The Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund, an initiative that awards grants for projects which create or improve local green spaces, will soon accepting new applications.

Launched by Andy Burnham in 2022, the fund has already invested over £4 million into community-led green projects, such as orchards, allotments, pathways, and communal gardens, across Greater Manchester. It has also been calculated that since its inception, the scheme has helped to create or regenerate over 420,000 square metres of green space.

From noon on May 18^th, applications for this year’s Green Spaces Fund grants – which range from £2,000 to £40,000 – can be submitted online via the Greater Manchester Environmental Trust Portal.

However, any community group applying for funding will need to demonstrate their how their proposals “increase the amount of accessible, nature-rich green space where people need it most”.

Other criteria include the need for applicants to be a recognised charity or community group (with its own bank account); the location of the project being publicly accessible (including during any works); and having the permission of the landowner (in writing) to undertake the proposed project, should any application be successful.

For more information about the fund, its background, and the full application criteria click here.