We’re offering Mini Garden Packages to create, restore and enhance local places for nature.
Check out #BacktoNature on social media for all the latest updates.
And, if you have any questions about the FAQs below, please contact the Local Places for Nature team.
Each package is pre-determined so you will receive ALL the items listed . Please ensure you have enough space to fit and store all the necessary items before you apply.
Your local Keep Wales Tidy project officer will agree a work plan and delivery schedule with you, but you will need to be available to accept deliveries of all items below as agreed.
Content of packages may be subject to change.
Keep reading for our other essential requirements.
Before you apply, please read the following essential applicant requirements:
Our Mini Garden Packages have been designed for organisations looking to build small, nature gardens on land that is in ‘not for profit ownership’. Applications are open to community groups of all shapes and sizes, and other organisations such as NHS, Local and National governments (including Town and Community councils), public schools and nurseries, third sector organisation, religious organisations, social enterprises, universities, housing associations, and wider Welsh Public Service including Transport for Wales.
Priority will be given to projects meeting all the requirements of the application process who are located in urban/peri-urban or rural town locations, involve disadvantaged members of the community, have strong community or volunteer involvement are located in areas of the highest deprivation (identified by the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation) and have little or no access to nature.
Priority will be given to applications that involve Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and/or disabled participants. Priority may also be given to sites that are identified by the panel as a) providing suitable connectivity to another Local Places for Nature garden, local nature reserve or other protected site (e.g. SSSI, SPA etc.) within 500m, or b) being more than 200m from any green space or watercourse.
Can schools apply?
Yes, any school can apply for a Mini Garden Package.
Who cannot apply?
Please note, if you have already received funding for your activity or site from the National Lottery Heritage fund or your Local Nature Partnership, there may be restrictions that could affect your application. Please contact nature@keepwalestidy.cymru for more information.
It depends on how your project meets the criteria and the proposed location. Please contact nature@keepwalestidy.cymru to discuss specific project ideas, but in general:
We’re keen to see groups who have successfully installed Mini Garden Packages (previously known as ‘Starter Packages’) progress to our larger-scale Packages, so if that applies to you and you meet all the criteria, then we would encourage you to apply for a Garden Package or Supersize Garden Package for the same, or different site.
You can apply for another Starter Package but only for a different site. Please note though, that priority is likely to be given to applicants who have not applied before.
We welcome and support applications from disadvantaged / disengaged / underrepresented groups who may be underrepresented or have limited capacity for involvement in projects such as Local Places for Nature. Applications will score highly if they include participants from the following groups:
Yes. There are other key scheme criteria that applicants need to demonstrate they meet (see above). Saying that, we encourage all applicants to outline how they have consulted with disadvantaged / underrepresented members of their local community and how they will be involved in the project going forward, as we want the projects to be as inclusive as possible. Involving disadvantaged groups will strengthen your application, giving you a higher chance of success.
Do we need to be a constituted group to apply for a Mini Garden Package?
No. If you do wish to constitute, Keep Wales Tidy officers can support you to become a constituted group. We have template constitutions available, and our team of community officers can help you through the simple process. Please visit the contacts page for details of your local community officer who can help or ask the Nature team.
Please submit the relevant application form via the Keep Wales Tidy website. You are not required to set up an account or login to apply, but please note, once you have started your application, you will not be able to save your progress and return to it later.
A preview of the questions can be found below, and further details on supporting information can be found in these FAQs. Please read this guidance carefully before starting your application.
There are no fixed deadlines, but packages are allocated on a first come first served basis until all packages are allocated. Please answer all the questions within the recommended word count.
All applications will be assessed by a grant panel including representatives from Keep Wales Tidy, Welsh Government, Social Farms and Gardens, The Wildlife Trusts and local nature experts.
When considering applications, the panel will award packages across a broad range of locations/partners/organisations so that different approaches can be trialled and monitored.
The panel will decide whether an application is:
A. Successful B. Unsuccessful C. On the ‘reserve’ list
If all above priorities are scored equally, then the package will be awarded to the applicant in the area of highest overall deprivation according to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation.
The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) is the Welsh Government’s official measure of relative deprivation for small areas in Wales. It is designed to identify those small areas where there are the highest concentrations of several different domains of deprivation. WIMD is currently made up of eight separate domains of deprivation.
Click here for interactive WIMD map of areas of highest deprivation. Priority will be given to applications in the 50% most deprived of any WIMD deprivation statistic (e.g. physical, education, income).
When will we hear if we are successful?
All applicants will be informed via email within five working days of our fortnightly grants panel meetings.
What is What3words and why do we have to use it?
What3words is a website and app that has divided the world into 3 metre squares and gave each square a unique combination of three words. It’s the easiest way to find and share exact locations. More and more delivery companies are now insisting on What3Words when planning deliveries. It is the best way to ensure items get delivered to the exact location.
Please visit www.what3words.com to pinpoint the exact location of your garden and the delivery location.
How much does it cost?
Nothing.
Do we need insurance cover in place?
Yes, you will need to have public liability insurance for the site. Please talk to the landowner to see what levels of cover are required. They may already have cover in place. If a Keep Wales Tidy officer is in attendance during an activity, then participants will be covered for personal accidents. However, this cover will not be in place if the officer is not present, so you will need to get adequate cover for future activities.
