Farming grants UK: what is open now
As of 14 October 2026, GrantMatch lists 23 live funding schemes for UK farmers, growers and land managers. 2 close in the next 30 days, the first on 19 October 2026, and 4 were added this week. Each entry links to the official source.
Last checked 14 October 2026.
Farm funding changes all the time. Schemes open in short windows, close early when the money runs out, and differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This page brings it together in one place, in plain English, so you can see quickly what you could apply for. Not sure where to start? Check what is closing soon first, then look at your nation.
Closing in the next 30 days (2)
ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 12
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
The ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant gives a farming, growing or forestry business in England £2,500 to pay an external Project Facilitator who helps you put together a Full ADOPT Grant application. It is part of Defra's Farming Innovation Programme, delivered with Innovate UK, and Defra is putting up to £100,000 into this round. The idea is to make ADOPT funding easier to reach for farmers who are new to Innovate UK's application system. Full ADOPT grants fund on-farm trials and demonstrations of new ideas, so if you have something you want to test on your farm but find the paperwork daunting, this is the route in. The facilitator must be registered in the Innovate UK Business Connect database. In your application you add £2,500 under 'other costs' with the facilitator's name. The money is not paid up front. You get it once you show, within three months of your grant offer, that your Full ADOPT application has been submitted for assessment. This round opened on 1 October 2026 and closes at 11am on 11 November 2026. It is competitive and has a funding limit, so not every applicant will be funded. Innovate UK also considers prior conduct, such as money owed to Innovate UK or UKRI. Charities and community interest companies cannot apply, and subcontractors are not allowed. Who it suits: commercial farmers, growers and foresters in England with an on-farm trial idea who want expert help writing a strong Full ADOPT bid (Round 10 closes 2 December 2026). Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/adopt-facilitator-support-grant-round-12-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
Forest Expansion Scheme (Northern Ireland)
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Forest Service
The Forest Expansion Scheme (FES) is DAERA's main grant for planting larger new woodlands in Northern Ireland. It is run by the Forest Service as part of the Forests for Our Future programme, which aims to plant 9,000 hectares of new woodland over ten years. It is for new woodland of 3 hectares or more. Any woodland that complies with the UK Forestry Standard can be supported, whether your goal is timber, biodiversity, water quality or a lasting environmental legacy. Successful applicants can receive up to 100% of eligible establishment costs for the first 5 years, plus an annual premium of £469 per hectare for 10 years. DAERA announced in October 2026 that the annual premium has gone up from £350 to £469 per hectare. Farmers, landowners and estate owners, and charitable organisations can apply. Local councils can apply for the establishment grant only. Time is short. DAERA says applications must be received by 3pm on Monday 19 October 2026. Most applicants use a forestry agent to prepare the application, and DAERA publishes a list of Forest Service contractors and agents. If your planting is smaller, DAERA has also announced that the Small Woodland Grant Scheme, for new native woodland of 0.2 hectares or more, will reopen in late November 2026 for the 2026/27 planting season, paying £2,925 per hectare towards establishment plus £469 per hectare a year for 10 years. Who it suits: farmers and landowners in Northern Ireland ready to plant 3 hectares or more, ideally with an agent already lined up. Official source: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/daera-forestry-grants. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
New this week (4)
Woodland Creation Grant (Wales), window 6
Welsh Government (Rural Payments Wales)
The Woodland Creation Grant (WCG) is the Welsh Government's grant for planting new woodland on farms and other land in Wales. It pays for tree planting, livestock and deer fencing, and gates for public access, and then provides 12 years of maintenance and premium payments to help the trees establish. You can only apply if you already have a woodland creation plan approved by the Welsh Government, which you get through the separate Woodland Creation Planning scheme. For this window, the Welsh Government needs confirmation of a verified plan from Natural Resources Wales by 6 November 2026 for you to apply by the closing date. Window 6 opened on 4 March 2026 and closes on 20 November 2026. Rural Payments Wales runs a selection of applications each month. All selected planting and capital works must be completed and claimed by 31 March 2028. The minimum application is 0.25 hectares of approved planting, or 0.5 hectares if you are only planting under an agroforestry option. There is no maximum area. Funding covers seven woodland categories, and any of the WCG tree species mixes can be used if the plan meets the UK Forestry Standard. This window adds water troughs, water gates and water pipes, so you can plant riverside or pondside strips and fence out stock while keeping livestock access to water. Who it suits: Welsh farmers and landowners who already have, or are close to getting, an approved woodland creation plan. Note: the separate Sustainable Farming Scheme is applied for through the annual Single Application Form, and the 2026 window has closed. Official source: https://www.gov.wales/woodland-creation-grant-4-march-2026-20-november-2026. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
