Funding
Get your community’s environmental projects off the ground with the right funding and support.
Funding can help your community group bring ideas to life — whether that’s creating pollinator-friendly spaces, organising clean-ups, or improving areas for wildlife and nature.
This guide is here to help you explore funding opportunities, build stronger applications, and access training and support to help your projects grow and make an even bigger impact.
Finding Funding Opportunities
- Check your local council website - Most councils offer environmental-focused grants for communities. Visit our Council Contacts page for more details.
- Subscribe to updates - Sign up for newsletters from Live Here Love Here, The National Lottery Community Fund NI, Groundwork NI, and Community Foundation for Northern Ireland. You can also sign up to NICVA's Grant Tracker (subscription fees apply).
- Explore environmental networks - Groups like Ulster Wildlife and The Conservation Volunteers often share open calls and partnership opportunities.
Writing a Strong Application
- Show local need – Use photos or brief examples to show why your project matters.
- Plan your budget – Include realistic costs and explain how each item supports your goals.
- Collaborate – Mention any schools, community groups or partners involved.
- Measure impact – Outline how you’ll track success, such as volunteers involved, waste collected, biodiversity gains.
- Be specific – Describe your project’s purpose, location and who benefits.
- NICVA's Writing Successful Funding Applications
- Community Foundation NI's Tips for submitting a grant application
- Community Fund's Using artificial intelligence tools in funding applications
Training and Support
The right support and training can turn a great idea into a successful, high-impact project. Check out these organisations offering helpful guidance for community groups across Northern Ireland:
- Live Here Love Here's Climate Action team provides free advice, webinars, and practical toolkits to help communities take meaningful action for climate, nature, and the environment.
- Volunteer Now offers training in Attracting and Selecting Volunteers and Managing and Motivating Volunteers.
- The Conservation Volunteers offers volunteer training and practical site-based workshops for community groups.
- Ulster Wildlife provides training workshops on habitat creation, species recording and biodiversity; great for groups applying for nature-based grants.
Apply for a Small Grant
If your group is just getting started or planning a new environmental project, our Small Grants scheme is a great way to bring your ideas to life.
Each year, the programme supports community and volunteer-led projects that help improve local environments and create positive change for the wider community. Funding can be used for things like tools, equipment, plants, and materials to help make your project happen.