NEWS – Green Spaces Fund Now Open!
Community groups across Greater Manchester can now apply for grants of between £2,000 and £40,000 through the Greater Manchester Environment Trust’s Green Spaces Fund. The 2026 funding round is officially open and will support projects that create or improve accessible, nature-rich green spaces in local communities.
Since launching in 2022, the fund has invested more than £4 million into 122 community-led projects across the city region, helping to create orchards, allotments, green alleyways and community gardens. Together, these projects have created more than 28,000m² of new green space and improved almost 400,000m² of existing green space.
Over the years, Groundwork have supported a range of groups to develop and create new greenspaces, including:
Petrus Allotment
Petrus is a charity that helps people at risk of homelessness in Rochdale. Thanks to support from our team and funding from the Green Spaces Fund, they can now provide more opportunities to the people they work with to connect them with nature in their new and improved community allotment.
Their team of dedicated volunteers have made some fantastic improvements to their outdoor space which will attract a more diverse mix of wildlife and provide more opportunities for visitors.
Burnside Centre
The Burnside Centre is a charity which helps to connect people of all ages in the community and offer them a safe space to relax, socialise and take part in a range of indoor and outdoor activities.
To support their ambitions, centre manager Kerry used the funding to create a beautiful green space from an unused area of land on the side of their building. Designing the space in collaboration with students from the Manchester School or Architecture, the area is now home to recycled wooden modules, raised planters, bird boxes and more!
Vitality Gardens
The residents of Vitality Gardens in Hattersley were fed up with an unused space in their neighbourhood that had become nothing but a hotspot for flytipping. They had a vision of a community greenspace where people could come together and socialise and we were lucky enough to work with them to completely transform the space.
Our landscaping team and a group of fantastic and dedicated local volunteers cleared the overgrowth, built raised planters, a new pathway and a polytunnel for food growing.
Submit an application
Projects must focus on creating or improving green or blue spaces on publicly accessible land, and applications are open to eligible community organisations including charities, CICs, schools and residents’ associations.
Visit the GMET website for the full criteria.
Applications close at noon on 3 August 2026.
Supporting groups in Rochdale
Groundwork is continuing to support community groups across Rochdale to develop ideas, strengthen applications and access funding through the Green Spaces Fund.
As Rochdale’s dedicated Green Spaces Fund Advisor, Lizzie Meade is available to help local groups at every stage of the process – whether you have a fully developed proposal or just the beginnings of an idea.
Lizzie can provide advice on eligibility, project planning and how to build a strong application, helping groups turn local green ambitions into deliverable projects that benefit both people and nature.
Groups in Rochdale interested in applying are encouraged to get in touch with Lizzie for support and guidance.