Full ADOPT Grant: Round 10
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
The Full ADOPT Grant funds farmer-led, on-farm trials and demonstrations of new ideas or solutions. Defra is investing up to £5 million in Round 10 through its Farming Innovation Programme, delivered with Innovate UK. It opened on 8 October 2026 and closes at 11am on 2 December 2026. Projects must test something that tackles a real challenge or opportunity on the farm or just after the farm gate, and must have the potential to improve productivity, resilience, sustainability or progress towards net zero. A key part is sharing: your proposal must show how other farmers, growers or foresters in England could benefit. Your project's total eligible costs must be between £50,000 and £200,000. It must last 6 to 24 months, start by 1 April 2027 and end by 31 March 2029. Funding is a grant, and the competition is competitive with a fixed budget. The lead must be an active commercial farming, growing or forestry business in England, and must collaborate with at least one other farming, growing or forestry business in the UK. Working with other organisations, such as universities or businesses, is encouraged. Universities cannot lead, and charities and CICs cannot lead. Co-operative members should apply individually. If you have not used Innovate UK's system before, the ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant (closes 11 November 2026) pays £2,500 towards an expert to help you apply, and a Support Hub is available for questions. Do not start the project until Innovate UK has approved your grant offer letter. Who it suits: groups of farmers or growers with a practical trial idea and partners lined up. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/full-adopt-grant-round-10-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
Forestry Grant Scheme (Scotland)
Scottish Forestry (Rural Payments and Services)
The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) is the Scottish Government's main grant for creating new woodland and managing existing woodland in Scotland. It is administered by Scottish Forestry through Rural Payments and Services, and supports the national target of 18,000 hectares of new woodland a year. There are eight categories. Two are for creating woodland: Woodland Creation and Agroforestry. Six are for managing existing woodland: Woodland Improvement Grant, Sustainable Management of Forests, Tree Health, Harvesting and Processing, Forest Infrastructure, and Forestry Co-operation. Within some categories there are several options for particular types of project. Payment rates are set per option in the full scheme guidance on Rural Payments and Services. Applications are online only, and you must first be registered with Rural Payments and Services. Do not start any of the proposed work before applying, and do not begin until you have an approved contract. The scheme has been updated to align with the UK Forestry Standard (2023), and applications submitted since 1 April 2024 must meet the Scottish Government's Fair Work First conditions. The scheme page does not give a closing date for capital applications. Scottish Forestry published a budget update briefing note in June 2026, so check its latest grants briefing notes before planning your timings. Who it suits: farmers and landowners in Scotland planning new woodland, shelterbelts or agroforestry, or improving woodland they already have. Note: Scotland's main farm support payments are claimed through the annual Single Application Form, which closed on 15 May 2026. Official source: https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
Forest Expansion Scheme (Northern Ireland)
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Forest Service
The Forest Expansion Scheme (FES) is DAERA's main grant for planting larger new woodlands in Northern Ireland. It is run by the Forest Service as part of the Forests for Our Future programme, which aims to plant 9,000 hectares of new woodland over ten years. It is for new woodland of 3 hectares or more. Any woodland that complies with the UK Forestry Standard can be supported, whether your goal is timber, biodiversity, water quality or a lasting environmental legacy. Successful applicants can receive up to 100% of eligible establishment costs for the first 5 years, plus an annual premium of £469 per hectare for 10 years. DAERA announced in October 2026 that the annual premium has gone up from £350 to £469 per hectare. Farmers, landowners and estate owners, and charitable organisations can apply. Local councils can apply for the establishment grant only. Time is short. DAERA says applications must be received by 3pm on Monday 19 October 2026. Most applicants use a forestry agent to prepare the application, and DAERA publishes a list of Forest Service contractors and agents. If your planting is smaller, DAERA has also announced that the Small Woodland Grant Scheme, for new native woodland of 0.2 hectares or more, will reopen in late November 2026 for the 2026/27 planting season, paying £2,925 per hectare towards establishment plus £469 per hectare a year for 10 years. Who it suits: farmers and landowners in Northern Ireland ready to plant 3 hectares or more, ideally with an agent already lined up. Official source: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/daera-forestry-grants. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
By nation
| Nation | Open schemes |
|---|---|
| UK-wide | 1 |
| England | 18 |
| Scotland | 1 |
| Wales | 1 |
| Northern Ireland | 2 |
Farm funding by nation
England
Defra and the Rural Payments Agency run most farm funding. The Sustainable Farming Incentive closed to new applications on 22 September 2026 once its budget was allocated, and Capital Grants 2026 closed on 1 September 2026. Schemes that stay open all year include Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, the England Woodland Creation Offer, the Woodland Creation Planning Grant and funded vet visits through Improve Animal Health and Welfare.
