Deadline: 31-Jul-23
The Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is seeking applications for the Community Climate Change Fund to support community-based organizations taking measures locally to tackle the climate emergency.
The aim is to mobilize the resources of local communities, encourage people to work together in a voluntary capacity and empower individuals and communities to take actions which: reduce local CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions; increase the ability of nature to absorb and store greenhouse gas emission; and build resilience in nature to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Funding Information
- The total fund available is £20,000. Grant applications are assessed around 4 times per year by a panel made up of public, private and third sector officers.
- Grants will usually be between £200 and £500.
- This can fund 100% of the costs identified.
What will the Scheme fund?
- Items that they can fund:
- Capital costs such as building work; buying and installing new equipment; materials including plants and trees.
- Revenue costs eg, marketing and promotion of a new activity; training; room hire; refreshments; hiring of a mark; minibus hire; feasibility study or business planning.
- Projects must be focused on achieving one or more of the following results:
- A more energy efficient building
- Greater awareness of energy efficiency measures and/or how to reduce energy costs
- A contribution to active travel such as a new walking group or footpath improvements
- Practical support for electric vehicles such as a community EV charge point
- A new renewable energy project
- More trees or a community orchard
- Definable nature improvement including new conservation measures and/or enhanced biodiversity.
- Greater reduction, reuse or recycling of products that would otherwise go to waste.
- A completed feasibility study or business plan for a project that meets one of the criteria.
- Items they cannot fund:
- Recoverable VAT (if you are not VAT registered, then VAT can be included in the eligible costs)
- Retrospective costs (costs incurred or committed to before receiving a Grant Offer Letter)
- Costs for activities that are entirely or mainly set up to promote religious or political beliefs.
- Projects involving activities that are a statutory responsibility.
- Projects that are not benefiting the Staffordshire Moorlands community
- Projects that are deemed not to contribute towards the SMDC Climate Action Plan
- An applicant can only apply once in each round.
Eligibility Criteria
- The fund is for any community group which needs some help to set up a project to support nature or tackle climate change. The group’s main purpose does not need to be related to the environment, just the specific project this would deliver.
- You can apply to the scheme if you are:
- An Unincorporated Association (a group set up with a constitution)
- A Registered Charity
- At CIC
- A CIO
- A new group (not yet constituted)
- AND if you are operating in, or benefiting, people or places within the local authority district of the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Ineligibility Criteria
- The following cannot apply for a community grant:
- Individuals
- Private Businesses
- Any organization that has political activity as one of its stated purposes ie, as defined by the Charity Commission for England and Wales: any purpose directed at furthering the interests of any political party; or securing, or opposing, any change in the law or in the policy or decisions of central government, local authorities, or other public bodies, whether in this country or abroad.
For more information, visit Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.