22 April 2026
Anglian Water – Thriving Communities Fund
Grants are available for charities, community groups, schools and environmental organisations across the East of England to support local environmental and social impact projects within the region.
The new £5.8 million, five-year Thriving Communities Fund is provided by Anglian Water’s shareholders as part of their commitment to restoring and enhancing the environment. It is part of a wider £62.8 million package agreed between Anglian Water and Ofwat earlier in 2025, which also includes investment to tackle drainage and flooding issues, as well as the acceleration of planned investment to reduce sewage spills at high-risk sites.
The funding is for projects that primarily nurture, repair, protect or sustain the natural water environment. This covers all natural and managed water systems and the ecosystems connected to them, including the sea.
Non-profit organisations in the Anglian Water region with a track record of successful delivery can apply. They must demonstrate how a project will benefit both the environment and the people living in the Anglian Water region, as well as how that change will be measured.
Parish and Town Councils are eligible to apply.
Bodies such as higher tier local authorities or non departmental public bodies which own or manage land may be eligible depending on the project, but should seek guidance before submitting an application.
The funding is for projects within Anglian Water’s management area. This could be a supply of either fresh water or sewerage services or both.
The project does not need to be new work. It can be an existing project requesting continuation funding as long as it a live or pending project with Anglian Water.
Guidance notes and the online application forms can be found on the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation website.
There will be three rounds per year for five years (2026-2030) with provisional deadlines of 1 February, 1 May and 1 August.
There are two different application forms:
- There is a single stage application form for grants of £5,000 – £50,000 with a deadline of 1 May 2026 (11:59am).
- There is a two-stage application process for grants over £50,000. The first step is to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form by the deadline of 8 June 2026 (11:59am). Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full online application.