Funding Alert - Climate Challenge Fund

2nd November 2011

GENERAL
The 9th round of the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) opened recently
£10.3m is available in Scotland for projects that help communities tackle climate change by reducing their carbon emissions
Maximum grants of £150k are available but, in previous rounds, the awards have been significantly less than the maximum amount: a few thousand or tens of thousands of pounds rather than hundreds of thousands of pounds
The application deadline date is 2nd December 2011
Funded projects must be completed by 31st March 2015

WHAT IS IT?
CCF applications will be judged against three main criteria:-
· Communities must be at the heart of the decision-making processes

· Funded activities funded must lead to significant and measurable CO2 emissions

· Funded activities must result in a positive legacy for the community

In the current round, a proportion of the funding will be allocated to the Junior Climate Challenge Fund for projects that help under 18s become involved in a low carbon future.
Both revenue and capital funding is available. There is, however, a range of items that are ineligible for funding such as renewable energy feasibility studies, wind turbines and solar panels.

A variety of projects can potentially be supported from building refurbishments and allotments to transport initiatives and projects that reduce food waste.

WHO CAN APPLY?
A wide range of organisations from voluntary and community groups and housing associations to churches, youth groups and schools can apply
Schools, however, can only apply for projects that are not a statutory responsibility of the local authority (apart from schools, local authorities are not eligible to apply)

NOTE ON BUILDINGS
Applications for energy efficiency measures can only be made for buildings that are community-owned
CCF can help projects in these buildings in the following circumstances:-
· The refurbishment is part of a broader local engagement strategy to raise awareness and change behaviour (please note however this must be must be more than a single or one-off event)

· The energy efficiency of the building after the work has been completed must be higher than the current minimum standards for the building

· Although it cannot contibute to a general funding package for a new building it can contribute to the infrastructure costs of making the new building as energy efficient as possible

HOW TO APPLY
All applicants must submit an Expression of Interest form in the first instance
Thereafter a full application form will be provided if the project is potentially eligible for assistance
Applications, together with all required supporting information (including a detailed project plan), must be submitted no later than 2 December

MORE INFORMATION?
http://ccf.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/