For every take-off or landing at Farnborough airport, the community environmental fund receives money to help support local projects and this is open to parts of Ash Parish.
Rushmoor Borough Council (RBC) manages this fund. For every take-off or landing the airport pays a levy of £2, or £5 if the aircraft is a Boeing business jet or an Airbus A310 corporate jet.
For movements in 2021, RBC received £53,108. This money goes into the Farnborough airport community environmental fund, which it manages. RBC has announced that there is currently £50,609 available for allocation and applications are considered monthly until the funding runs out.
Who can apply for funding
Charitable organisations and voluntary or community groups can apply for a grant from this fund to support an environmental project, as long as it meets all the conditions set out by the fund.
The group or organisation must be a properly constituted not-for-profit body or organisation and it must have a bank account. The application will need to provide the organisation’s constitution and a set of accounts within the application.
In exceptional circumstances, the fund may support other organisations where a project will improve the environment and you can demonstrate it is a not-for-profit activity.
Funding conditions (updated June 2022)
To apply for a grant, the project must:
- Be located within 5 kilometres (3 miles) of the centre of Farnborough airport (taken to be halfway down the main runway) – check on the Farnborough airport 5km area map (this includes areas in Rushmoor, Hart, Surrey Heath and Waverley)
- Be demonstrably and regularly affected by aircraft travelling to and from Farnborough airport
- Have public access, available to be enjoyed by the community as a whole and result in the improvement of an outdoor facility or area, such as in country parks, woodland and community gardens
- Include an environmental improvement, such as a reduction of the environmental impact of the local area, this could be by planting, reducing carbon, demonstrating climate change action
- Organisations will only be awarded one council grant in a financial year (i.e. a Community grant or a Ward grant, or a Farnborough airport community environmental fund grant) (The financial year runs April – March)
- Have an appropriate safeguarding policy if your organisation works with children, young people or vulnerable adults
- Projects may include open spaces, natural habitats, environmental improvements, outdoor play and community projects with an emphasis on improving the local environment.
- Your project must not be retrospective. Organisations should not commit themselves to a project or any spending before any final decision is made.
How to apply for a grant
- Check that your project meets the criteria of this fund
- Gather together all the supporting documents required including quotes
- Download and complete the Farnborough airport community environmental fund grant application form. You can then send it to communitydevelopment@rushmoor.gov.uk using the instructions on the form with the supporting documents.
- Other supporting documents and photos to back your application are welcomed
For full information, visit https://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/community-parks-and-leisure/grants-for-community-organisations/farnborough-airport-community-environmental-fund-grants/