UK National Parks Charity Foundation

The UK National Parks Charity Foundation (UKNPF), established in March 2019 as a UK-wide registered charity, serves as the official collective fundraising vehicle for the fifteen National Parks in England, Wales, and Scotland. Collaboratively founded by National Parks Partnerships LLP, its mission is to preserve, conserve, and enhance these landscapes' natural and cultural heritage, promote sustainable development, public education, equitable access, and recreation for social welfare. Core values—stewardship, inclusivity, sustainability, and fostering people-nature connections—drive a partnership-led approach that complements local park charities, avoiding overlap while catalysing landscape-scale impact through corporate alliances like Estée Lauder’s Revere initiative and American Express green skills programs.

UKNPF funds innovative, scalable projects advancing nature restoration (e.g., tree planting, biodiversity, climate mitigation), green skills and youth engagement, equality/diversity/inclusion, physical access improvements, and environmental education. Beneficiaries include diverse communities and all ages within National Parks, with grants typically channeled through National Park Authorities, consortia, or partnered UK-registered charities/social enterprises capable of large-scale delivery. Past awards support multi-park efforts like travel grants in South Downs, skills workshops in Cairngorms, and tree planting in Yorkshire Dales.

Unsolicited applications are not accepted; funding arises via proactive phone enquiries, direct engagement with National Park Authorities, or invited partnerships, with ad hoc trustee meetings and no fixed deadlines or public rounds. Typical grants range £10,000–£250,000 for project/innovation funding (no core costs), favouring established organizations over small grassroots groups. Exclusively for National Park activities, UKNPF stands out as the sole national platform leveraging philanthropy, cause-marketing (e.g., calendars, pins), and strategic consortia for resilient, inclusive park futures.