Blog — page 4
Updates, deep-dives, and how-tos on sustainability funding for early-stage builders. Page 4 of 4.
Funder spotlight, a industrial decarbonization funder worth knowing (May 2026)
One active industrial decarbonization funder, what they back, their cheque size, and how to get on their radar.
What to do when you don't qualify for the grant you wanted
You found the perfect programme, then realised you don't qualify. Here's the practical playbook for adjacent options, structural workarounds (partner with a qualifying org), and finding funders that fit your actual shape.
The state of climate funding in 2026
A data-led look at where climate funding is flowing in 2026: total dollar volume by sector, the funders writing the biggest cheques, the geographic concentration, and what early-stage founders should take from the patterns.
Welcome to Raise Lens
Why we built a daily-updated source of sustainability funding, and what you can do with it.
UNFCCC: a complete funding guide for 2026
Everything a climate founder needs to know about UNFCCC: programmes offered, typical cheque size, who they fund, and how to get on their radar.
How to read a UKRI eligibility table without missing the small print
UKRI eligibility tables look simple but pack a lot into a few rows. Here's how to read them properly, which footnotes actually matter, and how to spot the eligibility filters that disqualify most applicants.
What Grants.gov forecasts mean (and how to use them six months ahead)
Grants.gov publishes forecasted opportunities months before they officially open. Here's how the forecast lifecycle works, what the status codes mean, and how to use the lead time to build a winning application.
How Raise Lens match scoring works, and how to read it
What the match score on every Raise Lens listing actually means, what goes into it, and how to use it to triage 500 opportunities down to 5 you should actually apply for.
National Lottery Heritage Fund: a complete funding guide for 2026
Everything a climate founder needs to know about National Lottery Heritage Fund: programmes offered, typical cheque size, who they fund, and how to get on their radar.
Climate startup funding by stage: pre-seed, seed, Series A and beyond
The funding sources that actually match each stage of a climate startup's journey. Why pre-seed shouldn't chase Series A funders, and which non-dilutive options compound best at each stage.
Innovate UK Smart Grants explained: a complete guide for 2026
How Innovate UK Smart Grants actually work in 2026: eligibility, project budgets, match-funding rules, scoring criteria, and what the assessors look for. Plus the common pitfalls that kill otherwise-fundable applications.
Non-dilutive funding for climate startups: choosing between grants, SBIR, foundations, VC and tax credits
A practical decision framework for early-stage climate founders weighing up non-dilutive grants, SBIR/STTR, foundation cheques, climate VC, R&D tax credits, and prize competitions. Stage, time-pressure, and dilution-aversion all matter.