Sustainability Fund empowers Broadland residents to transform their community with £10,000 up for grabs!

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Sustainability Fund, one extraordinary project across the UK will be selected to receive a bumper grant of up to £5,000.

2024 was an incredibly successful year for the Sustainability Fund, with 13 grassroots projects given almost £10,000 funding in Broadland.

Veolia’s Sustainability Fund is open to not-for-profit organisations, community groups, and individuals in areas where the company delivers recycling and waste collections, and street cleansing services for the community. Up to £1,000 in funding is available per project and applicants can also request in-kind resources or volunteers to help them deliver ecological transformation.

Freethorpe Primary School and Rackheath Primary School are both examples of previously successful recipients of the Fund. Freethorpe received £1,000 in 2024 to transform the school’s existing sensory garden and expansive wildlife area into a vibrant, sustainable, and educational haven for biodiversity. The funding helped them introduce a wide range of native plants, with plans to keep developing the garden and create a natural learning environment for the pupils. In Rackheath £1,000 enabled them to expand their wild space, repurposing an old row boat as a wildflower planter, purchasing new water butts and tools to help pupils maintain the space and even creating a wildlife container pond complete with tadpoles and froglets.

To celebrate the Sustainability Fund's fifth anniversary, in 2025 one standout project will receive a special bumper grant of up to £5,000. This additional award will recognise a project that demonstrates remarkable, long-term community impact. To be considered for this additional funding, applicants simply need to opt in during the standard application process.

All applications will be considered, with environmental projects needing to meet at least one key criteria:

• enhances biodiversity
• promotes sustainable waste behaviours
• protects the environment by using recycled, reused or reclaimed materials

And new for 2025, the Sustainability Fund is expanding to include social projects alongside environmental initiatives. This broader focus now welcomes projects that strengthen the local community, including but not limited to: employment support programmes, rehabilitation projects, and youth development initiatives.

Applications can be made via Veolia’s website. The fund will be open for applications until Tuesday 30 September.

Pascal Hauret, Managing Director, Municipal at Veolia, said:

“Since its launch five years ago, the Sustainability Fund has allowed us to directly support the communities we serve with over £300,000 in funding delivered since 2021. The Fund continues to grow and evolve, this year offering more opportunities than ever, and I’m looking forward to reviewing some unique and inspiring applications, from environmental projects to social initiatives."

Broadland District Councillor Jan Davis, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Excellence, said:

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Veolia to support the Sustainability Fund. It’s a fantastic opportunity for local people to bring their ideas to life and make a real difference in their communities, whether that’s through environmental improvements or social impact projects.”

Freethorpe Primary School, said:

“Thanks to the Sustainability Fund, we have begun creating a nature-rich outdoor space for our children. We’ve planted a range of pollinator-friendly plants and are now looking forward to involving the children in building bug hotels, insect habitats and a nature trail to bring the project to life.”