Introduction
Dear reader,
We are the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Environment Team. Our aim is to bring together all the schools and education establishments who are part of a GMCA school funded programme and those would like to take part in a programme, into one community where we can share reminders for feedback, highlight new funding opportunities and provide inspiration from one of our many case studies for future rounds of funding.
We are the GMCA Environment Team, within the team we have lots of programmes going on which work towards Greater Manchester becoming carbon neutral by 2038.
We have a Five Year Environment Plan for Greater Manchester which sits under the overarching Greater Manchester Strategy.
In a nutshell, helping to make Greater Manchester a world-leading Green City Region is our priority.
We work with the region’s leading businesses, community and voluntary, third sector and charity organisations, green influencers, schools and individuals to make a real change.
Education establishments are a key driver to influencing the next generation of changemakers. This note is intended to provide education leaders with the information and inspiration to bring tackling climate action to life with young people.
We hope you find the note useful, and please do circulate this page to your school network and colleagues who you think will find this of interest.
As always, we look forward to your feedback, especially from your students!
Funding opportunities for education establishments
Bee Loved Fashion Schools
Funding provider: Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Cost to schools: Free
Eligibility: High Schools or Further Education Colleges based in Greater Manchester
Support in application process: Further information available about the programme via webpage or email GreenCitySchools@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
Information about the programme:
High Schools and colleges across Greater Manchester are being urged to sign up for Bee Loved Fashion Schools — a fully funded programme helping young people turn unwanted textiles into fresh fashion, while building confidence, creativity and green skills.
Launching this autumn, the hands-on after-school programme will give students of all abilities the chance to explore the impact of fashion and textile waste, learn practical repair and upcycling techniques, and create new pieces from donated items within their school community.
Fashion with purpose
Students will take part in six weekly, one-hour sessions that combine creativity, sustainability and enterprise. The programme will help young people develop:
- An increased understanding of fashion and textile waste,
- Practical skills in repair, upcycling and making
- Awareness of sustainable consumption choices
- Confidence, teamwork and enterprise skills
- Enrichment and personal development
- Early careers inspiration
Delivery partner Future Fashion Fair CIC will bring the ideas, inspiration and technical know-how, supporting students to try skills ranging from no-sew fixes and visible mending to block printing, redesign and basic machine use.
The programme will culminate in the launch of a Bee Loved Fashion Shop, where students can sell their creations and continue running the shop beyond the initial training — helping the project live on long after the sessions end.
High schools and colleges wanted
GMCA is now looking for fashion-forward High Schools and colleges ready to take part in the pilot. To find out more, email GreenCitySchools@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk.
Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDs) for Schools (Project FLOW)
Funding provider: United Utilities (UU), the regional water company
Cost to schools: Free
Eligibility: UU approaches schools directly based on flood risk criteria.
Support in application process: For any support in accessing this fund, please contact Esther Taylor, UU Rainwater Management Team, Esther.Taylor@uuplc.co.uk
Information about the Fund:
As part of project FLOW, United Utilities are rolling out resilient, eco-friendly spaces using nature-based solutions. We deliver a range of innovative sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS) such as rainwater planters, tree pits, and raingardens. These interventions are fully funded by United Utilities, at no cost to the school. These features not only capture, slow the flow, and gradually return rainwater to the combined sewer system, reducing the risk of spill, they also deliver a wide range of additional benefits:
- Reducing Flood Risk: manages rainwater safely and preventing surface water flooding
- Creating Greener Space: adds planting, habitats and natural features
- Boosting Biodiveristy: supports wildlife like insects, birds and pollinators
- Enhancing Wellbeing: creates calming, attractive outdoor areas for pupils and staff
- Supporting Learning: creates educational and interactive resources to support learning
- Building Climate Resilience: helps schools adapt to heavier rainfall and changing weather
City of Trees: Trees for Schools
Funding provider: City of Trees, registered environmental charity based in Greater Manchester
Cost to schools: Free. City of Trees provide free trees and tools to schools, including equipment suitable for children such as junior spades and gloves when planting trees.
Eligibility: All educational institutions within Greater Manchester. If you don’t have land but are interested in tree planting, there may be opportunities for City of Trees to get involved in some of your local greenspaces.
Support in application process: For any support in the process email schools@cityoftrees.org.uk
Information about the Fund:
City of Trees work with schools across Greater Manchester via their Trees for Schools fund, greening school grounds and creating woodlands on site. We supply free trees for schools, designing appropriate planting schemes for your site and leading tree planting days with pupils.
Trees provide a range of benefits, including:
- Increased biodiversity and habitats for wildlife
- Reduces flood risk
- Reduces heat risk
- Improves air quality
- Improves pupils health and wellbeing
The scheme also helps to:
- Provides dynamic outdoor learning at all key stage levels
- Meets the curriculum in a unique way
- Provides a dynamic outdoor learning at all key stage levels
- Meets the curriculum in a unique way
- Provides free fruit from newly planted orchards
Public Building Retrofit Fund
Funding provider: Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Cost to schools: There is no requirement for applicants to commit a minimum contribution of funding towards the project.
Eligibility: Public Sector Organisations within Greater Manchester, including all schools within the state education system: maintained schools, academies, multi-academy trusts and free schools.