If you are struggling to cover the cost of insurance cover, please contact nature@keepwalestidy.cymru
We are awaiting landowner permission, can we apply?
No, you need to have written evidence of landowner permission before you submit your application. Your application will not go to panel until it is fully complete, including evidence, photographs, maps etc.
We have been working on our site for years under a verbal agreement from the landowner. Is this sufficient?
No, you will need to provide written evidence of landowner permission.
Our site is not publicly accessible for safety reasons (e.g. working with vulnerable adults / school children) – are we still able to apply?
Potentially, yes. It all depends on your specific circumstances and whether you meet other scheme criteria. Please contact nature@keepwalestidy.cymru to ask for advice.
The land is owned by a private individual, but we have a 10-year lease, can we apply?
Potentially, yes. Please email a copy of your lease to nature@keepwalestidy.cymru so they can check if you are eligible
There is no official form to complete, we just need evidence from the landowner that shows permission to install the site and maintain it for five years. This could be a formal agreement you have signed, a lease, a licence or an email from the landowner that gives permission for work to go ahead on the proposed site. If you have any queries please contact the Nature team for advice.
I don’t know the wildlife/nature value of the site. Can you help?
Don’t worry. Just tell us what currently exists on the site e.g. is it a hard surface such as concrete or paving slabs, or is it grassed? The Mini Garden Packages are designed for small spaces with little or no access to nature, where there is no opportunity for natural regeneration. For example, on manmade surfaces (e.g. school yard), in small communal gardens, in front of community buildings or on street corners. They are not suitable to be placed in large green spaces, or in locations where wildlife and biodiversity is flourishing e.g. Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Local Nature Reserves, species-rich areas.
The species mixes chosen are generic, native to the UK and suitable for wide range of habitats. Local Nature partnership representatives will attend each regional grant panel to assess applications.
How much space do we need to install all package items?
The minimum area required for Mini Garden Packages is five square metres.
Are all Mini Garden Packages suitable for hard surfaces?
Yes.
We don’t have a maintenance plan or any resources to maintain the site in future, can we have a package?
Ongoing maintenance of the site is one of the key assessment criteria. Keep Wales Tidy will provide you with tools and advice on how to look after your site in the long-term. Unfortunately, if you don’t agree to maintain the site for five years then your application will be unsuccessful.
How many volunteers do we need to build and manage the nature spaces?
We suggest a minimum of five core volunteers to construct the site although the more local people that are involved the better. Additional volunteers will spread the workload and can provide moral support through taking on other roles such as refreshments, promoting the site through social media and photography. Applicants must commit to 25 hours during 2025-26 to install and manage the garden.
If you cannot provide volunteer support, your application is unlikely to be approved. The panel need to feel confident that you have a core of volunteers who will build the garden and committed community interest to manage the site long-term.
Do you need to be fit? How physical will the work be?
There will be tasks suitable for all ages and abilities. Some activities will involve physical activities such as lifting, bending, digging but there will be lots of lighter tasks too such as, planting, weeding and watering. We will do our best to find suitable activities for anyone who wants to get involved.
Do we need any skills or experience?
No, a Keep Wales Tidy project officer will be on hand to explain the project activities in detail and provide informal training and support. They will carry out a risk assessment and go through a health and safety briefing with all participants. Simple guidance documents and instructions will be provided for volunteers to follow.
What do volunteers need to bring?
You will be working on an outdoors site perhaps with no shelter and are likely to get dirty. We ask volunteers to wear suitable clothing for the predicted weather conditions and sturdy footwear. Volunteers will be asked to bring their own gardening or work gloves. Some tools will be provided, but depending on expected numbers and package type, it may be handy for volunteers/groups to bring along extra spades, trowels etc.
Can children get involved?
Yes, but under 16s will need to be supervised by adults.
No, the Mini Garden Packages are small and designed to go on one site.
Can we amend the contents of my chosen package?
No. The packages are pre-determined. If you require different items to develop your local nature space, contact your Local Nature Partnership https://lnp.cymru/.
In what way will Keep Wales Tidy staff be available to support us to install the packages?
The installation of the garden will take place in one day and Keep Wales Tidy staff will help you plan and build your new garden. The sooner you book your installation day in with your local officer, the more likely you are to get your preferred date, particularly if you want work to take place at the weekend. We will also provide advice and guidance for the future maintenance of the site.
When the project has been built, can we keep the tools?
What happens if we get awarded a package and then cannot deliver it by end of February 2026?
All work must be completed by then. If your circumstances change, and you can no longer meet this timescale you MUST inform Keep Wales Tidy as quickly as possible so they can allocate the package to someone else.
If we are allocated a project, will Keep Wales Tidy repair or replace items in the package that are subsequently worn out, broken, damaged or stolen?
No, the funding will only cover the items and their installation once. Please work with our team to consider location of items when planning your garden e.g. sheltering structures such as sheds / greenhouses / trellises from high winds if possible.
How will my package be delivered?
It will be a combination of boxed items delivered by courier and larger pallet deliveries. The photos below are designed to give an impression of the size of some of the deliveries.