Source: GOV.UK: Funding for farmers, growers and land managers
Scotland
The Scottish Government pays farm support through Rural Payments and Services. Annual payments are claimed on the Single Application Form, which closed for 2026 on 15 May. The Forestry Grant Scheme, run by Scottish Forestry, takes applications online throughout the year for woodland creation, agroforestry and woodland management.
Wales
The Welsh Government runs farm funding through Rural Payments Wales. The Sustainable Farming Scheme started in 2026, with applications made on the Single Application Form, which closed on 15 May. Window 6 of the Woodland Creation Grant is open until 20 November 2026 for farmers with an approved woodland creation plan.
Source: Welsh Government: Woodland Creation Grant window 6, Welsh Government: rural grants and payments
Northern Ireland
DAERA runs farm and forestry grants. The Forest Expansion Scheme for new woodland of 3 hectares or more closes at 3pm on 19 October 2026, and its annual premium has risen to £469 per hectare. Round 1 of the Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme has closed.
Source: DAERA: forestry grants
The main types of farm grant
- Woodland creation and tree planting
- The most reliably open farm funding in every nation. Most schemes pay for planting and fencing, then annual maintenance or premium payments for 10 to 15 years. Many need a woodland creation plan approved first, which is often funded too.
- Environmental land management
- Payments for actions such as habitat management, hedgerows and soil health, for example SFI and Countryside Stewardship in England. These usually open in rounds and can close early when the budget is used up.
- Capital and equipment grants
- One-off grants towards kit or infrastructure, such as the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. Rounds are short, so it pays to have quotes ready before they open.
- Animal health and welfare
- Funded vet visits and testing, such as Improve Animal Health and Welfare in England. These are usually open all year.
- Local and protected landscape funds
- Smaller funds from National Parks, National Landscapes and community foundations. They are often rolling and are a good fit for small projects.
What is coming next
Only rounds that have been officially announced. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Northern Ireland: DAERA says the Small Woodland Grant Scheme will reopen in late November 2026 for the 2026/27 planting season. Source: DAERA news
- Scotland: NatureScot says the next Agri-Environment Climate Scheme round will open in the new year (2027). Source: Rural Payments and Services
- England: Defra has not confirmed dates for the next SFI or Capital Grants round. We will add them here once it does. Source: Defra Farming blog
By type
Environment and land management (5)
- Stanley Smith (UK) Horticultural Trust grants (Stanley Smith (UK) Horticultural Trust)
- The Brian Crowe Community and Conservation Fund (Cumbria) (Cumbria Community Foundation)
- Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs / Rural Payments Agency)
- Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs / Rural Payments Agency)
- Royal Countryside Fund: free farm resilience programmes (The Royal Countryside Fund)
Equipment and productivity (3)
- Agri-Food Investment Initiative (Northern Ireland) (Invest Northern Ireland)
- herdyfund (Cumbria) (Cumbria Community Foundation)
- Pappagallino Fund (Cumbria) (Cumbria Community Foundation)
Animal health and welfare (2)
- Improve Animal Health and Welfare: funded vet visits for cattle, pigs and sheep (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
- Poultry Biosecurity Reviews (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs / Rural Payments Agency)
Woodland and trees (9)
- Woodland Creation Grant (Wales), window 6 (Welsh Government (Rural Payments Wales))
- Tree Health Pilot Scheme (Forestry Commission)
- England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs / Forestry Commission – Defra Trees Programme)
- Woodland Tree Health (WTH) grants (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs / Rural Payments Agency)
- Forestry Grant Scheme (Scotland) (Scottish Forestry (Rural Payments and Services))
- Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG) (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs / Forestry Commission – Defra Trees Programme)
- PA3 Woodland Management Plan grant (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs / Rural Payments Agency)
- Crofton Trust Fund (Cumbria) (Cumbria Community Foundation)
- Forest Expansion Scheme (Northern Ireland) (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Forest Service)
Innovation and research (2)
- ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 12 (The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra))
- Full ADOPT Grant: Round 10 (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra))
Rural community and wellbeing (2)
- David and Margaret Rankin Fund: Skills and Training (Cumbria) (Cumbria Community Foundation)
- Fevara Group Fund (Cumbria) (Cumbria Community Foundation)
All open farming grants (23)
No deadline listed
Check the funder's current application window before you apply.
