Kildrummy Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund

Area:

• Aberdeenshire

About this fund

The Kildrummy Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund supports charitable projects that benefit residents of Kildrummy, Lumsden and Towie/Glenkindie within the Donside Community Council area.

The fund is provided by Greencoat UK Wind, owner of Kildrummy Wind Farm. Starting in 2013, £23,000 per year, rising in line with inflation, will be paid into the Fund for the operating life of the wind farm. Additionally, starting in 2019 the Fund will be increased by £4,600 every five years, again rising in line with inflation. A further bonus payment related to the energy output of the wind farm will also be paid into the Fund where the energy output of the wind farm is at least 5% higher than the expected output over a fixed five-year period.

In 2020, the annual contribution to the Fund was just over £32,000.

To grow the funding available to the communities over the long-term, Kildrummy, Lumsden & Towie Community Endowment was established with £25,000 from the Fund plus a further £7000 in matched funding from Foundation Scotland. These funds were invested at the end of June 2020, and in December 2020 were transferred to the Foundation Scotland EQ Impact Fund. The Community Panel (see below), with the agreement of Donside Community Council, will donate a further £5,000 to the Endowment each year over the following five years.

Purpose of this fund The fund supports charitable activities that reflect the ambitions and activities set out in Kildrummy, Lumsden & Towie Community Action Plan 2013 and Glenkindie & Towie Community Action Plan 2019, both of which were produced in partnership with Marr Area Partnership.

Grant requests are expected to support one or more of the themes of the Kildrummy, Lumsden & Towie Action Plan:

Theme 1 – Supporting Community Services & Facilities; Theme 2 – Enhancing Adult Learning, Employment & Training; Theme 3 – Developing Tourism; Theme 4 – Improving Access & Environment; Theme 5 – Supporting Children & Young People; Theme 6 – Improving Community Communication; Theme 7 – Improving Local Transport. Theme 8 - Housing OR

One or more of the themes of the Glenkindie & Towie Community Action Plan 2019:

Theme 1 - Getting Around Theme 2 - Getting Connected Theme 3 - Activities & Facilities

A wide range of costs (revenue and capital) and related activities will be considered for funding, including equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional worker costs, consultations, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities, and so on.

The Panel welcomes applications for projects that provide benefit across the three communities.

Who can apply?

Not-for-profit groups and organisations working to benefit people in the communities of Kildrummy, Lumsden or Towie/Glenkindie can apply for grants. Your group/ organisation must meet our standard eligibility criteria. It does not need to be a registered charity to apply.

Private businesses can also apply where the proposed project fits with the charitable aims of the fund, provides significant public benefit, cannot be funded from the business’ own funds, and where any private benefit is incidental.

Applications from groups/ organisations located out with the fund area will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate a clear benefit to residents within the fund area.

We cannot fund the following:

• Non constituted groups.
• Applications from individuals. However, individuals may be able to apply for funding under any micro-grant scheme associated with a fund, or under some education and training funds.
• General fundraising appeals or activities.
• Trips abroad (unless otherwise stated on the fund page).
• Costs already incurred or activities which will take place before we’ve decided on an application, i.e. retrospective funding.
• The repayment of loans or payment of debts.
• The advancement of religion or politics, including requests to support religious or political groups' core activities. However, religious groups may apply for funding for non-religious activity that will benefit the wider community beyond their own specific congregation and is open to all on a non-denominational basis. For example, a church may apply for funding to upgrade a church hall that is regularly used by other community groups.
• Payments towards areas understood to be the exclusive responsibility of statutory authorities. However, we can provide grants to Parent Teacher Associations/Parent Councils if they are appropriately constituted and occasionally to schools where the activity being delivered is additional to the core curriculum/statutory activity.
• Activities that are likely to bring the fund, Foundation Scotland or the donor into disrepute. For example, we can’t fund groups or organisations using hate speech or inciting violence, or those linked to such groups or organisations.
• Activities that conflict with the interests of the funder. For example, where a renewable energy company provides funding, we can’t fund any projects or organisations that are anti-windfarm or anti-renewable energy as such activities are likely to be contrary to the interests of the funder or its subsidiaries.
• For place-based funds, we can’t support projects which don't benefit the people who live within the defined fund area. Projects that benefit people in the fund area plus others outside that area can be supported on a proportionate basis. Applicants to these funds don’t need to be based in the fund area.
• For themed/cause-related funds we can’t support projects which don’t relate to the priorities stated for the fund.
• Costs directly related to the sale of alcohol, including but not limited to the refurbishment of a bar area