Mims Davies MP is pleased to announce the launch of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Energy Efficiency Scheme
During the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced over £100 million to support charities and community organisations, recognising that many of these organisations have been impacted by the cost of living.
In July, the Department for Culture, Media & Sport launched the Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund, which is delivering £76 million to frontline organisations. Announcing the launch of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Energy Efficiency Scheme, it will be backed by £25.5 million, provide energy assessments and grants of up to £150,000 to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of frontline services.
The scheme will have two elements:
Eligible organisations can apply for the cost and delivery of an independent energy assessment. This will help identify how to reduce bills through measures such as improving or installing new energy features in the building, or changing how energy is used. These assessments will be useful to organisations whether or not they apply for the second element. This part of the scheme is now open for applications and will remain open until August 2024.
Organisations with an energy assessment may then be eligible to apply for a capital grant of between £2000 and £150,000 to install the recommended energy efficiency measures in their premises. This part of the scheme will open to applications in January 2024 and grant rounds will also run until August 2024 (although we encourage organisations to apply as early as possible to allow sufficient time for delivery).
The scheme will be delivered by a consortium of partners, led by Groundwork UK, and supported by the Energy Saving Trust, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Locality, and Social Investment Business.
Grant awards will be decided through a competitive process, seeking applications from eligible organisations. To apply for an independent energy assessment, organisations must:
- be based and operating in England.
- be a voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation, with charitable, benevolent, or philanthropic purposes.
- be delivering frontline services or operating a hub building that delivers multiple frontline services.
- be able to evidence the need for energy efficiency support.
- be able to evidence that they are financially sustainable.
- not be suitable for blended finance or loan support through other energy focused schemes.
- Additional eligibility criteria will apply to the capital grants. These criteria will focus on the organisation’s relationship to their building and the evidence and impact for the requested energy measures.
The scheme will also prioritise organisations with a turnover of less than £1 million a year, although larger organisations can still apply. Further details on the eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found here:
