Lancaster University has opened applications for its 2026 Community Benefit Fund, offering £20,000 to support local environmental and community-focused projects within the Lancaster District.
Local organisations, including trusts, voluntary groups, and parish councils, are encouraged to submit their applications by Friday 3 July 2026. The funding is available to both new and established groups based to the east of the River Lune.
Now in its thirteenth year, the grant programme was established following the installation of the university’s on-campus wind turbine in 2012. Since its launch, the fund has invested more than £240,000 into 116 local initiatives. Previous projects supported by the scheme include the Fairfield Playground Project, the De Vitre Community Garden, the Storey Gardens Sculpture Garden and the Lancaster Boys and Girls Club summer programme.
Jonathan Mills, the university’s Carbon, Environment & Sustainability Manager, noted that the fund aims to support the creativity and commitment of local groups working to improve life across the district. In 2023, the programme received national recognition when it won a Green Gown Award in the Money for Good category for its positive impact on the community over the past decade.
The wind turbine itself remains a key part of the university’s sustainability efforts, generating roughly 14 to 15 per cent of the campus’s annual electricity and saving approximately 1,060 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Details on how to apply for the current round of funding can be found on the university’s official website.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
