The funding guide

Fungi-specific / mycology

• British Mycological Society (BMS) - Small grants for research, education and outreach, plus travel/conference support for members. Good for field projects and public engagement.

• Fungi Foundation - Micro-grants and project support around fungal research, conservation, culture and education, with a global scope.

• European Mycological Association - Occasional support for congress participation, networking and mycology initiatives across Europe.

• International Society for Fungal Conservation - Supports actions that raise the profile of fungal conservation, often small practical projects and meetings.

• Mycological Society of America - Research, travel and education awards (mostly North America but sometimes open internationally).

• SPUN – Society for the Protection of Underground Networks — Funds research via the Underground Explorers programme to sample and map mycorrhizal fungal networks, particularly in underexplored ecoregions; supports early-career and local scientists.

Ecology, biodiversity, systematics

• British Ecological Society - Research and Outreach Grants for ecology projects, fieldwork and public engagement.

• The Linnean Society of London - Grants for taxonomy, systematics and natural history, including early-career support and fieldwork.

• The Systematics Association - Grants for systematics research, meetings and training; suitable for fungal taxonomy projects.

• Microbiology Society - Outreach and meeting grants; some research and travel support for members.

• Royal Society of Biology - Travel and outreach grants; useful for students and early-career participation in conferences.

• Royal Geographical Society - Fieldwork and expedition grants that can support ecological surveys and biogeography of fungi.

• Darwin Initiative / Darwin Plus - UK government biodiversity programme for conservation and sustainable use (larger, partnership-based projects).

• Rufford Foundation - Small conservation grants worldwide; good for practical fungal conservation with community elements.

• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund - Species-level conservation grants, including fungi, for fieldwork and safeguarding actions.

• Whitley Fund for Nature - Major awards for proven conservation leaders and scalable projects.

• Patagonia Environmental Grants - Small to mid-sized grants for grassroots environmental work; advocacy and habitat protection welcome.

Horticulture, cultivation, ethnomycology

• Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Bursaries - Travel, training and project bursaries in horticulture; useful for cultivation research or study visits.

• The Merlin Trust - Grants for young horticulturists’ study trips and field experience.

• Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust - Supports horticultural education and garden-based projects; could fit cultivation trials.

• Professional Gardeners’ Trust - Funding for training, skills and qualifications for working gardeners (including cultivation courses).

• Finnis Scott Foundation - Grants for horticulture, plant science and fine art intersect; research and education projects considered.

• Bentham-Moxon Trust (Kew) - Supports plant and fungal science linked to Kew’s priorities, including taxonomy and collections-based work.

• AgriFood Charities Partnership (directory) - Meta-directory of UK trusts supporting training and research in farming and food; useful for substrate/waste-stream studies.

Arts, culture, music

• Arts Council England – Project Grants - Funding for creative projects, including science-art and community engagement with nature.

• Arts Council of Wales / Creative Scotland / Arts Council NI - National schemes for arts, participation and place-based work.

• National Lottery Heritage Fund - Nature and heritage projects with community outcomes, from micro-grants to larger programmes.

• PRS Foundation - Supports new music creation and performance, including cross-disciplinary projects.

• Help Musicians - Creative development, recording and touring support; could suit fungus-themed work.

• Jerwood Arts - Early-career artist development and project funding, often interdisciplinary.

Community, education, science communication

• British Science Association – Community Grants - Small grants to run science engagement with under-served communities.

• Royal Society – Partnership Grants (schools) - Up to £3k for STEM projects linking educators with researchers; fungi projects work well here.

• UKRI Public Engagement - Occasional calls for innovative engagement with research.

• National Lottery Awards for All - Quick, small grants for community projects across the UK; great for workshops and fungal festivals.

• The Fore - Unrestricted funding and development support for small charities/social enterprises.

• Esmée Fairbairn Foundation - Larger grants for nature, creative, and community projects; good for multi-year programmes.

• Ernest Cook Trust - Outdoor learning and nature connection with young people.

Students, early-career, training

• NERC Doctoral Training Partnerships - Studentships and cohort funding (longer-term research degrees).

• Society for Experimental Biology - Travel and meeting grants for members; supports presenting fungal biology research.

• Genetics Society - Grants for meetings, training and outreach where genetics/genomics of fungi is central.

• Royal Society International Exchanges - Seed funding to build international research links.

• Churchill Fellowships - Fund international learning trips to bring back new practice to the UK.

• Santander Universities - Travel and seed funding via partner institutions; check your university’s live schemes.

Media, documentation, expeditions

• National Geographic Explorer Grants - Field research, storytelling and education around nature and culture.

• Earthwatch - Citizen-science and field research funding partnerships; sometimes supports mycology-linked projects.