The Royal Countryside Fund
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Fund's work fits projects that contribute to the sustainability of British farming, rural communities or the countryside, particularly in areas of greatest need, under its themes of farm resilience, environmental sustainability and rural community resilience.
- Its stated eligibility is community organisations only, so a small nonprofit that is a community organisation fits, while others should not assume they can apply.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between £6,000 and £30,000, with a median of £20,000, so a request in that band is a typical size, though its largest grant was about £40,500.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the Fund wants each project to become self-sustaining, so the proposal should show how the work will carry on after the grant ends.
Overview
The Royal Countryside Fund is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1136077).
The Royal Countryside Fund is a UK-wide charity that works alongside farming families and rural communities. It was founded to recognise the real challenges that come with rural life and do something about it. Its stated purpose is to improve the sustainability of British farming and rural communities, targeting areas of greatest need. It works through locally based programmes for farming families and through community-led projects, and says it has supported over 5,000 farming families and invested more than £12 million in 500-plus rural community-led projects.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Royal Countryside Fund works alongside farming families and rural communities across the UK. Its locally based programmes help family farms become more financially and environmentally resilient, using practical support and connections among farmers. It also funds community-led projects, combining local ideas with funding and guidance to strengthen rural resilience and sustainability. Its grants invite community organisations to seek capital, project and resource funding for work contributing to the sustainability of British farming, rural communities and the countryside, particularly in areas of greatest need. The Fund aims to empower communities to develop solutions that last, bringing people together to learn from one another and generate opportunities for the future.
Themes
- Farm resilience
- Environmental sustainability
- Rural community resilience
Geographic Focus
England; Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland.
How to apply
Community organisations can apply for capital, project or resource funding for projects that contribute to the sustainability of British farming, rural communities and the countryside, particularly in areas of greatest need.
Who can apply:
- Community organisations
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The foundation wants every funded project to become self-sustaining and generate new opportunities for the community over the long term.
- The foundation aims to empower, rather than prop up, people who live and work in the countryside.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Royal Countryside Fund.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 30 grants in year to 31 March 2025 by size
Median £20,870 (year to 31 March 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- North Highland Initiative£40,560year to 31 March 2025
- Another Way£30,000year to 31 March 2025
- CRFM CIC£30,000year to 31 March 2025
- Grizedale Arts£30,000year to 31 March 2025
- The Nurture Project CIC£30,000year to 31 March 2025
- Watchtree Nature Reserve Ltd£30,000year to 31 March 2025
- West Lakeland Farmer Led Nature Recovery CIC£29,988year to 31 March 2025
- VistaVeg Ltd£29,960year to 31 March 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £1,575,547 | £1,242,522 | £420,650 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £2,379,389 | £2,099,160 | £437,916 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £1,891,308 | £2,455,583 | £813,023 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £2,500,162 | £2,845,760 | £701,665 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £4,107,487 | £3,940,485 | £515,627 | Accounts for year to 31 March 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 March 2021; year to 31 March 2022; year to 31 March 2023; year to 31 March 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: grants paid out in the year.
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
- royalcountrysidefund.org.uk
- royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/about-us · read on 30 October 2026
- royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/how-we-help/supporting-rural-communities · read on 30 October 2026
- royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/contact-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Royal Countryside Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Applying to The Royal Countryside Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required