Guidance

National Education Nature Park: 2025 to 2026 academic year funding criteria guidance

Published 6 June 2025

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-education-nature-park-grant-funding/national-education-nature-park-2025-to-2026-academic-year-funding-criteria-guidance

Eligibility criteria

Funding for the 2025 to 2026 academic year is available to 1,010 new settings. Eligible settings may receive up to £5,000.

Eligible settings must meet the following criteria to apply. They:

  • are in a lower-layer super output area (LSOA) in category 1 or 2 of Natural England’s accessible natural greenspace inequalities indicator
  • are in an LSOA with an index of multiple deprivation (IMD) decile score between 1 and 3
  • submitted a school-level census return in the spring term of the 2024 to 2025 academic year
  • are listed as eligible for funding for the 2025 to 2026 academic year
  • have not previously been eligible for nature park grant funding

Application process and eligible settings

The Royal Horticultural Society will contact eligible settings (listed on the spreadsheet) during the summer term with application information.

Eligible settings who fulfil the application criteria will be able to apply from September 2025.

If the setting is part of a multi-academy trust, other settings in the trust may also be eligible. They are listed separately.

How to use the grant

The funding allows schools to purchase interventions including:

  • gardening equipment, such as tools and waterproofs
  • fieldwork equipment, such as camera traps and digital hand-held devices
  • specialist support from contractors for installation and consultation

Schools may also use the funding to make ‘grey’ spaces green with biodiversity improvements, such as:

  • planters
  • trees
  • green walls
  • water butts
  • grasslands
  • ponds
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