This fund is aiming to support voluntary sector orgs in the South West, who have land or buildings. Grants can include  grant revenue of up to £40,000 for feasibility work at stage one, and up to £100,000 at stage 2 to make projects ready for delivery, including sign posting and opportunities to discuss  projects with potential capital funders and/or look at how to set up a community share offer.  

To be able to apply for the current CEF offers community groups will need:

• A site or building(s) that the organisation owns or has a long term lease, that could possibly have solar panels (roof or ground-mounted could include batteries), air or ground source heat pumps, or a wind turbine which could also be linked to other technology, such as EV charging points etc.
• This would need to generate more energy than the building or organisation needs, so they can sell excess to the grid or set up their own micro grid, generating funds that can then be used by your community.
• Governance that will enable the organisation to manage (or set up) a community benefit society to manage the energy project

The kind of support current successful applicants are using this funding for include, paying for consultants and other professionals or if the group members have the relevant skills and experience, it can pay them to do some of this work,  to draft, early feasibility through to full business planning, planning permission fees, consultation,  legal costs, grid connection feasibility and setting up capital funding.

To find out more click here