The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
Chestnut Fund offers start up and support grants to UK community conservation groups
The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) Chestnut Fund offers start up and support grants to UK community conservation groups.
Start-Up Grants aim to support groups who have no money at all when they are first set up and whose principal purpose is conservation volunteering, and to enable them to begin practical work. The grant is towards administrative expenses and/or BTCV association fees and insurance premiums for the initial association. Separate grants are available for new, or existing, groups for tools, equipment and in some cases, training.
Support Grants aim to enable groups to begin or extend practical work. The grants are not for administrative, running costs or consumable items or materials. Applications must be for a specific schedule of items. Preference will be given to tools and equipment requests selected from and supplied by BTCV Tools and Trading.
The grant is for tools (but not renewable items such as gloves), equipment (but not project materials), or training (especially when aimed at a leader or trainer who will be the expert or will train within the group, rather than training all the volunteers in one skill). It will not usually fund publications, power tools or training for a whole group.
Start-Up Grants will be up to £100. Support Grants will be up to £300. A group will usually only be given one grant in any one financial year, although they may have Start-up and Support grants in the first year.
*Funding is available to independent community conservation groups in the UK who are already associated to BTCV or those want to join. Contact BTCV for member ship information.
An application form can be obtained from staff at your local BTCV office or the BTCV Community Unit on 01302 388 842. The application must be endorsed by the local BTCV office. They are:
North Pennines, Allendale
Andy Pennington
BTCV Allendale, Flat 2, Bridge End, Allendale, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 9NF
Tel: 01434 618388 / 683459
Email: a.pennington@btcv.org.uk
North Pennines, Stanhope
Main Contact: Ashleigh McLean
BTCV Stanhope, Durham Dales Centre, Castle Gardens, Stanhope in Weardale, Bishop Auckland, Durham, DL13 2AB
Tel: 01388 529 300
Email: a.mclean@btcv.org.uk
Northumberland, Tyne and Wear
Ewan Hutson
BTCV @ Bill Quay Community Farm, Hainingwood Terrace, Bill Quay, Gateshead, NE10 0UE
Telephone: 0191469 8431
Email: e.hutson@btcv.org.uk
Website: www2.btcv.org.uk/display/findbtcv