VOLUNTARY and community groups are invited to apply to Cambridge City Council’s £30,000 Sustainable City Grant to fund projects that will reduce waste and carbon emissions; create sustainable solutions; and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Funding would need to be spent on projects running between April 2023 and March 2024, and individual groups can apply for up to a maximum award of £10,000.

To be eligible for the Sustainable City Grants, activities need to support the objectives set out in the council’s Climate Change Strategy 2021-26:

• Reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions from homes and businesses in Cambridge
• Reducing consumption of resources and waste, and increasing recycling by residents and businesses in Cambridge
• Reducing emissions from transport in Cambridge by promoting sustainable transport and encouraging behaviour change
• Increasing the provision of sustainable food in Cambridge
• Supporting Cambridge’s residents and businesses to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The council is urging groups that have not previously applied for funding to get in touch and has offered to support new applicants to complete the application process, including advising groups about any eligibility requirements, such as on how to become a formalised group.

Cllr Rosy Moore, Executive Councillor for Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: “We know that local community groups already do a great deal to address climate change, and to make it easier for all of us to play our part too. We’ve seen some brilliant projects over the past year. Repair cafes are a particular favourite, where people can go along and fix their bicycles, appliances, toys, clothes and more, to stop items ending up in landfill and reducing the number of new items that need to be produced.

“We’ve also seen campaigns to encourage sustainable fashion, a climate advice festival, energy saving workshops, eco homes tours to inspire others to improve their home’s energy efficiency, community farming activities to produce sustainably grown food – the list goes on. The reality is there are loads to do, and if you’ve got an existing project or a new idea to help us achieve our climate and environment goals for Cambridge, get in touch and we will help you work out whether you could be eligible for funding to support your project.”

The Sustainable City Grants fund is one of three funds that launched on 2 August and can be applied to before the deadline at 12 noon on 3 October 2022. The two other funds are:

• £1 million for Community Grants, to support the council’s commitment to furthering social and economic equality across the city. The types of activities that could be eligible include helping people to be more active; widening access to arts and culture; bringing communities together; reducing poverty; and reducing social isolation and loneliness. There is no minimum or maximum amount that groups can apply for within the £1 million total fund.
• £300,000 for Homelessness Prevention Grants, to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Cambridge. Grants must demonstrate value for money and applicants must show how the grant will prevent or relieve homelessness.

Each fund has detailed eligibility criteria. Applications will be considered by councillors in January and are subject to the council’s budget being approved at the full council meeting in February. Successful applicants will be paid grants from 1 April 2023.

Further information on all the funds is available on our Grants and Funding page. Alternatively potential applicants are encouraged to email the team for further information or guidance.