Connect Fund

Schools, charities and community groups wanting to visit the Peak District National Park may be able to benefit from a Connect Fund Grant.

Our Connect Fund grants are designed to remove barriers for disadvantaged and marginalised communities to access, understand and enjoy the park.

We make grants to a range of different types of organisation, including:

  • Schools
  • Registered charities
  • Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs)
  • Community interest companies (CICs)
  • Community groups, societies and associations
  • Companies limited by guarantee (as long as you have an asset lock, or are also a registered charity)

Whatever type of organisation you are, you will need to have a business or organisational bank account which the grant can be paid into.

What does the Connect Fund cover?

You can apply for a grant of up to £500 towards the cost of a trip to the Peak District National Park. We will fund:

  • Transport costs
  • Learning provider fees
  • Equipment needed for your activity
  • The cost of providing food to participants if this is a major barrier to their involvement

The Peak District National Park Authority delivers learning activities at a range of sites across the Park, and our network of Ambassador centres offer instruction and training in outdoor activities. If you plan on using one of these services, please contact them before applying.

Eligibility

Schools:

  • All state-funded schools and colleges with 30% or more pupils eligible for Free School Meals, are eligible to apply for the grant. We use the get information about schools service as our data source to confirm percentage of Free School Meals.
  • Your school is eligible for one grant per academic year.
  • Visits and trips can take place during term-time or during the school holidays, but must take place within six months of the grant being made

Charities, community groups and other not-for-profit organisations:

  • Organisations/groups looking to deliver an event or project that is entirely focused on disadvantaged and marginalised groups can apply. This includes but is not limited to: low-income families, people with disabilities and ethnically diverse communities.
  • Your organisation/group is eligible for one grant per year
  • The visit or trip must take place within six months of the grant being made.

Please note:

  • The Peak District must be the closest national park to your organisation for your application to be considered.
  • The destination for your visit or trip must be within the National Park boundary.
  • If you have received a grant from us previously, you must send us your completed evaluation form from this project before reapplying.
  • We do not fund entry fees to tourist attractions but will consider entry to educational centres such as museums on a case-by-case basis.
  • We do not fund ongoing organisational expenses such as staff wages, vehicle maintenance or insurance.
  • We ask that meals are costed at a maximum of £6 per person.

How do I apply?

  • Get quotes for provider costs, travel costs and/or meals.
  • Plan your transport. Think sustainable.
  • Download an application form, fill in and return to us at hello@peakdistrictfoundation.org.uk
  • If you have any questions or need help completing the form, contact us at hello@peakdistrictfoundation.org.uk or 01629 700 606
  • Our upcoming application deadlines are 30th April 2026, 26th June 2026, 16th October 2026 and 19th February 2027.
  • If your application is successful, you will be sent an email to confirm the grant. We aim to let you know the outcome of your application within two weeks of the deadline.
  • Please note that we receive far more applications than we can fund so even if your project is eligible you are not guaranteed to receive a grant.  In the last year we have awarded grants to around 60% of organisations which have applied.