Knabs Ridge Wind Farm Community Fund

Two Ridings Community Foundation manages community benefit funds provided by alternative energy suppliers as part of their developments. One fund run by RWE Renewables is the Knabs Ridge Wind Farm community benefit fund near Harrogate, which supports local projects identified by local people.

The Knabs Ridge Fund has funded refurbishments and renovations to community buildings, as well as new equipment for playgroups, drama clubs, sports facilities and play areas.

The Fund has also helped counter the ‘digital divide’ by financing public internet and computer access to Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall.

Size of grants

You can apply for a grant of up to £2,500.

Micro-grants of up to £500 are also available throughout the year (funding allowing).

Who can apply?

Our focus is to support small, grassroots organisations. As a general rule we will only consider an application from an organisation with a total annual income of under £500k per annum (this includes all income regardless of the source or purpose).

However, where it is possible within the rules of a particular grant scheme we may choose to consider an application from a larger organisation. Please contact us if you intend to make an application and your income is over £500k.

Your organisation or group does not have to be a charity registered with the Charity Commission but all groups applying to Two Ridings CF for funding do need to:

• Work primarily for the benefit of people in North and East Yorkshire
• Be ‘not for profit’ (we have additional requirements when considering a request from a Community Interest Company and further information can be found by clicking here)
• Have a governing document (also known as a constitution, rules, memorandum, or articles of association) outlining charitable objectives and with a charitable dissolution clause
• Have a bank account in your group/ organisation’s name with at least two signatories, who are not related to one another
• Be locally led and run (including locally constituted and managed branches of national charities)
• Have at least three unrelated trustees, directors or management committee members

Some of our funds have additional criteria around the size or type of organisation that they will fund so it is important that you also check eligibility by reading the guidance notes for the fund that you intend to apply to, to check for any additional criteria and exclusions.

Who cannot apply?

Under normal circumstances (except where a particular scheme allows and there is sufficient wider public benefit), we cannot support:

• Private Businesses

• General appeals or sponsorship

• National organisations (note this does not include locally constituted and managed branches of national or large charities)

• Statutory agencies, including parish councils and schools, in the discharge of their statutory obligations (we may however be able to provide funding for extracurricular activities or work which is outside the usual remit of the school/parish council if a particular scheme allows for this)

• Organisations that have substantial unrestricted funds (sometimes there may be a reasonable explanation for this and if you have any concerns that this might affect your application, please do contact us)

• Previous grant recipients who have outstanding monitoring information

• Organisations that mainly give funds to other organisations or individuals In addition, we cannot generally support (except where a particular scheme specifically allows):

• Work normally funded from statutory sources

• Work for the advancement of religion (faith groups can apply but must be able to demonstrate a wider community benefit)

• Activities solely for the benefit of animals

• Overseas holidays or trips

• Political Campaigning

• Medical research, medical equipment or medical treatment