Support in application process: Whilst the fund is not currently open for applications, please contact PBRF@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk to be added onto the mailing list to receive updates on future funding opportunities.
Information about the Fund:
The Public Building Retrofit Fund (PBRf) provides grant funding to Greater Manchester schools and other public sector organisations to install energy efficiency measures and low-carbon heating technologies in their buildings.
The PBRf supports national policy objectives to reduce emissions from building heating, which accounts for around 9% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The fund focuses on replacing fossil fuel-dependent technologies while improving the comfort, efficiency and overall performance of public buildings.
Through the three application windows hosted to date, the PBRf is providing up to £28 million in funding to public sector organisations to invest in energy efficiency measures, building fabric improvements and low-carbon heating systems.
Schools were highly successful in these application windows, with over
We encourage all potential applicants to review the Public Building Retrofit fund guidance and application form in the key downloads section of the GMCA PBRf website.
Climate Action Plan funded support
Funded support provider: The UK Government
Cost to schools: Free. The UK Government has funded two programmes to support schools with their sustainability journey, including their Climate Action Plans.
Eligibility: All educational settings are eligible for the free support.
Support in application process: contact hello@climateambassadors.org.uk or letsgozero@ashden.org
Information about the support: A Climate Action Plan is your education setting’s roadmap to becoming more sustainable. The Department for Education expects all education settings in England to have created a Climate Action Plan.
The Climate Action Plans can be short term or long-term, depending on where your school is in your sustainability journey.
Support for schools: the UK Government has funded two support programmes that all schools can access for free:
- Climate Ambassadors: Funded by the Department for Education, the scheme provides free advice and mentoring to support your education setting.
The Climate Ambassadors project offers every education setting in England free access to volunteer support to develop and deliver impactful Climate Action Plans.
- Let’s Go Zero: Let’s Go Zero’s Climate Action Advisors give free and tailored advice to schools in England, helping them enjoy greener buildings, transport, menus and more.
They support schools to understand their carbon emissions, create effective climate action plans and access relevant resources and funding opportunities.
Powering our Schools – Solar
Opportunity: Powering Our Schools Programme
Cost to schools: Free solar design and quote, financing options to be discussed
Eligibility: All schools
Support in application process: For any support in accessing this programme, please contact PoweringOurSchools@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
Information about the programme:
Powering Our Schools is a programme that has been run by GMCA since 2024 to support local schools to access solar panel installations and reduce their bills and carbon emissions. Phase 1 has successfully helped 15 schools install solar, with an average estimated bill saving of around £16,000 per year. Schools received access to lower cost panels, a local, verified installer and technical advice. This support package was provided at no cost by GMCA, but schools paid for the installations themselves via reserves or other arrangements.
GMCA are looking to launch the next phase of the programme and are exploring the addition of a financing option, where schools could access solar at no upfront cost. Instead, schools would pay for the electricity they use from the panels at a rate lower than the price of electricity from the grid.
If you would be interested in this potential next phase of the programme, please complete this expression of interest: https://www.gmconsult.org/environment-team-policy-and-strategy/6bc7e5e2. We are seeking schools that can see themselves proceeding to an installation in the next 12 months.
Case study:
Longsight Community Primary School and Unity Community Primary School, part of Big Life Schools Trust, both successfully installed Solar Panels as part of Powering our Schools. The installers worked closely with the schools to ensure the projects were delivered with minimal disruption. Each school received a tailored installation and safeguarding plan, with clear communication throughout. Installation was completed during school holidays and took less than two weeks.
Since installation, monitoring systems have been set up and the schools have reported that this has helped them with energy management, including identifying where electrical items were not running efficiently.
National Education Nature Park
Funding Provider: UK Government
Cost to schools: Free. Eligible settings may receive up to £5,000.
Eligibility: The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) will contact eligible settings during the summer term with application information. You can find a list of these settings in the National Education Nature Park: 2026 to 2027 academic year eligible educational settings. Eligible settings who fulfil the application criteria will be able to apply from September 2026.
Education settings who were eligible for the National Education Nature Park grant in academic year 2025 to 2026 but were not awarded funding are eligible to apply again for funding for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
Support in application process: The RHS will support eligible settings with the application process.
Information about the grant:
The grant is available to support projects that increase biodiversity and enable pupils to monitor and measure nature on site. Eligible activities include installing planters, green walls and water butts, creating or improving ponds, planting trees and hedgerows, as well as purchasing equipment to support outdoor learning and nature monitoring.
These measures will provide a range of benefits, including:
- Increases biodiversity and habitats for wildlife
- Reduces flood risk
- Reduces heat risk
- Improves pupils health and wellbeing
More information is available here How it works | Education Nature Park
Summary of funding opportunities:
| Funding opportunities and outcomes supported | |||||||
| Scheme | Waste reduction | Flood risk | Heat | Biodiversity | Energy efficiency | Air quality | Carbon reduction / climate planning |
| Bee Loved Fashion Schools | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) for Schools (Project FLOW) | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| City of Trees: Trees for Schools | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Public Building Retrofit Fund | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Climate Action Plan funded support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Powering Our Schools – Solar | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| National Education Nature Park | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
Your Voice
This section features what’s been going on in Greater Manchester schools, putting the spotlight on case studies and welcoming student voices. We welcome your contributions to this section of the briefing note.
