Outdoor Essentials Grant

Applications for this Grant are now closed.

The Outdoor Essentials Grant is an award to UK state-funded Schools to remove barriers and enable pupils to connect to nature and learn outdoors. 

Our latest round of funding is open to Secondary Schools only (including Special Schools that work with secondary-age children). This award is open to any Secondary School across the UK, however, we encourage applications from Secondary Schools within our hub areas.

Grants are available for the following options:

Nature & Nurture

School grounds improvements

To enable young people to be connected to nature and the recognised benefits that this has to their wellbeing, this grant is available to schools to enhance ‘nature on the doorstep’ through improvements to school grounds or areas within their local community. The ambition is to see projects that provide for Outdoor Learning and improvements to biodiversity which could include wildflower meadows, creation of raised beds, allotment gardens, ponds, woodland areas or sensory gardens. The grant can also be used for the purchase of Outdoor Learning resources that engage young people with the environment such as bug hotels, bird boxes and mini-beast investigation kits. The grant cannot be used to fund capital infrastructure such as school playground equipment or storage sheds.

Transport & Travel

Transport costs to Outdoor Learning venues

Being outdoors benefits the mental and physical wellbeing of everyone. Research commissioned by The Ernest Cook Trust has identified that transport costs are a key barrier for schools to access Outdoor Learning. We are also aware that the cost of living crisis has highlighted inequalities in people’s ability to access the outdoors.

We believe that all children and young people should have the opportunity to create lasting, meaningful connections with nature. Therefore, this grant supports school travel and transport costs to any centre or provider that can facilitate these ambitions, including: Outdoor Learning centres, forest schools, countryside parks, woodlands, national parks, farm parks, farms (including city farms), coastal areas and beaches. Trips to outdoor adventure centres for outdoor activities (such as kayaking and climbing) may be considered, but nature connection and environmental learning must be the primary focus.

Wellies & Waterproofs

Outdoor clothing

The cost of living crisis has highlighted inequalities in people’s abilities to access the outdoors. Being unable to access appropriate outdoor clothing and equipment has been identified as a key barrier for schools who want to engage in Outdoor Learning. This grant helps to fund outdoor clothing to enable children and young people to learn outdoors.

How much grant funding will each school receive?

£1,000 per Secondary School

£1,000 per Special School working with secondary-age pupils

What can we fund through this round of the Outdoor Essentials Grant?

• Any UK state-funded Ofsted (or regional equivalent) registered Secondary or High School with a priority for those with a higher than average percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
• Any UK state-funded Ofsted Registered Special or Alternative Provision School listed on the GOV.UK website and the funding to be used for the secondary-age pupils within the school.
• Multi Academy Trusts, but applications must be made by the individual schools

What can’t we fund through this round of the Outdoor EssentialsGrant?

• Individuals
• Independent Schools
• Primary & Middle Schools (further rounds of the Outdoor Essentials Grant are planned that will be open to this category)
• Nursery Schools
• Playgroups
• Youth groups or clubs, as this is a fund for state schools only
• Outdoor Learning organisations/registered charities, eg forest schools
• Parent Teacher Associations, Governors or ‘Friends of…’ Trusts. Applications must be made directly from the school

Who do we prioritise?

• Schools with a significantly higher than average percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
• Schools that are located in areas of high deprivation and/or have pupils who are living in challenging circumstances
• Schools located within our hub area postcodes:
  Cumbria/Lancashire: BB, CA, FY, LA, PR
  Glos/Wilts/Avon: GL, SN, BS, BA20, BA21, BA22
  Leicestershire: LE
• Schools who are committed to enabling Outdoor Learning and see environmental engagement as an important part of education
• Schools who can demonstrate that Outdoor Learning has a wider benefit to families and their local community
• Those schools who have not received an Outdoor Essentials Grant from us before

Application process

Applications for this Grant are currently closed.