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Funding Schemes & Project Types
Regrettably, the Trust is unable to accept new applications for funding between now and its closure in 2019 that have not already been discussed.
the Trust cannot accept any further applications for funding that have not been discussed before an application has been approved.
The following factors have influenced our decision to not fund future applications:
- The commissioning of an incinerator at Javelin Park by Gloucestershire County Council (due to open in 2019)
- The requirement to keep administration costs below 7.5% of funds expended in a given year
- The decision made in 2017 to allocate the majority of funds available until closure to projects that have been discussed and invited to apply for funding
- The need to realistically manage community expectations; a regular increase in the number of applications received against a declining income
- The closure timeframe of the Trust
- The deliverability of potential projects within the timeframe to closure.
Click here to read our press release.
At the May 2017 review meeting, trustees reviewed over £1.6 million of applications against an anticipated income stream of significantly less than that available until closure.
All projects approved for funding at the May 2017 meeting were rigorously assessed against the criteria that were considered to be most important to the Trust:
- Supporting the development of active communities by responding to identified need
- Reducing social and economic disadvantage in local communities
- Reducing carbon emissions
- Protecting and enhancing biodiversity
- Protecting built and landscape heritage
- Encouraging quality of design
- Supporting innovation and dissemination of good practice
Until its anticipated closure in 2019, the Trust will monitor all funds allocated to projects to make sure that those funds are spent in accordance with the Terms of Grant Funding agreed.
Funding Schemes
Our funding schemes were as follows:
- Major Projects: £50,000 - £150,000
- Normal Grants: £5,000 - £50,000
- Fast Track Grants: Under £5,000 (included My Wild Spaces Programme)
Historically, the Trust only gave Normal Grants of between £5,000 and £30,000, but in recent years, trustees recognised the need to be more flexible in order to meet the needs of communities and the environment.
In 2010, the Trust made a decision to grant substantial funds of up to £250,000 to individual Flagship Projects that would make a noticeable difference to Gloucestershire's communities and environment. Between 2010 and 2016, the Trust funded five Flagship Projects.
In 2014, it became clear that many good quality projects did not meet the exacting requirements to be allocated Flagship status and trustees agreed to introduce a Major Projects scheme that meets many of the above criteria.
The Introduction of a Fast Track grant scheme was particularly successful. This scheme enabled small projects to be processed outside the quarterly Trust Review Meetings. Every effort was made to process such applications within five weeks of the submission date as long as ENTRUST project approval was received.
My Wild Spaces Programme involved collaboration between Gloucestershire Environmental Trust Fast Track grants (up to £5,000) and:
- Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) - providing expertise in all aspects of community-based wildlife projects and leading on the applications process.
- Gloucestershire Community Foundation High Sheriff's Fund - promoting community wildlife projects with additional funding of up to £500 per project for a trial period.
My Wild Spaces Programme was designed to support communities, aid capacity building and promote small and local first step wildlife projects.
Project Types
Applications generally fell into the following categories:
