The Dee Trust

Registered charity 1127999 · since 2009deetrust.co.uk·England, Wales·Updated 30 October 2026

At a glance

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Dee Trust suits work that improves the River Dee or its catchment in Wales and England, particularly river habitat, farm water quality, community pollution action, environmental flows and catchment collaboration.
The only stated amount is a maximum of £7,500 for the Middle Dee fund, and no typical grant size is given, so ask the Trust what a request should look like before you cost a project.
It accepts applications on a rolling basis, though how competitive its funding is is not made clear.
Farmers and landowners should first contact the Trust at kate.jones@welshdeetrust.com for a farm assessment, since its Water Wise Farming work is confidential and built around that assessment before the Middle Dee application form is sent.

Overview

The Dee Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1127999).

The Dee Trust's objective is a River Dee free of pollution and full of wildlife. Its work runs through five key programmes: Restoring River Habitat, Water Wise Farming, It Shouldn't be in the Dee, Environmental Flows and Catchment-Based Approach. It works with land managers across the Dee catchment in both Wales and England.

What they fund

Priority Areas

The Dee Trust's objective is a River Dee free of pollution and full of wildlife. Its work combines restoration of river processes and habitat connectivity with reducing pollutants from agriculture and community action to remove pollution sources. It also seeks environmentally suitable reservoir releases and works with organisations across the catchment to reduce duplication and improve value for money. Through Water Wise Farming, it works confidentially with farmers on practical changes and targeted investments that keep soil and nutrients on the farm, providing farm advice and grant funding for farmyard and soil-health improvements. It works with land managers across the Dee catchment in both Wales and England and advances public understanding of rivers, riverbanks and responsible water management.

Themes

River habitat restoration
Farm water quality
Community pollution action
Environmental flows
Catchment collaboration

Geographic Focus

Wales; England.

How to apply

Farmers and landowners interested in an assessment or more information contact the Trust at kate.jones@welshdeetrust.com.

What to send:

Middle Dee Catchment Partnership fund: The completed application form
A report detailing good practice already in place, recommendations that would benefit water quality, and whether grant-scheme support may be available follows a farm assessment.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to The Dee Trust.

Nene Rivers Trust CIONo public processGave £27,845 The Roy and Pixie Baker Charitable TrustInvitation onlyGave £115k The Conscience TrustInvitation onlyGave £217k The Sheepdrove TrustNo public processGave £916k Friends of the Earth Charitable TrustInvitation onlyGave £10.6M The Don Catchment Rivers TrustNo public process The Beeching TrustRollingGave £116k The Inland Waterways AssociationNo public processGave £231k Williamson TrustInvitation only The Welland TrustRollingGave £581k

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 December 2020	£260,225	£331,393	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2020
year to 31 December 2021	£471,328	£411,060	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2021
year to 31 December 2022	£545,781	£447,237	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2022
year to 31 December 2023	£600,693	£696,197	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2023
year to 31 December 2024	£800,275	£836,401	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2024

— No grants figure for those years.

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.