Supporting Our Local Community

The Airport Community Fund is dedicated to bringing lasting benefit to those areas most affected by the airport’s operations. It forms part of our Community Relations programme, committed to minimising the impact that airport operations have on surrounding communities.

Established in April 2002, the Community Fund has since helped over 1,700 initiatives benefit from over £2,267,000 in funding. Money from the fund has gone to a diverse range of projects from equipment for village halls to the development of wildlife areas.

If your organisation is within our Area of Benefit then you can apply for any of the four different funds offered by East Midlands Airport. A summary of each of these funds is below along with application deadline dates, or use our helpful look-up tool here.

To apply to any of these funds please click the button below:

The EMA Community Fund (up to £2,000):

This fund is dedicated to bringing lasting benefit to those areas most affected by the airport’s operations. The airport contributes £50,000 each year to the EMA Community Fund, and this is topped up with noisy aircraft fines.

Charities, community groups and not-for-profit community organisations within the EMA Area of Benefit can apply for grants up to £2,000 for tangible items of lasting benefit, such as equipment and furniture. This fund cannot pay for running costs, consumables, salaries, rent, maintenance. You can find details about this fund including eligibility criteria in our EMA Community Fund Guidance Brochure, which you are advised to read before making an application.

You can apply for funding using the button below:

The EMA Community Sponsorship Fund (up to £200):

The EMA Community Sponsorship Fund provides small grants of up to £200 to support local charities and community groups with projects and events that provide a benefit to the local community and, without support, might otherwise not be able to take place.

The maximum award is £200; however, exceptions will be considered for events and projects within our nearest villages at the discretion of the airport. For larger projects of lasting benefit please consider applying for an EMA Community Fund grant (see above).

Apply for funding using the button below:

Application Deadline Dates

Community Fund Annual Reports

2024 - 2025 EMA Community Fund Annual Report

2023 - 2024 EMA Community Fund Annual Report

2022 - 2023 EMA Community Fund Annual Report

2021 - 2022 EMA Community Fund Annual Report

2020 - 2021 EMA Community Fund Annual Report

2020 EMA Community Fund Report

2019 EMA Community Fund Report

2018 EMA Community Fund Report

The EMA Sound Insulation Scheme (SIGS) is designed to help the people who are affected most by noise from aircraft and the airport. The scheme has helped many homeowners close to the airport to improve the sound insulation of their homes.​

The households that the scheme applies to are in a boundary surrounding the airport. Within the boundary, any building​

(or part of a building) which is being used as a domestic dwelling (a home) may be eligible for a grant, as long as it was built​ before January 2002.  ​

For more information about our SIGS scheme please see our SIGS Brochure.

The SIGS brochure includes a map which shows the boundary for the scheme and the different zones within it, as well as details of how to find out whether you are eligible, and the contact details of our managing agent.​

Planes cause turbulence in the air that they fly through. This turbulence can continue for some time, and reach the​ground, especially if there is little wind to break it up.  A vortex is a circulating current of air caused by planes. When an aircraft is coming into land, it is common for the vortex to reach the ground. 

The force of the vortex can sometimes damage the roofs of houses under a flight path very close to the airport. Pitched roofs with loose tiles are most at risk of vortex damage.​

Because it is not always possible to identify the aircraft responsible, EMA offer a goodwill policy of inspecting and repairing all vortex damage, as part of our commitment to the local community.  There is only a very small area of Kegworth that is potentially affected by vortexes.​

For more information about vortex strikes please see our Living Near the Airport fact sheet. If you think that a vortex has damaged your property, contact the Community Team as soon as possible by emailing community@eastmidlandsairport.com . 

The Airport Trail is ten kilometres or around six miles long and takes in the whole perimeter of the airport. It creates a wonderful walk, through woodlands, open parkland and meadows, providing stunning views of both airport operations and our rural setting, and includes picnic grounds to the north-east.

Between 2005 and 2012 the airport worked with nearby primary schools and community groups on tree planting programmes as well as installing an art trail to add an extra dimension to the walk. There are currently five pieces of ‘Art on the Trail’.

To commemorate the airport’s 60th anniversary in 2025 the EMA Community Fund provided £60,000 to upgrade the Airport Trail including renewed wayfinding and information boards, repairs to artwork, the reinstatement of hedgerow as well as improvements to footpath surfaces.

You can find more information about the trail in the EMA Airport Trail Guide.