Access for All grant funding 2026-27

Protected landscapes, like the Chilterns National Landscape, make an important contribution to people’s enjoyment of the countryside and their health and wellbeing.

The 2019 Landscapes Review, led by Julian Glover, called on the government to ensure our national landscapes could be enjoyed by a more diverse audience.

In response, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) allocated £14.5 million towards making protected landscapes, National Trails, forests and the wider countryside more accessible for people of all ages, abilities and needs. As part of this, the Chilterns National Landscape has received additional funding from Defra for capital spend to make our protected landscapes more accessible to people of all ages and abilities, and from all backgrounds. See examples of the work we funded and the impact it’s having.

We have received an additional £429,000 of government funding from Defra in 2026/27 and are seeking expressions of interest and applications for projects. We would love to hear from you! The funding guidance, eligibility criteria and application form are further down this page. We are also expecting a further two years of Access funding, covering 2027/28 and 2028/29 which will enable us to extend the grant programme.