We’ve handpicked these funding opportunities to help make it easier for your school to fund the work with our Wilder Learning team, helping to bring nature into the heart of learning and school grounds.

1) Alpkit Foundation
2) BlueSpark Foundation
3) Tesco Stronger Starts
4) Wooden Spoon

See below for more details on each funding opportunity.

Alpkit Foundation

Maximum available funding: £500

Application deadline: No deadline but please apply at least 3 months before the start of a project

Summary: Alpkit particularly like to support projects that:

• Encourage responsible outdoor activity
• Have long lasting benefits
• Introduce new people to get outdoors
• Demonstrate value for money

*Support outdoor educational programs; e.g. grants for outdoor First Aiders or Mountain Leader Training.

*Support proactive conservation and environmental projects; e.g. community gardens and allotments or grants to help re-wild woodland and protect our wild places.

Eligibility: We remain focused on small awards that have a direct impact, with support in the region of £50-£500 to individuals, community groups, schools and organisations to encourage people to get outdoors and have great experiences that otherwise couldn’t happen.

How it could be used to fund Sussex Wildlife Trusts work with you: 

• Fund a school trip to Rye Harbour Education Centre
• Fully fund a Wild Beach course place
• Fund the first aid certificate required for Level 3 Forest School certification
• Fully fund a Level 2 Forest School Assistant place
• Fund a schools ground consultation visit from us to advise on: creation of a pond, vegetable garden, meadow, tree planting or other habitat creation
  

More details and to apply: Alpkit Foundation

BlueSpark Foundation

Maximum available funding: £4999

Application deadline: No deadline- applications are considered on a rolling basis at approximately 8 week intervals.

Summary: BlueSpark provide funds for projects which might not happen at all or would only happen on a lesser scale without their support. They aim to help children and young people reach their full potential by supporting projects which have the following objectives:

Encouraging independence, developing team working skills, developing self-confidence, promoting creativity & individuality, encouraging aspiration, enhancing educational achievement, widening educational horizons

Eligibility: Funding provided by BlueSpark for any particular project must constitute a significant proportion of the costs of that project rather than being marginally incremental to its funding.

BlueSpark only make grants to support specific projects. They do not provide funding to support the running costs or general activities of an organisation.

How it could be used to fund Sussex Wildlife Trusts work with you:

• Fund a school trip to Rye Harbour Education Centre
• Create a growing garden
• Improve or create a Forest School area on your school grounds
• Purchase equipment needed for running of a garden, Forest School or Wild Beach provision
• Fund transport to get to your local green or blue space for Forest School or Wild Beach sessions

More details and to apply: BlueSpark Foundation

Tesco Stronger Starts

Maximum available funding: £1,500

Application deadline: No deadline  (Applicants will generally know the outcome of their application between 12-18 months of applying)

Summary: Tesco consider projects supporting mental health, special educational needs, emotional support, or equipment for indoor and outdoor activities that boost wellbeing. Projects that incorporate a food component, like lunch or healthy snacks, are especially encouraged.

Eligibility: Open to all schools. Apply for a grant of up to £1,500. Every three months, three local good causes are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK.

How it could be used to fund Sussex Wildlife Trusts work with you:

• Purchase equipment needed for running of a garden, Forest School or Wild Beach provision
• Fully fund a place on a Forest School or Wild Beach course
• Fund an INSET
• Fund a schools ground consultation visit from us to advise on creation of a vegetable garden or improvement to outdoor spaces for greater nature connection 

More details and to apply: Tesco Stronger Starts

Wooden Spoon

Maximum available funding: There is neither a minimum nor a maximum grant level.

Application deadline: No deadline- complete the expression of wish form for an initial assessment by Wooden Spoon projects team, the team should be in touch within 6 weeks.

Summary: If your project is in the UK and shares Wooden Spoons’ aim of making a positive impact on the lives of children and young people, it may be eligible for a Wooden Spoon grant which have supported over two million children and young people living with a disability, who are disengaged, or who are disadvantaged.

Eligibility: The project must enhance and support the lives of children and young people with a cognitive age under 25 that are disadvantaged physically, mentally, or socially. The project must work directly with children and young people and have a positive influence on their lives from the activities or service provided.

How it could be used to fund Sussex Wildlife Trusts work with you:

• Fund a school trip to Rye Harbour Education Centre
• Purchase equipment needed for running of a garden, Forest School or Wild Beach provision
• Fully fund a place on a Forest School or Wild Beach course
• Fund an INSET
• Fund a schools ground consultation visit from us to advise on creation of a vegetable garden or improvement to outdoor spaces for greater nature connection

More details and to apply: Wooden Spoon