Friends of the Earth Charitable Trust

Friends of the Earth Charitable Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 281681).

Friends of the Earth Charitable Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, which exists to conserve, protect and sustainably use the natural environment, including biodiversity, atmosphere, water, land and natural resources, and to advance education in ecology, natural history and sustainable development. It runs the Local Action Group Fund, the Youth Action Fund and the Postcode Gardener Programme, the last of which is run in partnership with The Co-operative Bank. In its latest annual report it paid £10,610,000 in total, a single figure that may include grants to individuals, and the report does not split that total between its programmes.

Priority Areas

The Trust funds work that furthers its charitable objectives: conserving, protecting and sustainably using the natural environment; public education in ecology, natural history, resource conservation, sustainable development and environmental studies; and sustainable development through environmental protection, research and publishing. Its funded activities include campaigning, research, education, publishing and information about environmental problems and their solutions. Its grant programmes support registered Friends of the Earth groups and networks, including group development and activity with a demonstrable positive impact on nature, climate or environmental justice. It also supports youth-led grassroots climate campaigning in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and organisations employing professional Postcode Gardeners to green streets and bring neighbours together. The Partnership Fund supports activities that amplify the voices of communities and groups often left out of environment and climate movements.

Themes

• Environmental conservation
• Environmental education
• Sustainable development
• Climate campaigning
• Community greening
• Environmental justice

Geographic Focus

England; Wales; Northern Ireland.

Registered Friends of the Earth Local Action Groups submit applications to the Partnership Fund for a total of £500 per financial year.

Who can apply:

• All work funded by the Trust must fall within the charitable objects stated above and must comply with all legal and regulatory requirements for UK registered charities.
• Local Action Group Fund: Open to all registered Friends of the Earth groups and networks
• Youth Action Fund: Grassroots groups whose membership is age-restricted to those aged 25 and under; individuals who are aged 25 and under, and small campaigning organisations whose leadership is predominantly 25 and under and who work exclusively to support campaigning by that age group.
• Partnership Fund: Open to all registered Friends of the Earth Local Action Groups

What the charity says:

• Trustees review how best to further the objects and agree the primary funding areas.
• Trustees retain complete discretion to approve or reject grant applications.
• The Trust aims to diversify the organisations receiving its grants.
• The Local Action Group Fund supports building and developing groups or work with a demonstrable positive impact on nature, climate or environmental justice.
• The Partnership Fund supports activities that amplify voices of communities and groups often left out of environment and climate movements.
• Funded work must fall within the Trust’s charitable objects and meet legal and regulatory requirements for UK registered charities.
• Grant funds must be spent on charitable activities in line with the written agreement’s conditions.