Programme Outcomes Report�February 2026

Climate action Leeds community grants

Leeds Community Foundation is delighted to have worked with Climate Action Leeds on the partnership’s Community Grants programme.

Established in 2023, the Community Grants programme aims to enable Community Organisations across the city to realise their own ideas about ways to reduce carbon, promote nature-friendly activity or increase social justice. 

The wider Climate Action Leeds project will shape a zero carbon, more nature friendly, more socially just Leeds by the 2030s through community-led climate action and networks of interest.  

The Community Grants programme provided Microgrants up to a value of £1,500 and Small Grants of up to £5,000. Over a number of grant rounds in 2023 and 2024, a total of 41 grants (11 Microgrants and 30 Small Grants) were awarded to a total value of £132,197.

In this report you’ll find outcomes and learning from those projects. We hope that the following information gives you an idea of the valuable contribution made through the Community Grants programme and the ways in which your support has enabled Community Organisations to work with, and make a difference for, people in their communities.

On behalf of the grant holders and all the people supported through this programme, thank you.

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£118,808

30

small grants

£3,954

average grant size

invested

Small GRANTS

£13,589

£1,235

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11

micro grants

invested

average grant size

microGRANTS

Headline outcomes

2,238

9,472

people have participated in climate action

383

people report improved mental health and wellbeing

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people report increased awareness, understanding and support for conservation

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Headline outcomes

624

1,548

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people report increased appreciation of nature and the environment

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400

people have learnt new practical skills

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people say they have an increased sense of belonging to their community

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Additional outcomes information

Participants, volunteers, improved natural environment

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Community cohesion, skills

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Mental health

Physical health

Economic outcomes

Summary of funded activity

microgrants

microgrants

Small grants

Small grants

Small grants

Small grants

Small grants

Small grants

learning

Learning from involvement

Who has been involved?

The value of the grants (a maximum of £5,000) generated a programme with a very local feel. The description most used about those who became engaged in the projects was ‘local residents’. Around a third of grants primarily engaged particular groups in the community, including people living in poverty, older people, children and young people, women, people living in urban areas, families / parents or particular minority ethnic communities.

Most projects worked with people of all ages. Of those that focused on a particular age group, (around a third of projects), working age adults was the most commonly engaged group. Other groups focussed on were older people, children and young people and young adults.

The large majority of projects worked across all ethnicities, with a small proportion (around 1 in 8) focused primarily on minority ethnic communities. No projects were primarily focused on the LGBT+ community.

The Climate Crisis is not an isolated pressure for people in Leeds, and the chart opposite indicates the issues experienced by local people and which were a factor in the planning and delivery of funded projects.

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Learning from involvement (continued)

Time and inclusion

Providing sufficient time proved to be an important factor in enabling inclusion. This was evidenced in a number of ways. Morley Shed spread their sessions over a number of months, enabling more of their older or disabled members, who attended less frequently, to be involved. Karma Dance adopted a similar approach to give space for the creative process needed for their upcycling project. Assembly House noted the importance of time in building a team to deliver across the duration of their project.

“Working alongside the team of disabled adults from Open Country Wakefield was a big success; there was a brilliant sense of camaraderie between them and our regular volunteers, and everyone felt a great sense of achievement at the end of the day.” Zion Community Garden

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Communication

A number of organisations highlighted learning in respect of communicating with potential participants, colleagues and communities. Working through ‘community influencers’ (people grounded in / knowledgeable about a community) was a successful technique, particularly for SpringAid International. Creating targeted messages for particular sections of the community was highlighted by Season Well to increase inclusion of disabled people. Taster sessions to test and learn about local needs proved effective for the Friends of Bedford Fields and the importance of regular updates within a team (Assembly House) and with partners (Alwoodley 2030) was highlighted. Bee Inspired’s work with primary schools highlighted the value of using trusted in–house communication routes (in this instance a news-shot to all primary schools). Friends of Gipton Wood are using a new website to communicate with volunteers, share news and strengthen marketing and fundraising.

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Learning from involvement (continued)

Being outdoors

The benefits of engaging with nature were reported by a number of organisations. Love Farsley used open-garden days to draw residents together for their wildlife into gardens work. The strongest illustration of the value of being outdoors came from Leeds Mindfulness Co-operative, who delivered their work in Seacroft Forest Garden.

“We noticed that participants who may have struggled with mindfulness practices and being in a group in an indoor setting were far more able to connect and engage with difficult experiences when supported in such a biodiverse green space.”

