Fund Overview:

The Kemble Solar Farm is committed to providing a Community Benefit Fund of £20,000 each year for community projects. The Fund is indexed linked so will increase in line with inflation.

The total funds are to be split for the benefit of two Parishes – Kemble and Ewen, and Crudwell. 70% for Kemble (£14,000) and 30% for Crudwell (£6,000).

The Fund will operate on one application round each year. Additional rounds may be established if all available funding is not fully allocated. Any funds that remain unallocated at the end of the calendar year will be carried forward.

Applicants may apply for grants ranging from £250 to £14,000. However, it is anticipated that it will be unlikely for any single project to receive the full annual allocation of funding.

Applicants may apply for further grants in future application rounds, although priority may be given to first-time applicants and organisations that have previously been unsuccessful.

Project Purpose:

The Fund is open to any community project which is for the benefit of residents within the Parish.

Examples of the type of projects the Fund could support:

• Community buildings and facilities. For example: capital improvement works or measures to increase energy efficiency (e.g. public EV charging points, or improvements at a village hall, church, school, community centre, museum, heritage centre and community cafe.
• Community activities and services. For example: activities or events to engage the local community which may address health and wellbeing, social isolation, community cohesion, education, access to amenities, young and old 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, woodland creation, pathways, information boards.
• Sports, recreation, and play. For example: playgrounds, skate parks, indoor climbing walls, sports equipment, and sports field drainage projects.

(The above list is not exhaustive and is provided to give ideas only.)

Eligible costs may include the maintenance of community facilities for an agreed period. Funding will not be used to cover an organisation’s general overheads, such as insurance, energy costs, or other routine utility and service charges.

Eligible Organisations:

Eligible Organisations, who can apply for funding include:

• Voluntary and community groups
• Local charities
• Parish Councils
• Schools and educational establishments (for projects above LEA responsibility)
• 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’. These organisations must have a minimum of three unrelated Directors, that also do not reside at the same address.

Organisations need to have a written constitution, a set of rules, or a governing document and a bank or building society account held in the name of the organisation in place before applying for a grant.

Where an individual or community group that is not formally constituted, or does not hold a bank account in its own name, wishes to pursue a project that would provide a benefit to the local community, they are encouraged to contact their Parish Council for assistance. The Parish Council may be able to submit an application to the Fund on their behalf.

Project Location:

Projects must be for the benefit of communities within the Parish of Kemble and Ewen (the benefit area).

For a physical (capital) project, this needs to be delivered within the benefit area.

Grants that support a service or activity, the beneficiaries must be for individuals who reside within the benefit area. The activity may take place outside the benefit areas (i.e. an excursion for a community group). The grant can only be used for costs which benefits the residents.

Organisations located outside the benefit area can apply if they are delivering a service or activity for individuals residing within it. An example of this may be a youth worker employed by a local charity. The Fund could pay for costs associated with supporting young people that reside in the benefit area.

Judging Criteria:

A local Advisory Group has been established to decide on which applications can be supported and for how much.

The main criteria used when assessing applications received will be:

• The social, educational, economic, and environmental benefits which will result from the project.
• The level of community support for and involvement in the project.

Other factors will also be considered which must be demonstrated in the application:

• The ability of the applicant to deliver the project.
• How the work will be continued after the project has been completed i.e. its sustainability and legacy.
• Value for money. Applicants should demonstrate that the funding requested is proportionate to the outcomes and benefits the project will deliver.
• The location of the project in relation to the Solar Farm Development.

For applications above £2,500, whether the application demonstrates any contribution towards the project by the applicant organisation, for example, match funding or a gift in-kind of labour and / or materials.

Exclusions

Grants will not be available for:

• Commercial organisations.
• Private membership-based sports clubs and facilities (unless membership is open to the general public without undue restriction – e.g. not membership by nomination organisations or with restrictive charges).
• Individuals applying directly to the Fund
• Projects that are narrowly religious or that support a party-political campaign. (Note this does not include capital building works to a local Church which are considered community assets.)
• Retrospective funding (i.e. funding can only be requested for works that will begin / expenditure that will be incurred after a funding decision has been made and a formal grant Contract issued).
• Works that are a statutory responsibility, including scheduled transport services, works to public highways and public car parks, and projects for which the Local Education Authority (LEA) has responsibility.

If, after reading the above, you are confident that your project is eligible, please click Next, below: