Ford Oaks Solar Park Community Fund

Infinis Energy, the developer of the site, has committed a Community Benefit Fund of £100,000.

This is a one-off donation, available for immediate allocation, and will directly support community projects in:

The Fund will be split equally between the three areas, with each receiving £33,333.

Rockbeare Parish Council will oversee the allocation of funds to projects in Marsh Green and Westcott Hamlet.
Aylesbeare Parish Council will oversee the allocation of funds to projects in Aylesbeare Parish.

All projects must meet the agreed criteria to qualify for funding.

GrantScape will work closely with each project supported to:

Minimum grant – £500

Maximum grant – £33,333

Grants will be available for both capital and revenue projects and can be used on the following:

Community buildings and facilities. For example: capital improvement works to village halls, community centres, museums, heritage centres and community cafes.
Energy conservation and renewable energy. For example: Insulation and energy efficiency improvements in community buildings, solar panel projects.
Community activities and services. For example: projects addressing health and wellbeing, volunteering, social isolation, family poverty, community safety, access to amenities, young and older people’s projects, and projects providing support for local clubs and groups.
Environmental and public open space projects. For example: projects involving parks, nature reserves, community growing schemes, and habitat/species conservation.
Sports, recreation and play. For example: playgrounds, skate parks, sports equipment and sports field drainage projects.
Educational grants. For example: targeted STEM educational activities, outdoor classrooms, Forest School development, educational trips.

Please note: this list is not exhaustive, but just gives examples of the types of grants that can be supported.

Voluntary, community groups, local charities
The Parish Councils themselves.
Social Enterprises and Community Interest Companies operating on a non-profit-distributing basis. These are defined by Social Enterprise UK as ‘businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment. They make their money from selling goods and services in the open market, but they reinvest their profits back into the business or the local community’. Such organisations must have a minimum of three unrelated Directors.
Schools (as long as it is above and beyond the LEA responsibility).

Grants will not be available for:

Commercial organisations
Any works that are a statutory duty (such as works to public highways), or that are the legal responsibility of others to fund
Projects that are religious in focus, or that support a party political campaign or cause, or may bring the Fund into disrepute
Projects that only benefit individuals
Projects which are contrary to energy conservation and efficiency
Retrospective funding (i.e. funding can only be requested for works that will begin/ expenditure that will be incurred AFTER the funding decision has been made and a formal grant Contract issued)