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A flexible approach

Many grant holders adjusted plans to fit with circumstances, responding productively to shifting circumstances brought about by weather, volunteer availability, test runs or pilot schemes or feedback from participants.

“We learnt that the gardening groups and community music events had far more impact on composting uptake than composting education. This seems to be because people realised why they needed the compost to grow, so were more inspired to make it, and felt part of a fun community they wished to contribute to.” Leeds Blue Marble

Fun and variety

Providing fun and varied activities was highlighted by many organisations as a learning point linked to engaging participants around Climate Action messages.

“Having a fun event such as the fashion show makes the event memorable and attractive, involving a wider range of people.” Harehills Action Team

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Learning from involvement (continued)

Collaborative approaches

Although most of the CAL projects are small, learning around the value of good partnership work was evident in a number of projects, including Alwoodley 2030, who worked closely with schools on their clean air study, the organisations that worked with the Local Authority and Police as their work needed road closures, and engaging with Ward Councillors, which was important for Harehills Action Team. Accessing expert guidance when needed proved a valuable step for some, including Wetherby Sports Association (solar energy) and Friends of Gipton Wood (website).

Concentrated Activity

The value of compressing key activity into a short period was a key learning for Alwoodley 2030, who reported the focus of their Walk to School week “generated a sense of community and collective encouragement.” Connecting Crossgates used a similar approach in their habitat protection project, creating a focal point through a Community Parade and Fair at the end of the work. This was also true of the restoration projects, who needed gaps in poor weather to be well used.

Belief in change

“[Taking action has] the power to transform people – if given freedom, resources and support, people can discover themselves and a passion for climate action.” Harehills Action Team

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Routes to success

This chart shows the diverse methods used by organisations to deliver their Climate Action projects

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Case studies

Friends of Farsley rehoboth burial ground

The Friends of the Rehoboth Burial Ground received a Microgrant and built on that through a Small Grant. Their work has improved drainage and reduced erosion in the graveyard, which is situated on a steep clay hillside. The absence of a drainage system had seen the impact of erosion increase as the climate has changed.

The group designed a solution that improved drainage and access, with the ‘French Drain’ system (a trench filled with gravel that redirects surface water in a desired direction) also doubling as new fully accessible footpaths.

The work involved creating paths of recycled plastic hexagons on porous weed matting, flanked by wood borders and filled with interlocking 10mm limestone chippings, forming drainage, access points and water run offs. Solar powered irrigation has been installed and planting made to provide a suitable habitat for insects and refuges for wildlife. The grants paid for materials, while all construction was undertaken by over 60 skilled volunteers.

The project was recognised by the Wild Isles Trust as an innovative and cost- efficient method of mitigating climate change, and the manufacturer of the hexagon paths is using the work as a case study for the product.

Across both grants, over 300 people were involved. Over 100 volunteered and gained much from their involvement – 71 people reported better mental health, 68 said they had stronger physical health and over 200 people said they had an improved understanding of conservation. A hectare of land was improved, and a further hectare of natural space was created.

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“I would like to thank you and your volunteers for looking after my mother on her recent visit to your cemetery. My mother will be 98 in May 2024. She and I both thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Your volunteers clearing the graves made it much easier to see the three she had come to visit. She also managed to lay daffodils, freshly picked from my garden that morning, at her father’s grave. It was the first time she had been to his grave since he died in 1941. This was a special moment for her. She also visited her grandmother’s grave, who died in 1946, where she related the story of losing one of the heels on her shoe at the funeral. Maybe you may find it one day? Your handout showing all the relevant information for each of the three graves was also greatly appreciated. Also laying flowers at each grave before we arrived was a lovely thing to do.”

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A volunteer’s story,�Friends of Farsley Burial Ground

“We have a number of volunteers who are long term unemployed or long term sick (including mental and physical health). Some were recommended by Employment Skills at Leeds Council, others heard of our project by word of mouth in the local community or by our social media channels. All are valued members of the team, with one volunteer performing an important role in this project. She has taken a lead role in mentoring and supporting placements and new volunteers including ensuring that their support needs are heard and met. This role has engendered confidence and equality within the team and expanded her roles and responsibilities to wildlife protection and husbandry and in addition she is venturing into her own small craft business with support from ourselves.”

