Help with applying for environmental grants
 
Kitchen garden

The following information is intended to guide you through the application process.

Who can apply?

The Sustainable City Project Grants are available to locally based voluntary organisations and community groups undertaking practical projects which:

  • support one or more of the Sustainable City funding priorities detailed in the section below and
  • involve, and/or bring benefits to, the residents of Cambridge

Please note that your group will not be eligible if it:

  •  provides religious instruction or worship (religious organisations may be eligible for grants to provide sustainability activities for the wider community)
  • operates for private gain
  • is connected with any political party or is involved in party politics

In addition, grants are not made to:

  • pay for activities that have already happened
  • help raise money for appeals or for individuals


To be eligible groups must:

  • be independently set up for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes
  • meet relevant legal responsibilities
  • decide policy and overall management practice through a committee of elected, unpaid volunteers
  • have a constitution or set of rules defining aims and procedures
  • meet the needs of Cambridge residents and be open to all eligible users, as defined by your constitution or rules
  • have systems and structures in place so that you can manage your affairs efficiently, hold regular meetings to plan and monitor activities, keep minutes and circulate information to group members
  • involve members and users in policy-making and in management, where appropriate
  • recruit and support volunteers, where appropriate
  • meet the legal responsibilities of an employer if appropriate; adopt, implement and monitor good employment practices and procedures
  • adopt and implement a policy to protect the environment
  • establish and monitor equal opportunities policies and practices
  • adopt appropriate health and safety policies and practices including child protection measures if appropriate
  • prepare budgets, keep relevant financial records and documents, monitor income and expenditure at least quarterly and prepare proper accounts. (Grants will only be made to groups that have submitted satisfactory accounts in the previous two years unless the group is recently formed)
  • show that you need financial help. (Accumulating unrestricted reserves and fundraising capacity will be taken into account when grant levels are decided. Groups with accumulated reserves must have an appropriate policy, based on Charity Commission guidelines – available from their website: www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications )
  • apply to all relevant statutory agencies for funding and undertake your own fundraising. (Groups providing services relevant to the work of another agency, e.g. the County Council, health agencies, another District Council, should apply to that agency for funding. We will not generally fund services that are the remit of other City Council Committees or meet others’ statutory duties, e.g. education, health or other agencies.)
  • charge users, if this is necessary, at a reasonable level and offer concessionary rates to low income residents
  • provide any information required to support your application

Groups that can show they are working actively towards these conditions may be considered for funding.

Funding Priorities


Our priority objectives are summarised below.  For more information please see
the Cambridge Environmental Framework which explains these objectives in more detail.

Projects must support one or more of these:

Ref

Priority Outcome

 

SC1

Tackle the causes and consequences of climate change

 

SC1.1

Reduce carbon dioxide emissions

SC1.2

Manage climate change risks

SC1.3

Reduce fuel poverty

SC2

Minimise waste

 

SC2.1

Reduce the amount of waste generated

SC2.2

Increase waste reuse, recycling, and composting

SC2.3

Reduce waste sent to landfill

SC3

Protect the local environment

 

SC3.1

Reduce pollution of air, water and land

SC3.2

Improve street and environmental cleanliness by reducing levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly-posting/fly tipping.

SC3.3

Protect and enhance local wildlife


How much can a group apply for towards a project?

Groups may apply for up to £5,000 towards their project.  These grants cannot be used to fund more than 50% of any project.  You will therefore need to seek matched funding for your project from other sources.
Please refer to the Application Guidance notes for more information.


How to apply

Contact: Helen Brookes, Sustainability Officer – Tel: (01223) 457046 to discuss your project or email: helen.brookes@cambridge.gov.uk .

Is this the right grant for you?

If your project does not fit the criteria for a Sustainable City Grant you might consider applying for one of the many other grants offered by Cambridge City Council.
For example, a project to create flowerbeds in a public area could benefit from an Environmental Improvement Grant, or a Safer City Grant could help fund a project aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour. 
For more information on all of the City Council grants check out the website at:
http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/community-and-living/grants/

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