Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust

Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT), an independent charity established in 1997 by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, safeguards and enhances the unique landscapes, wildlife, and communities of the Yorkshire Dales and adjacent areas for current and future generations. Rooted in sustainability, inclusivity, and community empowerment, its core values—stewardship, collaboration, diversity, and inspiring nature care—drive three strategic aims: People (enabling access for underrepresented groups), Landscape (protecting cultural heritage), and Wildlife (restoring habitats and biodiversity). YDMT funds practical interventions like native woodland and hedgerow planting, meadow restoration, dry stone wall conservation, rural apprenticeships for youth, environmental education, and outreach to marginalized urban communities, benefiting local residents, farmers, landowners, young people, charities, and grassroots groups.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, community groups, social enterprises, and occasionally individuals or public bodies with aligned work; no strict income thresholds apply, favoring small to medium grassroots organizations. Projects must primarily operate within Yorkshire Dales National Park, Nidderdale National Landscape, Forest of Bowland National Landscape, or benefiting fringes, though exceptional cases outside may qualify.

Grants typically range from £1,000 to £5,000 (larger for significant projects), covering project costs, revenue (rent, staff, travel), core funding, and woodland establishment. Applications are unsolicited and rolling for community projects—start with phone/email enquiry to grants@ydmt.org (015242 51002)—with decisions in six weeks; woodland grants have deadlines like 31 August 2025. YDMT uniquely blends environmental expertise with social inclusion, prioritizing community-led stewardship over statutory bodies, excluding unrelated projects while enabling resilient ecosystems through integrated nature-culture initiatives.