A personal story,�Friends of Farsley Burial Ground

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Leeds dec

Leeds DEC is an education charity specialising in supporting schools and communities by providing learning which helps prepare people for living in a rapidly-changing and very unequal world.

The Climate Action grant funded a series of lunchtime and after-school sessions with primary school children. The work introduced the children to the idea of being 'Climate Justice Heroes'. They focused on key questions: What is climate change? Why is it happening? What do greenhouse gases and fossil fuels have to do with it? What are the impacts on children around the world? How can saving energy help? What are people in Leeds and around the world doing to help? How do we take climate action? How can mindsets shift? How can we change ourselves and others? The children completed weekly challenges at home with their families and led a celebration event at the end of their sessions to which family members came.

At the celebration events, children shared the future they wanted to see with their parents. This proved to be a great way to introduce climate promises to their parents / families as it engaged everyone in wanting to help make these visions a reality. Parents and grandparents reported that the children had been talking about climate a lot at home.

Family learning was also supported by connecting families with the Young Climate Warriors website meaning children and parents got into the habit of taking action through the Weekly Challenges.

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What worked:

• making it fun for kids; engaging them through the WOW Travel Tracker, badges, certificates and poster design competitions, - ‘pester power’.
• the Travel Tracker and assemblies created an initial ‘surge’ in active travel, with a further surge during Walk to School week.
• extensive communications activity with each school and close collaboration with school staff.
• measuring and monitoring, through the Travel Tracker and additional surveys before and after ‘Walk to School’ week.
• free Bike MOT workshops, which were popular and helped to raise awareness of the Walk to School week.

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Alwoodley 2030 climate action hub

A local Community Group, Alwoodley 2030 is a community-driven initiative working at a local level to make Alwoodley a zero carbon, nature positive and socially just place by 2030.

The group used their Climate Action grant to work with seven local schools to create active travel campaigns through a ward-wide Walk to School week, used air pollution sensors to measure contaminant levels and provided free onsite bike repairs on school premises. The initiative was supported by Climate Action Leeds, staff and parents at the primary schools, Leeds Cycling Campaign and Living Streets. The campaign included the installation of air pollution sensors at five school sites and seven on-site bike MOT sessions.

1,400 people took part in the active travel projects. Over 750 families reported better understanding of, and support for, conservations and 1,345 children pledged to take part in the walks and be physically active. Alwoodley 2030 calculated that approximately 3,100 hectares (roughly the footprint of the schools) benefitted from the CO2 reduction created through the scheme.

The sensor data from air pollution recording is still being studied at the time of reporting. Feedback from residents suggests that the Walk to School week had a significant impact on travel patterns, with people noticing that traffic was much lower than usual around the schools during the week.

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Otley 2030

Otley 2030 is a local charity comprised of people who are keen to do their bit to make Otley a more sustainable and fairer town. Established in 2019 in response to Leeds City Council’s declaration of Climate Emergency, the group works with others across the city to take action on Climate Change.

Otley 2030’s project involved the production of a Community Nature Recovery Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to inspire and support other local groups to undertake nature recovery in their area. The group worked with two others from contrasting communities over the project - Seacroft and Alwoodley - sharing insights and encouraging feedback and ideas on the toolkit.

The kit produced is an eight-page booklet with 10 practical steps to take. The booklet is a printed product with a glossary, photos, and useful links. The toolkit has been shared with both partner groups and others in the Leeds area, through Yorkshire Rewilding Network, and with University of Leeds, Leeds City Council and various local community groups at an event called 'Public Land for Nature-based Projects.’

The production of the kit has provided a resource to support nature recovery work across the city.

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“It may appear a dry subject, but for a small housing co-operative like Tangram these assessments and consultation and reports have enabled us to better understand what we need to do in the future on our Retrofit and Carbon reduction journey.”

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Tangram housing co-op

Tangram Housing is a mutual co-operative that manages and maintains 38 flats and houses alongside member tenants and their families. The mutual nature of the Co-op means members act as their own landlord and live in a friendly and welcoming community.

Tangram used their Climate Action Leeds Community Grant to conduct three ‘retrofit assessments’ providing expert advice on wall insulation for different property types (terrace houses, top-floor flats and ground-floor flats) as part of their work to decarbonise properties and create short- and medium-term energy efficiency strategies with member tenants.

The three Retrofit Assessments provided Tangram member tenants with professional advice and confidence to plan for future insulation investment and supported applications for further funding. The assessments enabled Tangram’s Building Works Co-ordinator and Retrofit lead to choose which options were best suited for each household. In addition to supporting members with their own energy and insulation plans, the Co-op developed a ‘Roadmap for Retrofit’ for future decarbonisation work.

