Aims/priorities: The aims of the fund are to:
- Increase the level of community and locally owned renewable and low carbon energy assets to make progress towards the Government’s net-zero carbon emissions targets.
- Support communities by helping them to reduce energy costs or generate income through community owned energy assets, reinvesting income locally, or services to reduce energy demand.
- Promote growth through the creation of jobs and volunteering opportunities in the communities where projects are located.
The funding is for community-based organisations, which are developing projects for the benefit of the local community.
Funding is for the development of projects from concept to investable scheme, including the launching approaches to community fund raising. It cannot provide capital funding for the installation of projects themselves.
Who can apply? Applications must be led by legally constituted voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in England only.
Eligible incorporations types are as follows:
- Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
- Community Benefit Society (CBS or Bencom)
- Community Interest Company (CIC)
- Co-operative Society
- Development Trust
- Pre-commencement society
- Registered charity (including eligible faith groups, sports clubs, etc.)
- Registered provider of social housing (this can include local authority or social landlord owned social housing)
- Registered Society
- Town or Parish Council.
Any project(s) developed through CEF funding should be designed to be at least 50% community-owned.
Applicants do not need to be community-owned at the point of application, but if they are not community-owned then they may need to establish a new eligible incorporated body at a later point that can comply with these requirements. For this fund, ‘community ownership’ should ensure that people living locally to the project have the opportunity to influence decisions about the asset's management and/or distribution of benefits – for example, via an accessible membership that gives them voting rights.
Partnerships are welcome. Full details of who is eligible can be found in the guidance notes.
Local authorities cannot receive CEF funding for their own costs in any circumstances (except Town or Parish Councils) other than formally required fees (e.g. for planning applications). However, they can lead an application if they are applying in their capacity as a Registered Social Landlord for a social housing-based project, and they can be a supporting partner to an eligible organisation leading an application for any other eligible project. Although the local authority cannot claim their own costs in these circumstances, they can add value to a bid by coordinating work or providing other support or advice.
Applications cannot be accepted directly from schools. However, a community group can apply for project infrastructure on school sites. For example, the community surrounding a school may form a community group in order to progress a project on their school site, or an existing community group could do this.
Grant amount: A total of £10 million is being made available with £2 million for the North West region.
Funding is provided in two stages:
- Stage 1 – Feasibility grants of up to £40,000.
- Stage 2 – Development grants of up to £100,000.
Application process: There is a two step application process:
- The first step is to submit a short expression of interest form that provides details of the project proposal.
- Organisations that submit an expression of interest that responds to the CEF eligibility criteria will be invited to submit a full application.
All relevant documents can be found on the North West Net Zero Hub.
Groups that would like technical support to develop their project proposal should email: NWNZHub@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk
Deadline: Sunday 1 September 2024, 23:59pm.
Contact information: Email: NWNZHub@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk