This is an annual grant scheme with a deadline each Autumn.
Grants of between £1,500 and £5,000 (but usually under £2,500) are available for community gardening projects in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition to its annual donations to nursing and health charities, the National Garden Scheme gives grants to help community gardening projects. The Community Garden Grant programme is supported by the Julia Rausing Trust, which announced a £1.5 million donation to the National Garden Scheme for its Community Garden Grants programme in 2024.
Grants are to support the creation of a community garden or a community park or allotment with a horticultural focus for the benefit of the local community. While matched funding is not a specific requirement, applicants will be expected to state whether they have sought and secured funding from other sources towards their project.
Projects should aim to bring a community together by creating a space people can be part of by the acquisition and sharing of gardening knowledge and skills and by inspiring a love of gardening.
Applications must relate to an existing or proposed community garden or similar site. There must be no query over access to the space (such as restrictions imposed by ownership by another body).
Amateur gardeners in community groups in England, Wales and Northern Ireland may apply for a grant. Applicants must be a fully set up community group or Community Interest Company (CIC) with a functioning non-personal bank account.
Grants tend to start at £1,500 and rarely exceed £5,000. Awards are usually for £2,500 or less.
In 2026, 118 community garden projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland were funded.
Grants can be used for such items as (please note this is not an exclusive list):
- Equipment hire
- Plants and shrubs
- Pots and containers
- Seating/benches
- Tools
- Trees
The 2027 scheme opened on Tuesday 29 September 2026 and closed on Friday 30 October 2026. Successful applicants are expected to be notified by April 2027. Early application is advised for this programme as the charity has capped the number of applications in previous years.