Tangram Housing have learnt about the Retrofit Process, the calculations involved in a Retrofit Assessment and say they have a much clearer understanding on what retrofit works are suitable for different property archetypes.

They also plan to include higher levels of consultation with members in the future to discuss options and worries about Retrofit Assessments.

Tangram Housing Co-op

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Season well

Season Well is a social enterprise that aims to get more people using local, seasonal, sustainable food to create great tasting healthy meals, whilst respecting the environment. A hands-on practical approach enables people to make healthy choices, bringing back lost growing and cooking skills.

Season Well ran six workshops in Guiseley and Rawdon to upskill people in climate-friendly food growing and dealing with food waste through their Climate Action grant. Participants learned how to compost food waste, plan and design growing spaces and how to sow and grow and look after plants for successful harvests. The project also involved a compost collection scheme in partnership with Compost-It collecting from six households weekly plus drop off food waste from a food business and three further households.

Participants have taken up new actions as a result of the sessions, taking plants to grow food at home without chemicals and composting food waste. 30 people reported learning new skills, including re-using plastic paper fruit punnets and coffee cups for growing and re-purposing plastic bottles to make watering cans. 25 participants said they had a better understanding and were more supportive of conservation.

Promotion and marketing were learning areas for Season Well from the project; open recruitment worked less well than hoped, and in future the group plan to focus information through organisations working with particular communities to ensure good information reaches as many people as possible.

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One resident wrote; “The compost bin is used everyday, it’s amazing to see how much goes in it rather than landfill. I’m thinking of a wormery now.”

“I’ve gained new skills as a result of the project. It was fun learning how to put a bird box together.”

Farsley residents

“It was an unseen benefit from the initial project plan that we were equipping people with new skills and the desire to carry these out.”

Member of the project team

Love Farsley cic

Love Farsley is a Community Interest Company dedicated to enriching the local community and surrounding areas, creating positive spaces and opportunities for everyone to enjoy, regardless of age, background, or beliefs.

Their project engaged 40 local households with the aim of attracting wildlife into gardens. Wildlife kits and open-garden events were used to reach residents, make connections between them and provide advice.

The kits provided tools and ideas to help attract wildlife into people's gardens and outdoor spaces, irrespective of size, helping local nature recovery.

Feedback from participants highlighted the effectiveness of the kits and open-garden sessions, which were described as ‘inspirational’ and ‘informative’. Participants also valued the water butts and compost bins provided as part of the package.

The project has generated enthusiasm and involvement, with a 'Wildlife Garden Trail’ planned and a new Farsley Climate Action group created.

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Bee inspired

Bee Inspired Eco Education CIC works with clubs, schools, and community groups. Using bees, they run programmes and activities to inspire children and communities.

Bee Inspired delivered 10 half-day workshops in Leeds primary schools with high pupil premium percentages. Activities included workshops with schools Eco Councils and whole school assemblies followed by shorter workshops for a full year group. All workshops involved a fully enclosed live honeybee colony in a glass-sided observation hive which was a huge success.

Each of the 565 pupils involved took home wildflower seeds (either by making seedballs, planting pots or designing seed-packets) to share their knowledge about pollinators and biodiversity with their families and friends. Planting the seeds will enhance local environments and increase pollinator activity in surrounding areas. Teaching staff also gained valuable skills and resources to extend environmental learning beyond the workshops.

Bee Inspired learnt much from the project including the value of using in-house communications, in this case the Leeds for Learning Primary Bulletin to schools, to reach teachers and encourage take-up of the workshop offer.

Address

Leeds Community Foundation

c/o Ove Arup & Partners Ltd

Floor 4, No. 12 Wellington Place

Leeds LS1 4AP

Get in touch

0113 242 2426

info@leedscf.org.uk

@LeedsCommFound

Community Foundation for Leeds is registered in England & Wales. Company No: 04443312 | Registered Charity No: 1096892. 

Address

Leeds Community Foundation

c/o Ove Arup & Partners Ltd

Floor 4, No. 12 Wellington Place

Leeds LS1 4AP

Get in touch

0113 242 2426

info@leedscf.org.uk

@LeedsCommFound

Community Foundation for Leeds is registered in England & Wales. Company No: 04443312 | Registered Charity No: 1096892.