Climate Change community grants

Introduction 

The climate change community grant scheme is aimed at local organisations who are looking to run and develop sustainable community projects that support the council’s climate change action plan helping us become carbon neutral by 2040. We are looking to fund community-led climate action by offering small, medium and large grants up to the value of £8,000.

• We will accept applications to cover full project costs.  
• Where the total cost of a project is greater than the grant value, we will fund the project up to the value of the grant.
• You will need to be able to secure the remaining funding from other sources. 

Grants 

There are five grants available:   

• £1,500 – small grant x 2 available
• £4,500 – medium grant x 2 available
• £8,000 – large grant x 1 available 

Grants cannot support:

• cost of trips or excursions
• topping up existing projects that are already funded

Eligibility 

All projects must be within the Hart boundary and meet our policy standards in relation to areas such as health and safety, safeguarding and sustainability. You must also demonstrate in your application that you have the relevant authority to carry out your project. 

Organisations which may apply include: 

• charitable organisations
• clubs and societies with a constitution e.g. playgroups and sports clubs
• community interest companies
• company limited by guarantee that has tangible social objectives
• town and parish councils
• voluntary and community groups or residents’ associations with a formal constitution
• schools  

Applications will not be accepted from: 

• for-profit companies that benefit the directors or shareholders of the company
• groups that have no formal constitution
• individuals  

What we will fund

We are interested in projects that address climate change and will achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

• Reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from existing activities such as retrofit projects to improve building insulation, switching existing halogen lighting to LED lights, installing renewable energy generation technology (e.g. solar panels)
• Enable reduction of emissions from planned activities that would otherwise produce greenhouse gas emissions, such as installing solar panels as part of a new build or extension
• Promote carbon capture and storage, e.g. through land use change, tree planting
• Increasing resilience to climate change such as improving protection against flooding, or implementing water conservation techniques
• Setting up additional education and awareness opportunities to encourage action to reduce climate emissions, e.g. climate change training, climate awareness campaigns, interpretation resources (leaflets, permanent interpretation)
• Setting up a new climate action initiative to reduce emissions, such as a school walking/cycling bus
• In examples where the alternative solution is to replace with a fossil fuel source, we will consider funding towards the proportion of additional cost needed to install or purchase a low carbon technology solution, such as heat pump or electric vehicle. Evidence for this cost difference would need to be demonstrated through your application, through like-for-like cost comparisons, for example;
  • Installation of a heat pump or other low carbon heating source rather than replace with a fossil fuel boiler
  • Additional cost needed to purchase an electric vehicle rather than fossil fuel vehicle 

What is not funded

We will not fund new activities where organisations have a duty to meet current legislation, such as installing insulation to modern standards on a new build/extension. 

We will also not fund activities where there is a new installation required and cost for the low carbon alternative is equivalent to installing the higher carbon item (e.g. LED lighting over halogen lighting). 

Scoring criteria 

Once your application has met the eligibility requirements, it will be assessed against the following criteria: 

Sustainability and Climate Change 

• How will your project outcomes have a positive impact on climate change?
• Will there be a direct or indirect carbon saving?
• Will the project use sustainable methods, e.g. sustainably certified materials, carbon neutral or carbon positive processes, neutral or positive impact on natural environment?
• Will your project leave a legacy after it has been completed?
• Value for money. Does your application include details on expenditure and are these realistic?
• Are there any other cost considerations, such as ongoing maintenance costs?
• How will you ensure those costs are covered? 

Value for money 

• Does your application include details on expenditure and are these realistic?
• Are there any other cost considerations, such as ongoing maintenance costs?
• How will you ensure those costs are covered?

Community-led climate action

• How will you engage with the local or wider community to inform planning and delivery of the project?
• Who will your project benefit?

Educational benefit 

• How will your project improve educational awareness and reach as many people as possible?

Method 

• Is your project plan clear and considered?
• Does it include detail on how each element of the project will be delivered and who will be responsible for it?
• How will you measure the success of the project, for example can you measure actual or estimated carbon reduction, measure community engagement, produce an action plan?

Application process

• You can apply for the grants from 1 August, and they close on 31 October. The winners will be announced in January 2026 and projects need to be completed within 12 months.
• Grant applications must stipulate which grant you are applying for (small, medium or large)
• Applications must detail the full project plan from start to finish and include how the project will be managed into the future.
• If you are not sure how to achieve this, clearly outline where there may be areas of support needed from our climate change team; we are happy to help support you if we can.  
• It is preferable that projects are completed within the same calendar year. If this is not possible, you should explain why as part of your application, with your expected completion date. Extensions can be granted on request.

To apply, please read the guidance above first and then email climatechange@hart.gov.uk with details of your project with the subject line stating - Climate Change Community Grant application.
 

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Grants board  

The grants board will meet in December to score applications against the criteria. The panel will include a minimum of three relevant people, such as: 

• Sustainability and Climate Change Projects Officer
• Climate Change Projects Officer
• Climate Change Communications and Engagement Officer

Applications which are approved will be passed to our Section 151 officer for final sign off. Feedback to successful and unsuccessful bidders will be provided. Unless stated otherwise, applications cannot be resubmitted until the next calendar year.   

The finalists will go through to our Senior Leadership Team who will select the winning projects.  In exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, we may withdraw grants or postpone the grant scheme. This will only happen in circumstances where an agreement has not yet been signed, or a purchase order released. Winners will be required to sign a grant agreement.

If your project is aimed at improving biodiversity and/or health and wellbeing in an outdoor setting, you may prefer to consider the council's Countryside Grant.