The scheme gives primary schools, secondary schools and senior secondary vocational education institutions the opportunity to transform their outdoor space into a place where learning, play and nature come together. Green schoolyards contribute to biodiversity (the variety of life in a particular area), reduce heat stress and waterlogging, and provide an attractive and healthy outdoor environment for pupils and students, as well as reducing bullying.
Hagar Roijackers, Provincial Executive for Nature and the Environment of the Province of North Brabant: “A green schoolyard is much more than a pleasant place to play. It is a learning environment where children and young people experience every day how nature, climate and health are interconnected. By investing in this, we are making a direct contribution to their future and to a resilient North Brabant.”
Funding for greening and education
Schools with a well-substantiated plan for construction, maintenance and educational integration can apply for a contribution of up to 70 per cent of the costs, with a maximum of €10,000 per project. The scheme explicitly also provides scope for secondary schools that want to make part of their grounds greener, for example for outdoor lessons, relaxation or social interaction.
Powerful learning environments
Green schoolyards are powerful, practical learning environments for pupils and senior secondary vocational education students, especially when they are involved themselves in the design, construction and maintenance. This way, they learn about climate adaptation and biodiversity and gain experience collaborating with businesses and organisations in the area. Blue-green features such as bioswales and planting demonstrate how water can be collected naturally and discharged more slowly, reducing heat stress and waterlogging. At the same time, these schoolyards provide space for play, exercise and relaxation.
More than 400 green schoolyards
The Schoolyards of the Future scheme has demonstrably had an impact in recent years. By now, 416 schoolyards in North Brabant have been made greener, transforming paved yards into natural outdoor spaces where climate adaptation and well-being go hand in hand.
Jan Speelman, Cultural Fund of North Brabant: “The impact of green schoolyards is enormous. They make nature visible and tangible in pupils’ everyday lives. The fact that so many schools have taken this step in recent years shows how great the need is. With this new funding round, we are once again providing a strong boost to healthy and future-proof learning environments.”
Applications from 1 April 2026
Applications can be submitted from 1 April through 3 November 2026, until the available budget has been exhausted. View the conditions here and apply for the grant.
In addition to financial support, the Schoolyards of the Future programme also offers advice and practical guidance for making schoolyards greener. For more information, visit schoolpleinvandetoekomst.nl
Photo caption: Green schoolyard at Yuverta senior secondary vocational education institution in Boxtel.