Tree Production Capital Grant (currently closed)

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Applications closed on 25 June 2025. 

About the fund  

The TPCG is a competitive grant, which provides funding to help tree nurseries and seed suppliers invest in projects that improve, expand, automate or mechanise their operations. The funding aims to increase the resilience and productivity of the UK’s tree production sector enabling a reliable supply of diverse, biosecure and high-quality trees to England. 

The government has set legally binding targets to increase tree and woodland cover to 16.5% of total land area by 2050. Meeting these planting targets requires a reliable domestic supply of tree planting material. 

The TPCG is designed to support tree and tree seed suppliers to meet this demand by improving their productivity and resilience. It also aims to enhance the quality and diversity of trees produced. This will enable us to plant resilient and productive treescapes that support biodiversity and are resilient to stresses such as climate change and pests and diseases.  

Up to £2 million grant funding is available. The grant is open to tree and tree seed suppliers of all sizes, as well as new entrants looking to diversify into the sector. 

The fund been designed to complement the:

•  Tree Production Innovation Fund: supportssupporting research projects that will enhance UK tree production methods in England
• Seed Sourcing Grant: aimsaiming to increase the quantity, quality and diversity of seed sources in England

Who can apply 

To be eligible for funding, you must:

• must be UK-based
• supply orand planwill need to supply trees or treeplan seed to England
• havesupply soldtrees or supplied trees, tree seed or other plants/seed prior to applying*

*Commercially or as part of a non-profit organisation. It does not include hobby-growing.England. 

Applicants to the the TPCG can can include: 

• forestprivate nurseries 
• amenity,sector fruitnurseries orand nut tree producers
• tree rootstock producers
• tree seed supplierssuppliers 
• community,public charitysector ororganisations publicsuch sectoras treelocal nurseriesauthorities 
• new entrants to tree production from horticulture (must have sold or suppliedagriculture 
• environmental otherNGOs 
• community plantstree or seed)nurseries 

EachThe organisationgrant mayis submitopen onlyto oneforestry applicationnurseries peras fundingwell round.as Organisationsthose that areproduce linked,amenity, affiliatedfruit, or partnut oftrees and tree rootstock. 

The grant is intended to support the sameproduction groupof (fortrees example,available sisterfor organisationsplanting, orexcluding organisationsChristmas withtrees. 

Forestry sharedEngland leadershipand orForest governance)Research are considerednot aseligible afor singlefunding applicant.under the TPCG. 

Information for previous applicants 

TheSeveral grantchanges supportshave thebeen productionmade ofto treesthe availablegrant for planting,2025. excludingThese Christmas trees. include:

The

• the grantnew supportsobjective for this round: ‘to increase the resilience and productivity of the UK’s tree production sector enabling a reliable supply of treesdiverse, propagatedbiosecure, and grownhigh-quality intrees to England’ 
• the UK.capacity Ifquestion youhas buybeen plantsremoved tofrom growthe on,application youform and productivity is now double-weighted
• new agreements will needinclude toan outlineobligation theperiod, sourcewhich ofwill thosecover plants.

  Forestryprojects Englandfor and2 Forestyears Researchfollowing their final claim

• applicants who are notnew eligibleto fortree fundingor undertree the TPCG. 

  Whatseed youproduction canmust applysubmit for

  Youa canbusiness applyplan forin upsupport toof their application

Funding available 

The TPCG provides 50% funding for projects up to a maximum grant value of £175,000. Projects must have a minimum total cost of £10,000 (£5,000 grant value) to be eligible.eligible. 

TheYou 50%should fundingconsider appliesthe tosource eachof itemyour youmatch applyfunding for.before Theapplying remainingand 50%explain ofthis costsin cannotyour beapplication. sourcedYou fromcannot anothersource Departmentmatch forfunding Environment,from Foodanother andDefra Rural Affairs funded grant.grant. 

Funding is available for the 2026-272025-2026 financial year (endingonly. 27Agreements Marchare 2027)likely to be issued in August 2025.

All items must be received and work completed between the 2027-28start financialof yearyour (endingagreement and 27 March 2028).2026. ProjectsBefore mayapplying, includemake fundingsure foryou oneare orconfident boththat financialyou years.can complete all activities and receive all items between these dates. Any spend after 27 March 2026 will not be eligible to claim for. 

Project eligibility

Example projects suitable for funding can include: 

• investments in machinery, such as transplanting systems and grading machines 
• polytunnels and associated infrastructure 
• rainwater harvesting and irrigation systems 
• buildings, such as packing sheds or coldstores 
• biosecurity through improved water treatment and refrigeration equipment 
• seed processing or storage equipment 
• costs for purchasing or developing nursery management software  
• long-life trays 

You can only submit one bid forduring each funding round. However, your bid can include multiple different investments. 

Read our TPCG case studies to find out how funding benefitted previous grant holders.

EligibleThe costsTPCG intends to applysupport for: the supply of trees propagated and grown in the UK. If you buy plants to grow on, you will be expected to outline the source of those plants.  

