Southern Staffordshire Community Energy Limited (SSCE) is a social enterprise, which was founded in 2011 and run by volunteers. As a type of co-operative known as a community benefit society, it owns two solar photovoltaic panel installations on community buildings in Whittington, and an installation on roofs owned by University Hospital of North Midlands Trust (UHNM)
The surplus from its activities is utilised to create two Community Funds. The community fund arising from the UHNM project is committed to a project aimed at alleviating fuel poverty in North Staffordshire. The surplus from the other installations supports a General Community Fund which is available to community organisations in Lichfield District to fund projects which address carbon reduction, energy savings and wider issues of sustainability.
About grants from the SSCE Community Energy Fund
The board of SSCE has agreed that for the year 2019 this community fund will have a total value of £9000 and will be utilised to;
- improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of community buildings in the Lichfield district and to assist local community organisations in raising their related understanding and skill levels.
- facilitate environmental projects run by local community organisations. This includes capital grants for the purchase of equipment and also for revenue costs for activities such as education, training and development of volunteers/staff, surveys, investigations and related activities in support of a project.
Grants will be provided for either;
- Energy audits for a building
- Measures which will contribute to installation of renewable energy measures or improving energy efficiency
- Capital or revenue costs of other types of environmental projects
Applicants cannot apply under more than one heading in the same year. However, if the fund is available in the future, then organisations applying for energy audits this year will be considered for funding to install recommended measures next year. For applicants who successfully apply for an energy audit, SSCE will commission and pay for the audit on behalf of the successful applicant. There will be no direct financial award.
The maximum grant which will be awarded for measures is £2000. The SSCE Community Fund grant can cover the whole project if the value is less than or equal to £2000, or can be a contribution towards a larger project. In the latter case applicants must be able to demonstrate that there is an element of self-funding or grants from another source.
Please ensure that you read the full criteria for the fund before applying, which is available here.
What We Will Fund
Types of Organisation
We will support the following types of organisation;
- Constituted community groups
- Constituted voluntary groups
- Registered Charities
- Social Enterprises
- Owners or leaseholders of community buildings
Geographic Reach
We will support organisations based in, or working for the benefit of people in the following local authority areas;
- Cannock Chase
- Lichfield
Beneficiaries
In order to qualify for a grant from this scheme your project must be supporting the following types of beneficiary;
- Community Buildings in the Lichfield district
- Projects that will benefit residents of the Lichfield district
Project Aims
Your project must meet one of the following criteria;
- Improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of community buildings
- Assist local community organisations in raising their related understanding and skill levels concerning their carbon footprint and energy efficiency
- Facilitate environmental projects
- Projects must start on or after 1st March 2019
- Projects must be complete by 31st December 2019
Eligible Costs
Renewable Energy Installation
- Solar thermal panels for water heating
- Solar photovoltaic panels for electricity generation
- Ground or air source heat pumps (for well insulated buildings only)
- Biomass boilers
- Small wind turbines
Energy Efficiency Measures
- Cavity wall insulation
- External or internal solic wall installation
- Roof insulation
- Floor insulation
- Draught proofing
- Double glazing and/or lighting controls
- Energy efficient boilers
Other Environmental Projects That May Be Considered
- Biodiversity and habitat enhancement
- Local non-intensive food production and distribution
- Sustainable local transport
- Projects that address waste and recycling
What We Will Not Fund
Types of Organisation
This fund will not offer funding to the following organisations;
- Non-constituted community groups
- Non-constituted voluntary groups
- Statutory organisations
- Organisations that have been established less than 12 months
- Organisations that do not have a proven track record of service delivery
- Limited companies, sole traders or partnerships without charitable aims
Geographic Reach
This fund cannot support organisations who are based in, or working in the following local authority areas;
- East Staffordshire, Newcastle under Lyme, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke on Trent or Tamworth
- Any area outside Staffordshire
Beneficiaries
This fund cannot support any organisation whose primary beneficiaries are
- Outside the Cannock Chase or Lichfield districts
Documents You Must Submit With Your Application
The following documents must be provided with your application form. If you fail to provide these documents your application will not be considered for funding. All documents should be submitted at the time of application.
- A copy of your governing document, (constitution or Memorandum and Articles of Association)
- A copy of your most recent accounts, (audited or independently examined)
- A recent bank statement, (dated within the last three months clearly showing account number and sort code)
- A copy of your safeguarding policy
- At least three quotes for any capital items
- Confirmation of additional funding if we are to only fund part of the project
- Landlord consent and planning permission for work on buildings
- Floor plans or architectural designs for work on buildings
Closing Dates & Submission Deadlines
The following dates are submission dates and panel dates for 2019.
- Applications submitted before 31st January 2019 will go to the panel in February 2019
- Applications submitted after 31st January 2019, but before 30th November 2019 will go to the panel in December 2019
How To Apply
To apply for a grant of up to £2,000 please submit an application using our online application facility. You can attach your supporting documents to the application.
Case Study – An example of a funded project
Woodhouse Farm CIC
Woodhouse Farm is a community owned enterprise near Lichfield, that was previously owned by Birmingham City Council. The farm now offers opportunities for local groups to learn new skills, develop individual and team dynamics and acquire new knowledge, such as basic animal husbandry, horticultural and associated activities. It also grows vegetables and produces meat and eggs for sale, the proceeds of which go back into the enterprise.
A grant of £2000 from the SSCE community fund enabled them to pay for new energy efficient windows in a converted piggery, which forms the core of the farms educational and community work.