Brent Together Towards Zero grant

Brent Together Towards Zero is a small grants programme supporting residents and organisations to deliver one-off projects and initiatives that help tackle the climate and ecological emergency in Brent.

The fund aims to helps local communities improve their neighbourhoods by making them greener, cleaner and more environmentally friendly, while encouraging community-led climate action across the borough.

Key information

Applications open: 15 June 2026
Funding available: up to £5,000
Who can apply: Brent residents, groups and organisations
Funding runs until: Spring 2027 (or until funds run out)

We welcome ideas from across Brent that help people take action and improve their local environment.

To apply, you must be:

• aged 18 or over
• based in Brent (this includes both you and your project)

You must also be one of the following:

• an individual resident
• a constituted community group
• an established tenant or resident association
• a faith group
• a charity
• a housing association
• a social enterprise
• a local business (for projects that deliver a clear community benefit)

We particularly welcome applications from new residents and newly formed community groups. We want to involve more people in local climate action and support new ideas.

You can apply for up to £5,000 for one off activities that contribute to a project with a clear beginning and end.

Your application should show how the benefits and outcome will continue after the funding ends, including how the community will manage or build on the project impact.

Examples of eligible projects include:

• re-use and repair projects
• recycling and waste reduction initiatives
• community gardens and food-growing projects
• environmental education or workshops
• community environmental challenges or campaigns
• energy efficiency projects at a community scale, for example community education workshops on energy saving
• projects that help residents understand, access and take part in energy efficiency
• initiatives that build local skills, collaboration and capacity to support the energy transition.

This list is not exhaustive. Applicants are encouraged to think creatively and innovatively in responding to local environmental and climate priorities. 

Planters and public space projects

In developing proposals involving planters or other physical installations on the public highway, applicants are encouraged to carefully consider pedestrian safety, accessibility, and maintenance responsibilities.

Projects are more likely to be supported where they:

• maintain clear and accessible footways, particularly in areas of higher pedestrian footfall
• avoid introducing obstacles that could present a trip hazard
• are designed in a way that integrates with existing streetscape features (such as tree pits)
• have early engagement with Highways (Highways.management@brent.gov.uk) to confirm suitability
• include appropriate public liability insurance and clear arrangements for ongoing maintenance.

Please note: Together Towards Zero grant funding cannot be used for exclusively tree planting projects. For information on tree planting programmes, please visit the Council’s webpage on Trees and hedges.

Your application will be assessed against the following criteria:

• supports one or more objectives within the five themes of the Council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy
• improves the local environment, increases greenery and biodiversity, or delivers measurable carbon savings in a community setting
• benefits and enables participation from people living in Brent
• is realistic, deliverable and creates a positive and lasting environmental impact

We strongly encourage applications that involve or benefit young people, older people, Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and people with physical or mental disabilities.

Before making an application for funding, please download and read the guidance notes for making an application.

If you need help completing your application or would prefer a paper form, you please email ecogrants@brent.gov.uk

Please note that funding is limited to one award per funding round.

More information

Find examples of previously funded projects helping to tackle the climate emergency in The Together Towards Zero showcase book below.

The booklet shows a range of projects funded through the programme. Some further examples are included below.

Sufra NW London – Edible Garden pond installation

Funding awarded: £5,000

Sufra partnered with Walk on Water Pondscapes and worked with local residents and apond design consultant to transform an existing pond into a thriving wildlife space. Over 7 months, the project increased biodiversity and created a calm, nature-rich area for the community to enjoy.

Clube dos Brasileirinhos Heritage and Cultural Centre CIC – Eco Explorers

Funding awarded: £5,000

This 10-session science club helped children and families learn about sustainability through hands-on activities, including renewable energy, gardening and recycling. The project encouraged practical climate action and provided a strong role model through a female scientist leading the sessions.

Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury – Building the eco-community

Funding awarded: £3,000

This project expanded recycling, reduced single-use plastics and introduced composting to support more sustainable community practices. It also improved biodiversity across community garden spaces directly, contributing to Brent’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy.

The Elderly and Disabled Charitable Trust UK – Supporting our community

Funding awarded: £1,000

This intergenerational greening project in Stonebridge successfully created community gardens, increased local biodiversity that provided habitats for pollinators and wildlife. Seniors and younger volunteers worked together through regular gardening sessions and sustainability workshops on composting, water conservation, and native planting, building social inclusion and climate awareness.

Gladstone Park Primary School PSA – Gardening club and community initiative

Funding awarded: £538.10

The project created a gardening club and greened spaces near Willesden Green tube station to boost biodiversity, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainable practices. It supported biodiversity, improved air quality and encouraged more sustainable behaviours in the community.