You can claim for these eligible costs : 

• equipment and machinerymachinery  
• building materials
• delivery and shipping costs of items purchased 
• installationpersonnel andcosts related to the construction or implementation of the items purchased (carriedat outthe byapplicant’s internalsite staffof or external contractors)operation 
• one-off costs for purchasing or developing software 

CostsYou thatcannot areclaim not eligible: for: 

• retrospective funding for work already carried out or thatto will be carried out before thea grant agreement is signed 
• maintenance costs of the items purchased 
• training for staff to use items purchasedpurchased 
• administrationtrees or projecttree managementseed costs
• trees,to plantsbe ordelivered seeds as the outputs of the project proposal 
• consumables*,consumables, for example compost, fertiliser or single use trays/containers 
• software licenses or subscription fees 
• items bought on hire purchase or on leaselease 
• land purchase or rental
• planning and regulatory fees

*Consumables are defined as any items with a lifespan of less than one year and/or single use items.

All items must be received and work must be completed between the start of your agreement and 27 March 2028. Before applying, make sure you are confident that you can complete all activities and receive all items between these dates.

The grant is paid in arrears. To claim for an item, you must have purchased and received it. Make sure you can purchase items up front before claiming. 

How to apply 

You need to email us a completed:

• TPCG application form
• TPCG finance spreadsheet
• evidence of financial viability (when applicable)
• business plan (if(when youapplicable)

Go haveto beenthe TPCG application sellingform orpage where supplyingyou’ll treesfind orthese treeforms seedand forfurther 3guidance yearson orhow less) to complete the application form. 

If you are a local authority, university or public body, you may need to submit evidence of financial viability with your application. Check the TPCG application form guidance for details. 

After

Business plan

If you have appliedbeen trading as a tree or tree seed producer for 1 year or less, you must also provide a business plan to support your application. This should demonstrate your objectives, strategies and forecasts. Refer to the GOV.UK guidance on writing a business plan. 

Assessment process 

All eligible applications will be scored by an evaluation panel. Find out more about how applications are assessed in the TPCG application form guidance. 

We will letnotify you knowof our TPCG funding decision by 6 August 2025. 

If the outcomepanel ofneeds further information about your application.project before making a decision, we may issue an ‘offer in principle’. We expectwill send you a form with the panel’s comments and requests. You will have 2 weeks to issuerespond. outcomesYour onresponse 19will Augusthelp 2026.us decide whether to offer you a funding agreement.

If your application is successful, you will be issued with a grant agreement. You must not begin your project until you have signed your agreement and returned it to the Forestry Commission. Expenditure outside of the funding period will not be eligible to claim back. 

HowReporting paymentsand workpayments 

You can claim at any time up to a maximum of once per month. TheYou deadlinemust forhave claimsreceived inan eachitem financialor yearcompleted isa 27piece March.

We pay claims in arrears by BACS transfer following receipt of completedwork claimbefore forms.you Paymentcan of the claim willfor beit. madeThe withindeadline 22for workingfinal daysclaims ofis us27 approvingMarch your claim.2026. 

Find out more about how to make a TPCG claim.

Multi‑yearWe fundingpay isclaims subjectin toarrears annualby review.BACS Agreementstransfer mayfollowing be terminated ifreceipt future‑yearof budgetscompleted areclaim notforms. confirmedPayment orof ifthe aclaim projectwill isbe notmade deliveringwithin the22 expectedworking progress, outputs ordays valueof forus money.approving Thisyour includesclaim. situationsAll whereclaims fundedmust activitiesbe dosupported notby startevidence onof time,eligible whereexpenditure satisfactory(for progressexample, isinvoices/timesheets) notand beingphotos made,and ordescriptions where the terms of thepurchased grantitems agreementor arework notcarried beingout met.to date.

TheItems grantshould agreementnot alsobe includespaid standardfor termination‑for‑convenienceby provisions,cash meaningand eitherall theinvoices Forestrymust Commissionbe oraddressed to the grant recipient mayorganisation.  

You endmust the agreementcomplete ata anypost-implementation timereport withwithin at3 leastto one6 month’smonths writtenof notice.submitting your final claim.  

Obligation period 

All TPCG grant agreements will include an obligation period, which will start from the date you submit your final claim and lasts for 2 years. During that time, you must: 

• maintain ownership of items purchased using your TPCG grant funding 
• make use of and maintain any items purchased using your TPCG grant funding for the purpose set out in your grant agreement 
• submit a post-implementation report within 3-6 months of submitting your final claimreport 

We may conduct a site visit during this period and will clawback funds if you have not complied with these. 

Further information 

The Forestry Commission reserve the right to change the deadline for applications or make changes to the application process at short notice.

The Forestry Commission reserve the right to amend, add to or withdraw all or any part of the funding application process at any time during the process. All changes and updates are recorded on this page, read page updates. If you have already submitted an application, we will contact you by email to inform you of these conditions. changes.

Material changes (for example to the closing date or eligibility rules) will also be communicated via the Forestry Commission’s grants and regulations eAlert.  

Neither the Forestry Commission nor its respective advisers, directors, officers, members, partners, employees, other staff or agents: 

• makes any representation or warranty (express or implied) as to the accuracy, reasonableness, or completeness of this guidance 
• accepts any responsibility for the information contained in this guidance or for the fairness, accuracy or completeness of that information nor shall any of them be liable for any loss or damage (other than in respect of fraudulent misrepresentation) arising as a result of reliance on such information or any subsequent communication 

Contact us 

If you have questions about the TPCG or or the application process, email tpcg@forestrycommission.gov.uk.

To get the most up to date information on this grant grant sign up for our eAlert.

Find out about other grants from the Forestry Commission.

Find out how to make a a complaint or appeal.