The Tree Council launches Branching Out Fund

Deadline: 01-Dec-2024

The Tree Council grant for community groups, schools, small registered charities, and Tree Warden Networks seeking to establish trees, hedgerows, and orchards.

The Tree Council brings everyone together with a shared mission to care for trees and the planet’s future. They inspire and empower organisations, government, communities and individuals with the knowledge and tools to create positive, lasting change at a national and local level.

What they’re looking for?

Projects that include several elements from the lists below will score more highly in the assessment process.
- Projects £250 – £500
  - Evidence of:
    - Strong community involvement
    - Involvement of local schools
    - Engaging young people in planning, delivery and aftercare
    - Involving a broad cross section of the community (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity)
    - Good value for money
    - Project is part of wider environmental initiatives
    - Access to relevant experience within the group or available locally
    - Trees sourced locally from a local tree nursery and/or community tree nursery
- Projects £500 – £2.5k
  - Any criteria for projects under £500 plus:
    - The inclusion of different tree types, e.g. individual trees, hedges, hedges with hedgerow trees or orchards
    - A considered establishment and aftercare plan
    - Involvement of local Tree Warden/s
    - Volunteer-managed and delivered. Please note that they do not routinely fund professional fees or labour
    - Demonstrate consideration of risk management, e.g. in identifying the presence of underground service/utilities
    - Demonstrate that you have an understanding of your project site and that it is suitable for tree planting (e.g. if you have spoken to a local ecologist/wildlife trust/local natural history society)

What types of trees will they fund?

They will fund
- Trees: Bare root, UK-sourced and grown, native trees of an appropriate size for your project. They prefer to fund younger trees which will establish better, although they will fund trees up to ‘standard’ size (8-10 cm girth) Hedging: UK-sourced and grown, bare-root whips (saplings) and cell grown (root trainer) stock for hedging projects (40-120cm height) Hedgerow trees: trees planted in hedgerows that are allowed to develop to full-size Orchards: fruit trees on semi-vigorous, vigorous and very vigorous rootstocks
They might fund
- Non-native varieties if appropriate to the setting, e.g. urban/park etc.
- Non-native varieties and species that are chosen to take into account climate change adaptation and resilience
- Fruit trees on dwarfing rootstock, if the setting is appropriate (e.g. nursery/schools etc. Please outline why dwarfing stock has been chosen in your application)
- Trees in containers/raised beds: In principle they prefer to fund trees planted in the ground, however they may consider funding a small number of projects where the trees are planted in containers or raised beds rather than in the field/ground, if the reason is adequately explained and supported by a robust and comprehensive irrigation and aftercare plan
They won’t fund
- Container-grown stock, except in certain circumstances where selected species may not be available bare-rooted, or it is the only supply available locally
- Imported stock, except when unavoidable (please get in touch)
- Single species planting, unless in an appropriate setting and with a valid reason shown
- Certain invasive or rapidly-growing species e.g. Laurel, Leyland cyprus, cherry laurel. You are encouraged to get in touch if uncertain, to avoid disappointment
- Non-native conifers unless in certain circumstances (e.g. urban areas, arboretum, or projects where pollutant control is a key objective)

Eligibility Criteria

Schools – primary /secondary/special
Further/higher education
Constituted community groups
Childcare nurseries or care homes – charity or community funded
Tenants and residents associations
Parish/town councils/community councils
Tree Warden Networks (preference given to a Tree Council member network)
Community interest companies (limited by guarantee)
Small registered charities
They welcome applications from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Groups must have a bank account registered in the name of the applicant organisation into which the grant can be paid. They will not make payment to individuals.

Ineligible

Groups not based in the UK
Businesses, private companies and profit-making organisations
Private individuals and/or landowners
Groups seeking retrospective funding for projects that have already started or have been completed
Groups that do not have public liability insurance

For more information, visit The Tree Council.