£500 Million Fund for Decarbonisations Projects (London)
The Mayor of London is allocating £500 million through the Green Finance Fund to support projects that contribute to London’s net zero goals. The fund aims to accelerate decarbonisation by lowering the cost of borrowing for eligible organisations. Loans ranging from £1 million to £75 million are available, with flexible terms and interest rates lower than those set by the Public Works Loan Board. The Fund will support projects that deliver benefits in energy efficiency, clean transport and renewable energy. Eligible applicants include the GLA Group, London’s local authorities, social housing providers, NHS bodies, universities, colleges, and museums. Expressions of interest are accepted until the 17th December 2024.
Funding Available to Involve More People in Tackling Climate Change (UK)
One of the UK’s largest grant making programmes dedicated to tackling climate change, is set to close in early 2025. With over £20 million in funding available, the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund - Our Shared Future programme supports community-led initiatives that integrate climate action into the everyday lives of local communities. Eligible projects may include using other community engagement activities such as the arts and sports to tackle climate change, policy influence, and innovative approaches to involving underrepresented groups in tackling climate change. Grants range from £500,000 to £1.5 million, with a few larger projects considered. Up to 25 projects will be funded, and applications must come from partnerships, including a mix of organisations, such as charities, not-for-profits, and public sector bodies.
Free Trees for Schools & Community Groups (UK)
Hundreds of thousands of trees are being given away to help the UK reach its 2050 carbon net-zero target. Schools, nurseries, colleges, universities, outdoor learning centres, and other groups such as resident associations, sports clubs, parish councils, scouts and guides from across the UK are among the organisations eligible to apply for up to 420 saplings to improve their local environment. Tree packs include hedging, copse, wild harvest, year-round colour, working wood, wild wood, wildlife, and urban trees. The closing date for applications is the 13th January 2025.
Funding Available to Retrofit Buildings with Energy-Generating or Saving Technologies (England)
Community businesses can apply for financial support ranging from £10,000 to £150,000 to help stabilise or reduce energy costs, supporting the transition to more sustainable energy practices. The funding, made available through the Power to Change Energy Resilience Fund, can be used for various projects, including retrofitting buildings with energy-generating or saving technologies. Up to 40% of the total funding can be provided as a grant, with additional energy audit grants available between £500 and £2,500. The grant is available to community businesses in England that own a building or have a long-term lease of 12 years or more. The programme is funded by Power to Change and delivered by the Key Fund. To find out more please contact Sarah Dennis on 07889 881459 or email Sarah.Dennis@thekeyfund.co.uk
New Fund Launched for Community Organisations to Enhance Energy Efficiency (England)
Community organisations in England can apply for a share of £250,000 of funding to reduce energy usage and carbon footprint. The funding is being made available through the Energy Efficiency Sharematch fund. It can be used to install on-site energy generation measures like solar panels and heat pumps, improve building energy efficiency through insulation and LED lighting, and upgrade operational equipment to more energy-efficient alternatives. Funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment using Dormant Assets Scheme funds, this grant is administered by Crowdfunder in partnership with Co-operatives UK. Most grants will be £10,000-15,000. The application process requires an initial expression of interest, followed by a formal application through the Crowdfunder platform for eligible projects. The fund's application closing date is March 2025, and the goal is to allocate all funds before this deadline.