The Linnean Society of London

Registered charity 220509 · since 1964linnean.org·Greater London, International, United Kingdom·Updated 30 October 2026

At a glance

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Whether this funder fits depends on which scheme you mean, since the Society runs several with different eligibility rules.
If your work involves a group of young people, Our Local Nature Grants is the one to look at: it is open to individuals and organisations linked with such a group anywhere in the UK, and you must show evidence of that link.
Awards are capped at £1,000 per proposal, and the Society favours projects designed and led by young people, so explain how they empower young people and make decisions, and be detailed about practicalities; projects already substantially funded by other bodies may be disadvantaged.
Applications open in September and close on 25 October, and no applicant receives more than one grant in any one year.
Without a link to a group of young people you cannot apply to Our Local Nature Grants, and LinnéSys applicants must be current members of the Linnean Society of London or the Systematics Association at the time of application.

Overview

The Linnean Society of London is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 220509).

The Linnean Society of London is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded as a learned society devoted to the science of natural history, and its purpose is the cultivation of that science in all its branches. Its three key charitable activities are safeguarding and promoting heritage collections, advancing scientific knowledge and understanding, and engaging the public and educational outreach. Its grants include the LinnéSys Systematics Research Fund, Our Local Nature Grants, Percy Sladen Memorial Fund Grants, the Appleyard Fund, the Dennis Stanfield Memorial Fund and the Anne Sleep Awards, and Our Local Nature Grants has provided £30,000 to 49 projects across the UK in the last five years.

What they fund

Priority Areas

The Society's grant schemes support research in systematics and taxonomy, including small-scale research and education projects across organism groups. Other grants support fieldwork abroad in the earth and life sciences, botany or zoology research, tropical African plant research, and biological research in the Middle and Far East. Its Our Local Nature Grants fund innovative projects designed and led by young people in the UK. Individuals and organisations linked with a group of young people can apply, including school staff, student groups, home education groups, community groups and small charities. The schemes support researchers as well as community-facing youth projects, and the Society also recognises excellence through its medals and awards.

Themes

Systematics and taxonomy
Youth-led nature projects
Earth and life sciences fieldwork
Botany and zoology research
Tropical African plants
Middle and Far East biological research

Geographic Focus

Anywhere in the UK; across the globe; London.

What they don't fund

Our Local Nature Grant Scheme only:
- large prizes
- on-going salary costs
- costs that are already covered by other funding
- general running costs
- retrospective spending
- activities outside the project period
- overheads that are paid for by other income
- More than half of the grant cannot be spent on refreshments or project-specific staff costs
- More than half of the grant cannot be spent on refreshments
- More than half of the grant cannot be spent on project-specific staff costs
- applicants who are not linked with a group of young people
- more than one grant to any one applicant in any one year
LinnéSys:
- Systematics Research Fund only: attendance at scientific meetings
- contributions to student maintenance or tuition fees
- payment of bench fees
- applicants who are not a CURRENT MEMBER of the Linnean Society of London or the Systematics Association at the time of application
- Researchers who were awarded a LinnéSys award in 2024 or 2025
- countries, administrations or persons subject to financial sanctions or ‘regimes’

How to apply

Organisations apply to Our Local Nature Grants by filling out the online application form.

Deadlines:

Applications open in September.
Applications close in October.

Application windows:

Our Local Nature Grants: Applications open in September and close on 25 October.

Who can apply:

Our Local Nature Grants: Grants are available to individuals and organisations linked with a group of young people anywhere in the UK; examples include school staff, student groups, home education groups, community groups and small charities. There must be evidence of the link. No more than one grant is awarded to any one applicant in any one year.

What to send:

Our Local Nature Grants
- Details of the person or people making the application, including the role young people play in developing the application and decision-making.
- A description of the proposed project.
- An outline of the expected timeline.
- An outline of who or what would benefit.
- A budget outline of how the grant money will be used.

Applying again: LinnéSys: Systematics Research Fund: Researchers awarded a LinnéSys award in either of the two preceding rounds specified on the page are not eligible for funding in the current round.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

The Society favours projects designed and led by young people.
Proposals should show how they empower young people to make nature-related changes and be detailed enough to cover practicalities.
Projects already substantially funded by other bodies may be disadvantaged.
A Youth Panel reviews applications and selects awardees.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

United Kingdom
International
Greater London

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to The Linnean Society of London.

Royal Geographical SocietyFixed deadlinesGave £138k The British Ecological SocietyFixed deadlinesGave £576k Cambridge Philosophical SocietyFixed deadlines Alpine Garden SocietyRolling International Dendrology SocietyRollingGave £25,236 British Mycological SocietyMixed deadlinesGave £67,609 The Royal Entomological SocietyInvitation onlyGave £30,000 The Royal SocietyFixed deadlinesGave £3.3M British Society for NeuroendocrinologyMixed deadlinesGave £54,566 Paul and Louise Cooke EndowmentRollingGave £5,500

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 December 2021	£2,500,544	£1,583,441	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2021
year to 31 December 2022	£2,044,826	£1,651,614	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2022
year to 31 December 2023	£2,442,501	£2,008,617	£4,995	Accounts for year to 31 December 2023
year to 31 December 2024	£2,275,510	£1,888,952	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2024
year to 31 December 2025	£2,632,979	£2,008,737	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2025

Grants paid, year to 31 December 2023: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).

— 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.