RWE Camster Wind Farm Community Fund

Area:

• Highland

Key dates

Application deadlines: 31st March and 30th September Notification dates: End May and end November

About this fund:

This fund supports charitable activities or services of benefit to those living in the following Community Council areas in Caithness: Latheron, Lybster and Clyth; Watten; and Tannach and District. Constituted not-for-profit groups or organisations working to benefit people in these areas may apply.

The fund is provided by RWE, owner of the Camster Wind Farm. Starting in September 2013, it receives at least £150,000 annually (index-linked) for the Wind Farm lifetime, expected to be 25 years. The annual donation is split equally between the three Community Council areas.

Note there are three funds also providing grants for projects benefitting this community council area and is administered by Foundation Scotland. These are the Bad a Cheo Wind Farm Fund, the Tannach & District Wind Farm Trust and the Watten Wind Farm Trust.

The available balances are currently:

• Latheron, Lybster & Clyth: £89,000
• Tannach & District: £137,000
• Watten: £190,000.

Purpose of this fund The outcomes for this fund are:

• There are more and better opportunities to take part in sports and recreational pursuits
• Access to and through settlements is safer
• Community life is enhanced and maintained through a wide range of activities, events and improved amenity of settlements
• activity is encouraged within the fund area
• People have more vocational skills and experience
• The natural and cultural heritage is more valued, experienced and understood by both visitors and residents
• Energy use in homes and community buildings is more sustainable
• Tourism opportunities are promoted and created in the fund area.

Your application must demonstrate how it contributes to at least one of these outcomes.

The fund outcomes reflect local needs and aspirations that have been identified through extensive community consultation in 2012. The consultation informed a detailed profile of the communities served by the fund, which Foundation Scotland prepared in partnership with Caithness Voluntary Groups and Latheron, Lybster & Clyth Community Development Company. Download a copy of the community profile.

Additional criteria:

• Local consultation on the need for your project: Applicants should demonstrate that they have consulted an appropriate and proportionate number of the project's intended beneficiaries and can demonstrate they are supportive of the proposal.
• Partnership working: Where appropriate, applicants should consider whether delivering their project in partnership with other organisations/groups will add value (financial, capability, or other). This could involve working with voluntary, private or public sector bodies that operate at a local, regional or national level.
• Local procurement: Where appropriate, applicants should seek local providers of the goods and services they are seeking a grant towards. However, this should be shown to offer the best value, balancing considerations of cost, availability and quality as appropriate to the specific goods or service in question. The definition of ‘local’ will vary depending on the goods/services in question. In some cases, it could be taken to mean within the Area served by the Fund, in others Caithness or indeed the North of Scotland

Who can apply?

Groups and organisations working to benefit people in any of the four communities can apply for a grant. Your group/organisation must meet our standard eligibility criteria. It does not need to be a registered charity.

Applications from groups or organisations located out with the fund area will be considered case-by-case and must demonstrate a clear benefit for 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.
• 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