The Brian Crowe Community and Conservation Fund (Cumbria)
Cumbria Community Foundation
The Brian Crowe Community and Conservation Fund is managed by Cumbria Community Foundation in memory of Brian Crowe, a countryman and farmer for over 60 years. It gives grants to groups in Cumbria in two strands. The conservation strand covers all of Cumbria. It supports nature conservation and preservation, improving and restoring habitats and upland farming landscapes, and protecting wildlife, native species and heritage breeds. Examples it gives include species conservation (with priority for red squirrels), protecting heritage breeds of livestock, habitat creation and restoration, and traditional rural and land-based working practices. The community strand covers Furness and South Lakeland only. It supports people facing specific health-related or emergency circumstances, with priority for palliative or end-of-life care, specialist provision for people with visual impairments, and search and rescue services. The maximum grant will normally be up to £5,000, and multi-year funding may be considered. Only charitable and not-for-profit organisations can apply, not individuals. The fund page does not give a closing date. Applications go through the Foundation's online portal. Who it suits: conservation groups, breed societies and rural skills charities in Cumbria, especially those working with upland farms. Official source: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/the-brian-crowe-community-conservation-fund/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
David and Margaret Rankin Fund: Skills and Training (Cumbria)
Cumbria Community Foundation
The David and Margaret Rankin Fund for skills and training is managed by Cumbria Community Foundation. It gives grants to individuals and organisations across Cumbria that help young people build skills, confidence and training for business or employment, and one of its stated priorities is encouraging young people into farming. Priority goes to projects that help and empower young people, activities that develop knowledge or skills, and activity that encourages young people into farming. Examples the fund gives include business training for young people, mentoring programmes, courses for industry-specific certificates of competency, and travel costs for work experience. Unusually, individuals can apply as well as organisations. Grants for individuals are normally up to £1,000 over one year, and household income is taken into account. Grants for organisations are normally up to £5,000 over one year, and multi-year funding may be considered. The fund page does not give a closing date. Applications go through the Foundation's online portal. Who it suits: young people in Cumbria starting out in farming who need help paying for training or certificates, and local groups, colleges or mentoring schemes supporting them. Official source: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/david-and-margaret-rankin-fund-skills-and-training/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
Agri-Food Investment Initiative (Northern Ireland)
Invest Northern Ireland
The Agri-Food Investment Initiative (AFII) is run by Invest Northern Ireland. It helps food and drink processors in Northern Ireland make major capital investments to become more efficient and competitive. It is for processing businesses rather than primary farms, so it suits farm businesses that also process, as well as dedicated processors. It funds investment in machinery and equipment, buying or developing software, and buying patents, licences, copyrights and trademarks. The products processed must be Annex I agricultural products. Eligible sectors include meat (beef, sheep, pig and poultry), dairy, potatoes, cereals and arable crops, fruit and vegetables, bakery and snacks, drinks, animal feed and industrially de-rated cold stores. Some sectors, such as bakery, drinks, cold stores and egg processing, have extra rules, so Invest NI asks those businesses to get in touch first. The grant is a percentage of eligible costs and depends on business size. Small businesses can get up to 35% with a minimum project of £300,000. Medium businesses up to 25% with a minimum of £500,000. Large businesses up to 20% with a minimum of £1,000,000. Rates are negotiable and limited to the minimum support needed, so you have to show what you would do without the grant. Invest NI says the maximum assistance is around £5 million per project. AFII is competitive. You do not need to be an existing Invest NI client, but new businesses must meet Invest NI's criteria to become one. Invest NI's page does not show a closing date. Official source: https://www.investni.com/support-for-business/funding-support/agri-food-investment-initiative. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
Tree Health Pilot Scheme
Forestry Commission
The Tree Health Pilot (THP) scheme helps owners and managers in parts of England deal with trees affected by specific pests and diseases. It is run by the Forestry Commission and pays towards the actual costs of agreed work, such as felling, treatment and restocking. It covers trees in woodland and trees outside woodland, such as hedgerow trees, roadside trees, copses and shelterbelts. There is no minimum or maximum number of trees, but your application must be worth at least £500. The trees must be one of these: larch with Phytophthora ramorum; spruce with confirmed eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) or in the proactive spruce removal area; sweet chestnut with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight; oak with oak processionary moth in the established area; or ash with ash dieback. Location is the main limit. Apart from spruce cases, the trees must be in the