life opportunities. Support for people who use care and support services. Local responses to climate change. The programme is therefore not limited to environmental benefits. Projects should demonstrate how sustainability activity can also improve outcomes for people and communities in Hertfordshire. Several categories of applicants are specifically excluded.

Ineligible applicants include:

Individuals who are not affiliated with an eligible organisation. Statutory bodies. Private companies without charitable status. Organisations that do not provide direct services to the community. Organisations that are not based in Hertfordshire. National charities without a clear Hertfordshire focus. Businesses. Community Interest Companies (CICs) limited by shares. Statutory organisations such as schools. Parish councils. Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). Applicants should check their organisational structure carefully before investing time in an application. The initiative has a strong Hertfordshire focus. Eligible organisations must deliver services in Hertfordshire, and the project should demonstrate a direct benefit to people or communities in the county. National charities may be excluded unless they can demonstrate a clear Hertfordshire focus that meets the programme requirements. The programme provides small grants for practical environmental projects that connect climate action with community benefit. A suitable project should establish a clear relationship between: The organisation’s local work. The environmental or climate issue being addressed. The requested item or activity. The people who will benefit. The wider community outcome. The organisation’s ability to deliver the project within six months. The grant can contribute to a larger project, so applicants do not necessarily need to fund an entire initiative through the Green Grant. Organisations preparing an application can follow these steps: Check organisational eligibility. Confirm that the organisation is an eligible charity, charitable company, social enterprise, or constituted voluntary/community group. Confirm the Hertfordshire connection. Make sure the organisation delivers services in Hertfordshire and can demonstrate local community benefit. Identify the sustainability project. Clearly describe the climate action or environmental activity that requires funding. Define the requested items o