At The Cotswold Letting Agency, looking after this landscape isn’t just a nice-to-have, it sits at the heart of how we work. As part of our B Corp™ certification, we’re proud to support Caring for the Cotswolds, the grant scheme run by Cotswolds National Landscape that channels funding directly into local nature, heritage and community projects.
Rather than tell the story ourselves, we’re sharing this update from the team leading the scheme. In the blog below, Rebecca Foster, Grants Coordinator at Cotswolds National Landscape, explains how “Caring for the Cotswolds” works, the impact it’s already having, and how local organisations can get involved.
A shared responsibility for the Cotswolds
This autumn, nature and communities across the Cotswolds will receive a boost through the “Caring for the Cotswolds” grant scheme. The scheme is run by Cotswolds National Landscape – a protected landscape and designated area of outstanding natural beauty.
How the Caring for the Cotswolds grant scheme works
The scheme has been running for 12 years, supporting over 60 projects with small grants. The projects have helped save local wildlife and habitats, restore heritage, improve footpaths, and increase access to the countryside for residents and visitors alike. In total, almost £85,000 has been awarded to a range of charities, parish councils, and other non-profits.
Caring for the Cotswolds is supported by local business members, including The Cotswold Letting Agency, who donate to the scheme directly or collect donations from their customers. These donations are aggregated and used to support local projects through an application process once or twice a year.
The role of local business in driving change
James Webb, Partnerships Lead at Cotswolds National Landscape comments:
“The business members have been the backbone of the scheme since its inception. We have a small but loyal membership base, and we are incredibly grateful for their support. I think the most successful partnerships happen when we share the same values. Our business members understand the importance of the landscape to their business and want to give back to nature. Ultimately, it’s their generosity and vision that has enabled the scheme to run for all this time and support so many fantastic projects.”
The success of the scheme has been noticed outside of the Cotswolds and has recently attracted funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This boost in funds will mean more grants for projects that help nature thrive, enhance communities and address climate related issues. The extra support has also enabled a dedicated Grants Coordinator to lead the scheme over the next three years.
Looking ahead: expanding support for local projects
Rebecca Foster started this exciting new role in September and said:
“Over the past decade, ‘Caring for the Cotswolds’ has demonstrated that a little bit of cash can go a long way in supporting local groups who are working to conserve and enhance the Cotswolds. Thanks to the Heritage Fund, we can give more money and support more projects. For the next three years, we will be awarding community grants ranging from £500 to £5,000 to non-profit organisations, supporting local projects that have nature, communities or climate issues at their heart.”
How local organisations can apply
From November we will be welcoming applications year-round via our online portal. Throughout the year, we will convene a Grants Panel and a Youth Panel to assess the applications, ensuring that young local people have a say in how the money is spent. Our next panel meeting is scheduled for early February, so we encourage interested organisations to visit our webpage for further details about the application process and deadlines.
We cannot wait to get started!
By Rebecca Foster
