This fund is focusing on the link between nature and climate and is looking for place-based, community-led partnerships that use nature to encourage more community-led climate action and help communities tackle climate change.

The National Lottery Community Fund’s £100 million Climate Action Fund is open for applications with up to to £8 million available to community projects across the UK. Local and UK-wide partnerships can apply for funding of up to £1.5 million over two to five year.

The Fund expects to award most projects between £300,000 and £500,000.

Projects are expected to bring other important social and economic benefits, such as the creation of strong, resilient and healthy communities or the development of “green” skills and jobs.

Development grants of £50,000 to £150,000 over 12 to 18 months are also available for those communities wanting to develop initial ideas.

It is anticipated that 12 to 15 projects will be funded.

Examples of what the funding can be spent on are:

• staff costs
• volunteer expenses
• general project costs
• engagement activities
• learning and evaluation
• utilities or running costs
• organisational development and management costs
• some capital costs (this could be for buying equipment or buying, leasing, refurbishing or developing land and buildings, or other construction-related work).

A series of virtual online events are being held about the funding.

There is no deadline and applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis.

For full details, including registration for the virtual information events, visit the Community Fund website.