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.

Examples include:

Improvement in water quality

Projects that demonstrate measurable reductions in pollutants (e.g. nitrates, phosphates, microplastics)
Use of nature-based solutions like wetlands or buffer strips
Community water quality monitoring projects

Biodiversity enhancement

Restoration of habitats for native aquatic and riparian species
Reintroduction or protection of endangered species

Reduction of harmful practices

Sustainable land management practices to reduce runoff

River morphology improvements

Re-meandering, bank stabilisation, or removal of barriers to fish migration

Floodplain connectivity

Projects that reconnect rivers with their natural floodplains

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)

Integration of SuDS to manage surface water and reduce urban runoff.
Rehabilitating or creating wetlands to naturally filter pollutants and improve biodiversity.
Installing rain gardens in public spaces to capture and filter stormwater before it reaches water bodies.

In addition to the main focus on the water environment, projects must also deliver social benefits for communities in the region.

Examples include:

Environmental and community wellbeing

Creating improved water quality through sustainable practices
Increased access to and engagement with rivers and the water environment for recreation and/or education
Reducing carbon emissions

Health and wellbeing

Supporting people’s mental health through the water environment
Projects that reduce isolation or support marginalised and/or vulnerable groups

Education and skills

Creating opportunities to increase knowledge of the water environment
Enabling employment and opportunity to upskill individuals
Generating volunteering opportunities e.g. community led monitoring or stewardship programmes

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.

There will be three rounds per year for five years (2026-2030) with deadlines of 1 February, 1 May and 1 August.

Full details…