Veolia, the UK’s leading resource management company, launched this year’s Sustainability Fund in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council on World Environment Day (5 June) to help support people across Chesterfield to improve their local environments and communities with grants of up to £1,000.
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Sustainability Fund, one extraordinary project across the UK will be selected to receive a bumper grant of up to £5,000.
2024 was a successful year for the Sustainability Fund, with 2 grassroots projects given £2,000 funding in Chesterfield.
Veolia’s Sustainability Fund is open to not-for-profit organisations, community groups, and individuals in areas where the company delivers recycling and waste collections, and street cleansing services for the community. Up to £1,000 in funding is available per project and applicants can also request in-kind resources or volunteers to help them deliver ecological transformation.
To celebrate the Sustainability Fund's fifth anniversary, one standout project will receive a special bumper grant of up to £5,000. This additional award will recognise a project that demonstrates remarkable, long-term community impact. To be considered for this additional funding, applicants simply need to opt in during the standard application process.
All applications will be considered, with environmental projects needing to meet at least one key criteria:
● Enhances biodiversity
● Promotes sustainable waste behaviours
● Protects the environment by using recycled, reused or reclaimed materials.
And new for 2025, the Sustainability Fund is expanding to include social projects alongside environmental initiatives. This broader focus now welcomes projects that strengthen the local community, including but not limited to: employment support programmes, rehabilitation projects, and youth development initiatives.
Applications can be made via Veolia’s website at veolia.co.uk/Sustainability-Fund. The fund will be open for applications until Tuesday 30 September.
Pascal Hauret, Managing Director, Municipal at Veolia, said: “Since its launch five years ago, the Sustainability Fund has allowed us to directly support the communities we serve with over £300,000 in funding delivered since 2021. The Fund continues to grow and evolve, this year offering more opportunities than ever, and I’m looking forward to reviewing some unique and inspiring applications, from environmental projects to social initiatives."
Councillor Martin Stone, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Environment, said: “Chesterfield is bursting with ideas and innovation, and this is an exciting opportunity for local groups and organisations to bring their ideas to life and make a difference to local communities. Whether that be boosting biodiversity or supporting an environmental project which can make a positive social impact on the lives of local people, we look forward to seeing this progress as part of our partnership with Veolia.”
Last updated on 12/08/2025