Through the Towns and Cities Strategic Initiative, a total of £15 million to achieve the following by 2028:
- Place access to nature recovery at the heart of local placemaking so that its benefits can be realised for health, prosperity, nature, heritage, and local pride.
- Co-create with communities and partners ambitious green space strategies and improvement plans.
- Create strong and diverse partnerships between local communities, businesses, and local authorities that focus on the role of urban green and blue space in delivering better outcomes for health, wellbeing, heritage, transport, planning, and nature.
- Develop implementation plans that will transform the way public green spaces are utilised, managed, and funded for the benefit of people and nature.
This strategic initiative is part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage 2033 strategy to offer targeted funding to address long-standing heritage issues across the UK.
Nature Towns and Cities is a partnership initiative between Natural England, the National Trust and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. In addition, the Heritage Fund is working closely with NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency.
There is a two-stage application process. Organisations must first submit an online expression of interest form before being invited to submit a full application.
The deadline to submit an expression of interest is 12 November 2024.


