From today, charities, community groups, schools and environmental organisations across the East of England can benefit from Anglian Water’s new £5.8m Thriving Communities Fund, which will offer grants to support local environmental and social impact projects across the region.

The new fund – one of the largest of its kind specifically benefitting the Eastern area – will support local community groups to deliver Anglian Water’s purpose: to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region through its commitment to Love Every Drop.

Anglian Water’s shareholders have provided the funding as part of a commitment to restoring and enhancing the environment. Grants will be available for the next five years, supporting projects that nurture, repair, protect or sustain the East of England’s natural environment, and also offer social benefits. This could include work to reduce flood risk, improve river water quality, or help local species flourish, while also promoting social benefits, such as enhancing health and wellbeing or improving environmental education and skills. 

The fund forms part of a wider £62.8m package agreed between Anglian Water and Ofwat earlier this year, which also includes investment to tackle drainage and flooding issues, as well as the acceleration of planned investment to reduce sewage spills at high-risk sites. 

Emma Staples, Director of Corporate Affairs at Anglian Water, said: “We're excited to launch our Thriving Communities Fund to support great initiatives across our region and give back to the causes that matter to the communities we serve every day. 

"The fund will be a fantastic boost for local people in the Anglian Water region who are working to improve the places they care about and create a positive lasting future legacy that protects and sustains the precious environment we all share here in the East of England.”

Anglian Water’s Thriving Communities Fund is open for applications from Monday 10th November and the first round closes on Sunday 1st February 2026. The water company is working with the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) to develop and administer the fund.

Vivienne Atkinson, Deputy CEO at Cambridge Community Foundation, said: "With the launch of its Thriving Communities Fund, Anglian Water is committing significant investment into helping people and places flourish across its region. It’s a commitment to the future through building strength, sustainability and stewardship. Together, we’ll empower projects that foster community resilience, protect our environment, and create real, lasting change. 

“We’re proud to stand alongside our long-term partner, Anglian Water, in bringing this fund to life and ensuring its impact is felt in the hearts of communities that need it most."

Application can be made for grants between £10,000 and £100,000, and there is a two-stage application process for grants over £50,000. 

Projects must primarily nurture, repair, protect or sustain the natural environment. This covers all natural and managed water systems and ecosystems connected to them, including the sea. 

Applicants must also be able to demonstrate how a project will benefit the environment, the people living in the region, and how that change will be measured. 

For the full criteria, how to apply and for further information, visit Anglian Water's Thriving Communities Fund page.