Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) gives out half the money raised by the National Lottery for good causes. Changing Spaces is BIG's largest environmental programme in England – investing around £200 million in total.

Changing Spaces focuses on three priority areas – community spaces, local community enterprise and access to the natural environment.

BIG has appointed five organisations as award partners, including Groundwork UK, to deliver open grants programmes under the Changing Spaces initiative. These are:

• Building Research Establishment - Community Sustainable Energy programme
  This programme will pay for community-based organisations to install renewable energy sources (such as wind turbines and solar panels) and energy saving measures (such as roof and cavity wall insulation). For more information visit www.communitysustainable.org.uk  
• Natural England - Access to Nature programme
  This programme encourages people from all backgrounds to learn more about and enjoy the natural environment. It funds projects in urban, rural and coastal communities and aims to reach people who currently have little or no contact with nature. For more information visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/accesstonature
• Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts - Local Food programme
  This programme will fund a variety of food related projects to make locally grown food more accessible and affordable to local communities. For more information visit www.localfoodgrants.org  
• Mind - Ecominds programme 
  This programme will fund projects that encourage people with experience of mental distress to get involved in environmental projects, such as improving open spaces and wildlife habitats, designing public art and recycling. For more information visit www.ecominds.org.uk