National Garden Scheme - Community Gardens Grants
The Community Gardens Grants scheme was set up in 2011 by the National Garden Scheme and managed in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society. From 2019 the Award became wholly managed by the National Garden Scheme. In November 2024, the Julia Rausing Trust announce a £1.5 million grant to the National Garden Scheme for the Community Garden Grants programme.
The Award was set up in memory of Elspeth Thompson, a garden writer and journalist and supporter of the National Garden Scheme who died in 2010.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is for gardening projects carried out within local communities in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The scheme is committed to:
- Sustainability in gardening so proposals need to demonstrate that they will be using sustainable gardening methods – for instance being as far as possible peat-free.
- Celebrating biodiversity so projects that encourage biodiversity and wildlife, while not essential, will be a positive.
Grant size
Grants of between £1,500 and £5,000 are available. Match funding is not a requirement.
Who Can Apply
Applicants must be a fully set up community group, registered charity or Community Interest Company (CIC) with a functioning non-personal bank account.
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Schools including pre-schools
- Volunteer expenses.
- Salaries or wages.
- Promotional costs (eg, production or printing of leaflets).
- Hire of large mechanical tools (eg, large shredder, JCB etc).
- Transport to visit gardens
- Educational course fees or training costs.
- Groups that received a grant the prior year.
- Eligible Expenditure
The funding is for the creation of a garden or a similar project (such as an allotment) with horticultural focus for the benefit of the local community.
The project should aim to bring a community together by creating a space people can share, by the acquisition and sharing of gardening knowledge and skills and by inspiring a love of gardening.
The funding can be used for:
- Plants and containers
- Materials for flower or vegetable beds and other hard landscaping
- Greenhouses, polytunnels and sheds
- Seating
- Hand tools and certain garden power tools (eg strimmers)
- Materials for providing refreshment.
How To Apply
Applications for 2026 Community Garden Grants are now open with a deadline of 20 October 2025 (12 noon).
Application Process
This in two parts.
- Firstly, there is an initial check on eligibility.
- The link to the second part will be sent by email.
Note only the first 300 eligible submissions will be considered for a grant.
Applicants will be informed whether they have been successful via email in April 2026.
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
Vince Hagan
Email: vince.hagan@ngs.org.uk
Tel: 01483 213905
Grant Scheme Administrator
National Garden Scheme
East Wing Hatchlands Park
East Clandon
Guildford Surrey
GU4 7RT