Apply for the Nature Call to Action Campaign fund today
Join the growing network of communities across the West Midlands creating a healthier, fairer, greener region.
The Community Environment Network aims to connect community groups working on environment action, boost their efforts, and also inspire and support new groups.
Do you have an idea for a step towards a greener, fairer, healthier environment in the West Midlands?
Will it bring people together to enjoy nature and improve our natural environment?
The Nature Call to Action Campaign Fund will provide £2,500 to 14 community based organisations across the West Midlands to deliver projects during March 2026.
We encourage joint applications to collaborate with other local organisations. Joint applications may be eligible for up to £5000.
These grants are to support community groups and organisations who want to test new ideas or help move an existing project along and we encourage small community groups to apply.
Here are the main goals of the fund and some ideas your community group can use to apply for funding.
Key aims of the fund:
- Find ways to help people engage with their local green or blue spaces.
- Supporting nature’s recovery through creating new or enhancing current habitat.
- Adding nature into urban areas.
The funding can be spent on one specific idea or can be used to fund multiple ideas / events throughout March.
What we mean by supporting nature
At the WMCA, we have been appointed as the Responsible Authority for creating a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for the West Midlands.
The LNRS is a spatial strategy for nature and environmental improvement required by law under the Environment Act 2021. The strategy includes;
- priorities for nature’s recovery;
- maps the most valuable existing areas for nature; and
- maps specific proposals for creating or improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals (adopting nature-based solutions).
We see these grants as a key part of us delivering the LNRS and we would be looking to fund projects that align to key themes within the LNRS Delivery Plan which can be accessed on our website, called the West Midlands Nature Delivery Plan.
Ideas for funding
Here are some ideas that we have thought of but we would be keen to hear other ideas or initiatives;
- Hosting a nature festival or open house for people to freely access your local greenspace and engage with activities.
- Hosting family events to bring people together and enjoy nature together.
- Hosting citizen science activities to encourage local volunteers to complete surveying.
- Nature walks, pond dipping, bat walks, bird watching are all ideas for activities to engage people with nature.
Here are some ideas that we have thought of but we would be keen to hear other ideas or initiatives;
- Creating new habitats with your local community involved which could include installing a pond, planting trees and shrubs, sowing wildflowers or planting fruit trees.
- Enhancing current habitat could include gardening activities, removing invasive species, clearing unused spaces and planting new species.
The local community must be engaged within your project.
Here are some ideas that we have thought of but we would be keen to hear other ideas or initiatives;
- Creating window boxes or adding planters to car parks.
- Creating bird or bat boxes along with bug hotels.
- Adding in hedgehog highways.
The local community must be engaged within your project.
March Environment Days
There are several days of action within March that you might want to take part in and support with your project.
3rd March – United Nations World Wildlife Day
20th March - World Sparrow Day and World Frog Day
22nd March – World Water Day
23rd March – World Climate Day
28th March – Earth Hour
If you are successful, the following will apply;
- You will be asked to sign a grant agreement form.
- Payments will be made in instalments with 50% granted on the signing of the grant agreement form and the remaining 50% granted upon the successful completion of your project.
- You must share a breakdown of where the funding will be spent, including links to items where possible.
- Once you have spent the grant, you must provide receipts (can be photocopies of originals).
- Share your story for a case study with photos to showcase your work to other Network members.
- Complete our short monitoring and evaluation online questionnaire.
Eligibility Criteria
- You can apply as a community group, community organisation or as a charity and be operating in the West Midlands area – funds must be spent within the WMCA region. This includes Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton.
- You must be a member of the Community Environment Network. Join here.
- Have an idea that is connected to achieving the funds key aims.
- You must deliver your project between the 1st - 31st March 2026.
- Spending must be complete by 20th March 2026.
- Your organisation must have a bank account to receive the grant funding.
Judgement criteria
Each application will be scored across these three criteria. Please also note that consideration will be made to ensure projects funded are spread across the region.
- How does this idea reflect the aim(s) of the fund?
- To what extent does this idea benefit the environment and the local community?
- How robust are the costings?
- If you've thought about the long term impact of your project.
Deadline for submissions is the 19th January 2026 at midnight.
We will assess applications and let all applicants know the outcome by the 26th January 2026.