Health and Nature Fund

The Health and Nature Fund, supported by Kent County Council Public Health, offers grants between £2,000 and £10,000 to support green and blue space interventions that promote mental health and wellbeing across Kent. We invite applications from organisations delivering nature-based activities that improve preventative mental health outcomes.

The closing date is 20th February 2026.

About the Fund

The fund aims to:

• Support preventative mental health interventions
• Encourage community engagement with nature
• Address health inequalities, particularly in coastal regions

Eligibility Criteria:

To apply, organisations must meet the following requirements:

• Location priority: preference will be given to coastal areas of the Kent Marmot Coastal Region programme (Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, Hythe and Swale). However, applications from other areas of Kent in areas of deprivation are welcome (excluding Medway).
• Access & cost: programmes must be not-for-profit and free for participants to attend.
• Preventative focus: activities should focus on preventative mental health and wellbeing. This fund is not for interventions for persons with moderate to severe mental health issues or difficulties as this would require specialist eco-therapist leaders and not within the scope of this funding.
• Qualified delivery: organisations are required to have appropriately qualified staff and robust safeguarding policies in place. If your team does not currently meet these qualification standards, you may be eligible to apply for a fully funded Level 3 Certificate in Nature-based Practice.
• Demonstrated need: applicants must show evidence of local health need.
• Health impact: projects must clearly support mental health improvement
• Environmental responsibility: activities should promote respect for Kent’s environment and consider environmental impact
• Safety: a risk assessment, sufficient public liability insurance and a safeguarding policy will be required.
• Evaluation requirement: evaluation will include participant surveys pre and post intervention and persons involved in delivery would be invited to take part in a post-intervention stakeholder workshop.

Funding Details

Grant range: £2,000 to £10,000 (programmes outside this amount will be considered)

Payment Structure: 50% upfront, 50% upon successful completion and evaluation of your project.

Evaluation Requirement: All funded projects must complete a project evaluation, including Office for National Statistics (ONS4) wellbeing questions. This will feed into an overall project evaluation.

Eligible Costs:

• Staffing
• Materials & Equipment,
• Travel
• Volunteer Expenses
• Venue hire
• Marketing
• Training
• Activities & sub-contracting

Data Protection: Applying organisations will be expected to comply with GDPR when handling personal data.

Promotion: Interventions funded from the Health and Nature Fund will need to include the KCC and Nature’s Way to Wellbeing logo as part of the promotion. 

Level 3 Certificate in Nature-based Practice

Are you passionate about mental health, wellbeing and the healing power of nature?

Join the accredited Level 3 Certificate in Nature-Based Practice and help bring nature-based interventions to communities across Kent.

In partnership with Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC, this course empowers organisations and venues with green-blue spaces to deliver safe, inclusive, and impactful nature and wellbeing programmes.

Who should apply?

• Practitioners supporting primary prevention and mild-to-moderate mental health needs
• Professionals from Allied Health, Public Health, and Community Services
• VCSE facilitators
• Countryside and Green Space teams
• Organisations proposing interventions that focus on coastal and high-needs communities in Kent
• Organisations proposing interventions that demonstrate commitment to inclusive access and low barriers to participation

Key Dates:

• Pre-course Webinar Monday 16 February, 6–7pm
• Health & Safety Training 18–19 March at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest
• Home Study 6 weeks
• Check-in Webinar 29 April
• Webinar 3 – Policy & Psychological Safety 27 May, 5.30–7.30pm
• Practice & Delivery Day 16 June at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest
• Webinar 4 – Research & Co-production 3 September, 5.30–7.30pm
• Project Day 10th September at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest

Dates may be subject to change.

Closing date for training course applications is 9th January 2026.