North West, West Midlands, South East or London. Spruce can be anywhere in England where the beetle has been confirmed with a Statutory Plant Health Notice within the proactive removal area. You start with an expression of interest, or a Woodland Officer may invite you. After eligibility checks, the Forestry Commission arranges a site visit and sends you an application pack. Do not start any work before your agreement is live, as you cannot claim for it. VAT you cannot recover can be included. You can be in other agri-environment or woodland schemes, as long as you are not paid twice for the same work. As a pilot, agreement holders are asked to give feedback through surveys and interviews. The GOV.UK guidance we checked does not state a closing date. Official source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tree-health-pilot-scheme/tree-health-pilot-scheme-2024-who-can-apply-and-what-land-is-eligible. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs / Forestry Commission – Defra Trees Programme
The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is the Forestry Commission's main grant for planting new woodland in England. It pays towards the cost of creating the woodland and then helps you look after it while the young trees establish. According to GOV.UK, you can get up to £10,200 per hectare for the planting and related capital works, such as standard cost items and infrastructure for woodland management or public access. On top of that, there is an annual maintenance payment of £400 per hectare for 15 years. If your woodland's location and design deliver wider public benefits, such as nature recovery, water quality or access for local people, you can apply for additional contributions of up to £12,700 per hectare. A low sensitivity land payment of £1,100 per hectare is available if your proposal sits entirely within a low sensitivity area for woodland creation. All planting and management must follow the UK Forestry Standard. The minimum area is 1 hectare, which can be made up of several blocks of at least 0.1 hectares each. Woodland must normally be at least 20 metres wide, or 10 metres for riparian buffers and shelterbelts. Timing matters. You can apply at any time, but applications take 3 to 5 months to process. To have a good chance of an agreement in time for the next planting season, GOV.UK says your complete application should be in by 31 May. If you apply after October, an offer for the coming season is unlikely. Who it suits: farmers and landowners who want to plant at least a hectare of new woodland, including shelterbelts and riverside buffers. If you are planning 5 hectares or more, consider the Woodland Creation Planning Grant first, which pays for the design work. GOV.UK does not state a closing date for EWCO. Official source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/england-woodland-creation-offer. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
herdyfund (Cumbria)
Cumbria Community Foundation
The herdyfund is managed by Cumbria Community Foundation and funded by The herdy Company. It gives grants to charitable organisations that support Cumbria's rural communities, particularly upland fell farming. It also funds projects that reduce social isolation or create innovative and ambitious solutions to the problems facing farmers and rural communities. Priority goes to projects that make a long-term, strategic investment in people or the organisation, offer inclusive activities that reduce isolation, support rural communities, and bring in additional funds from elsewhere. Grants will normally be up to £1,000 over one year, and multi-year funding may be considered. The fund does not support individuals, and the Foundation's normal exclusions apply. Because the amounts are small, it works best as a contribution towards a specific activity, such as a farmers' social group, a fell farming event or part of a larger project that other funders are also supporting. The fund page does not give a closing date. Applications go through the Foundation's online portal. Who it suits: charities and community groups in Cumbria working with hill and fell farmers and the rural communities around them. Official source: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/herdy-fund/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.
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Questions farmers ask
What farming grants are open in the UK right now?+
The lists on this page show every farm grant we track that is open today, taken from official sources. Big government schemes open in windows, so some months there are only a few, and rolling schemes such as woodland creation and animal health reviews stay open all year.
Is the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) open?+
SFI 2026 closed on 22 September 2026 once its budget was allocated, according to GOV.UK. No date for the next round has been announced. We will add it here as soon as Defra confirms it.
Are there grants for farmers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?+
Yes. Farm support is devolved, so each nation runs its own schemes: Rural Payments and Services in Scotland, Rural Payments Wales and Farming Connect in Wales, and DAERA in Northern Ireland. The nation table on this page shows how many schemes are open where you farm.
How do you check this information?+
Our scrapers check official sources such as GOV.UK, Defra, the Rural Payments Agency and the devolved governments. Every grant links to its official page and shows when we last checked it. Always confirm the details with the funder before you apply.
Sources and how we check
We check official funder pages and remove schemes when they close. Each grant page links to its source and shows when we last checked it. Main sources: