Over the past 80 years Friends of the Lake District has contributed towards more than 600 environmental projects throughout Cumbria, from school nature areas to major woodland creation projects, through our Environmental Improvement Grant scheme. To browse through the grants we have awarded to see the kind of projects that we may support please click here.

The main types of project we have grant-aided include:

• Hedgerows: includes planting, laying and restoration
• Walls: building new walls, restoration and repair of dry stone walls
• Tree planting and woodlands: tree planting in woodlands, gardens, greens, schools etc as well as woodland regeneration and restoration (including planting native plant species)
• Path/Access/Bridges: includes repairs, new pathways and bridges, access for all and gate repair and renewal
• Wildlife Gardens: includes sensory, environmental awareness and community gardens, though the bulk is in school grounds
• Heritage features: includes restoration of features such as pumps, wells, cobbles,highway signs, stained-glass windows and includes restoration of listed buildings or ancient monuments etc.
• Land purchases: for other conservation and community organisations.
• Landscape restoration and enhancement: enhancement to landscape areas such as bogs and moors, also village greens, ponds, millennium gardens, play areas, other village areas and common land
• Interpretation/Local Design (eg. Parish Maps, Design Statements): information leaflets,information maps, development of Parish Plans etc.
• Sustainability Projects: recycling schemes and renewable energy projects

Consideration of Applications
Please speak to Friends of the Lake District Policy Officer Jan Darrall when you are planning your project (; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).  She will give you advice and assistance before you submit your grant application. Please feel free to discuss your project ideas with Jan for advice on the design and potential alternative grant sources.

Applications are assessed against a series of criteria.  We are also encourgaing projects to be more sustainable – see sustainability guidance.

If you would like an Environmental Improvement Grant from us please complete an application form. If you need any help or advice contact Jan Darrall, Policy Officer at Friends of the Lake District.

If we award a grant it will normally be by way of a pledge until the scheme is underway or complete. We also ask how our contribution will be recognised, either through media coverage or other publicity and  would be happy to arrange for an official presentation of a cheque.

A Friends of the Lake District Grant is helping to restore this upland oak woodland and create open space on the summit of Great Howe at Thirlmere (the work was completed in Spring 2009)

Download a list of our grant archives here