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Climate Change Fund

The Mayor’s Climate Change Fund is a grant funded scheme which provides match funding of between £5k and £20k for community group projects that will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions within Bedford Borough.

  • The minimum grant level is £5k and the maximum level you can apply for is £20k
  • All monies must be spent within 12 months of a grant offer being made. 
  • Applicants will need to provide match funding of at least 50% of the total project cost from other sources.
  • Groups must have a legal status, terms of reference and bank account. 
  • Projects must be located within Bedford Borough.
  • Private businesses and individual households & groups of houses are not eligible to apply.

 

Applications are welcomed from:

  • voluntary and community groups
  • not-for-profit organisations
  • registered charities
  • public sector (including schools and parish councils)
  • social enterprises

 

Projects that will be considered for funding include:

  • Loft insulation
  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Upgrading of heating systems
  • Boiler replacements
  • Secondary glazing
  • Low energy lighting
  • Solar hot water systems
  • Ground or air source heat pumps
  • Other low carbon and energy efficient technologies.

 

Energy Surveys:

50% match-funding of the cost of commissioning an energy survey (such as an Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate and Recommendation Report - cost approximately £500), can also applied for to be considered for funding by the Climate Change Fund, for the purpose of helping to identify and prioritise carbon reduction measures for a community building, which could then be match-funded through a further application to the Climate Change Fund. For more information, please download the Energy Survey application form.

 

How to apply:

Further information and guidance notes on the application process are included in the Climate Change Fund application form and the Climate Change Fund leaflet.

 

Please contact  the Sustainability Team to discuss your project before submitting your application: 

 

Completed applications should be submitted to:

 

Submitted applications will be taken to the Sustainability Committee on the following meeting dates (applications need to be submitted at least 3 weeks before the meeting date):

  • 19th September 2012 (deadline for submission of application - 28th August 2012)
  • 14th November 2012 (deadline for submission of application - 22nd October 2012)
  • 30th January 2013 (deadline for submission of application - 7th January 2013)
  • 6th March 2013 (deadline for submission of application - 11th February 2013)

 

Useful Information:

Further information which applicants may find helpful during the application process:

 

Case Studies:

Since the launch of the Mayor’s Climate Change Fund in January 2010, 22 applications have been approved for funding and 16 have been completed so far.

 

Project Types Supported so far:

  • Photovoltaic Solar Panels
  • Loft Insulation
  • Cavity Wall Insulation
  • Energy Efficient Boiler and Heating System Replacement:
  • Energy Efficient Lighting
  • Secondary Glazing

 

Photovoltaic Solar Panels and Loft Insulation 

The first organisation to receive funding from the Mayor's Climate Change Fund was Pavenham Village Hall and Playing Field Charity who installed photovoltaic panels and loft insulation: Pavenham - Loft Insulation & PV - Case Study.                                                    

 

Photovoltaic Solar Panels at a School 

Scott Lower, Brickhill Lower and Beauchamp Middle Schools in Brickhill each had a 3.88 kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system consisting of 21 panels each, installed on their roofs, with funding from the Mayor’s Climate Change Fund: Brickhill Schools-  Solar PV Panels - Case Study.

 

Energy Efficient Boiler and Heating System Replacement     

Community Voluntary Service have installed a new energy efficient boiler, heating system and loft insulation at their building on Bromham Road, Bedford: CVS - Replacement Boiler & Loft Insulation - Case Study.

 

Low Energy Lighting 

Biddenham Upper School installed energy efficient T5 light fittings to replace T8 light fittings which will result in a reducion in electricity consumption for these lightfittings by up to 50%: Biddenham - Low Energy Lighting - Case Study.  

 

Grants & PV Panels: Important information for potential applicants to the Climate Change Fund: Eligibility for the Feed-in Tariff if a grant has been received to install PV panels:

The Feed-in Tariff scheme is intended to replace public grant schemes as the principal means of incentivising small scale, low-carbon electricity generation.  Because of this, and to ensure value for money for consumers and compliance with EU law on state aid, it is not possible for a generator who has received a grant (such as the Climate Change Fund) from a public body in support of the purchase and/or installation of generating equipment to also benefit from FITs payments.

For more information:

 

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