Council provides £5,000 for schools and community groups to implement climate-friendly projects
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is providing £5,000 of grant funding to help schools and community groups reduce their climate impact.
To coincide with Recycle Week 2025, a national campaign to encourage recycling running from 22-28 September, Climate Action Small Grants of £500 are being made available to fund ten small-scale, sustainable projects, as part of the council’s plan to build a more climate-resilient community.
After declaring a climate emergency in 2019, the council set ambitious targets to become net zero as an organisation by 2030 and as a borough by 2050. Climate Action Small Grants are designed to help meet the borough-wide target, enabling community groups to reduce their carbon footprints by implementing sustainable projects that they may not otherwise be able to afford.
Town and parish councils, schools, community groups, youth groups, and not-for-profit organisations based in Welwyn Hatfield are eligible to apply for the grants, which can be used to support initiatives such as:
- Community gardens and biodiversity projects
- Energy-saving initiatives
- Climate education and awareness campaigns
- Sustainable transport and waste-reduction schemes.
Any project that demonstrates climate action could be eligible for funding, as long as it supports the aims of the council’s Transition to Net Zero Strategy.
Also to coincide with Recycle Week, the council will have a stall at The University of Hertfordshire’s Freshers’ Fair on Friday 26 September from 10am-4pm. Officers will be on hand to provide information about the grants and the council’s Climate Hub, and there will be a limited number of free aluminium water bottles available to help students adopt more sustainable habits.
Councillor Max Holloway, Leader of the Council and Executive Member Economic Development and Climate Change, said:
“We are determined to do all we can to protect our borough and the wider world from the harmful effects of climate change.
“We have pledged to lead by example and are working hard to reach our net zero goals, but we understand that smaller organisations may need extra help to reduce their climate impact. That’s why we’re making this grant funding available for schools and other community groups to support climate-friendly projects that will benefit the communities they serve.
“By working together, we can all reduce our impact on the planet and build more sustainable, climate-resilient communities.”
Visit Welwyn Hatfield Climate Hub to learn more and submit your application by Friday 21 November.