Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your group is a community group that finds it hard to reach or enter Westonbirt Arboretum, the discretionary grant fund is the route that fits, as it can cover entry, travel, refreshments and taking part in activities there.
- Its applications are capped at less than £10,000, and the annual report's typical grants run from £7,000 to £180,000, with a median of £29,000, so a modest request fits the fund's own terms.
- Applications are considered by the CEO with approval from at least one trustee, and the fund accepts applications on a rolling basis, so there is no deadline to meet.
- Tetbury in Gloucestershire is named as a priority, but nothing states that other areas are excluded, and requests of £10,000 or more, or needs unrelated to access to the Arboretum, fall outside what the fund states it supports.
Overview
Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 293190).
The Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It aims to further public enjoyment and knowledge of the Arboretum's world-renowned tree collection and to secure its sustainable future, through conservation, education and public participation. The annual report records £445,533 awarded in grants, with the site manager named as its major beneficiary, and a discretionary grant fund supports community groups that would otherwise struggle to access the Arboretum.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Friends supports Westonbirt Arboretum, aiming to secure its sustainable future and connect people with trees through conservation, education and participation. Its work supports care of the tree collection, planting, research and protection from pests and diseases, as well as learning opportunities for people of all ages and activities for visitors. The charity gives financial and practical support to the arboretum’s management and development, and its site manager is the major beneficiary of its grant giving. A discretionary grant fund also supports community groups that would otherwise struggle to access the Arboretum, including entry, travel, refreshments and engagement in activities there. Its approach combines practical support with member engagement and public participation.
Themes
- Tree conservation
- Education about trees
- Public participation
Geographic Focus
Priority: Tetbury in Gloucestershire.
How to apply
Applications to the discretionary grant fund are considered by the CEO, with approval from at least one trustee.
Who can apply:
- This is a discretionary grant fund for applications valued at less than £10,000.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The fund supports community groups that would otherwise struggle to gain access to the Arboretum.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- Tetbury
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 8 grants in year to 31 December 2025 by size
Median £43,200 (year to 31 December 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Tree Conservation Management · Grants payable to Forestry England£180,000year to 31 December 2025
- Silk Wood Community Planting Project · Grants payable to Forestry England£110,632year to 31 December 2025
- Community Coordinator · Grants payable to Forestry England£90,000year to 31 December 2025
- Youth Forum · Grants payable to Forestry England£57,400year to 31 December 2025
- Student Arborist Placement · Grants payable to Forestry England£29,000year to 31 December 2025
- Outdoor Learning Officer · Grants payable to Forestry England£20,000year to 31 December 2025
- Community Engagement · Grants payable to Forestry England£9,074year to 31 December 2025
- Play Project · Grants payable to Forestry England£7,000year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 1 with no named recipient; 1 line covering other, unnamed recipients (£39,981).
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £1,872,677 | £1,721,987 | £89,563 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £1,983,444 | £2,001,690 | £159,023 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £2,204,896 | £2,126,077 | £221,321 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £2,402,434 | £2,248,568 | £247,393 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £2,954,023 | £2,643,815 | £445,533 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- fowa.org.uk
- fowa.org.uk/our-cause/what-we-do · read on 30 October 2026
- fowa.org.uk/our-cause/about-us/contact-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01666 331 770source
- membership@fowa.org.uksource
- Supporter Services Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum Westonbirt, The National Arboretum Tetbury GL8 8QSsource
- fowa.org.uk
- Contact form
Applying to Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01666 331 770source
- membership@fowa.org.uksource
- Supporter Services Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum Westonbirt, The National Arboretum Tetbury GL8 8QSsource
- fowa.org.uk
- Contact form