Burton Pidsea Wind Farm Community Fund

What is the Burton Pidsea Community Wind Farm Fund?

The Burton Pidsea wind Farm is owned and operated by EnergieKontor UK Ltd who make an annual donation of c. £20,400 per annum to a community fund.  The Burton Pidsea Wind Farm Community Fund was set up to distribute this donation and the first grant payments were awarded in 2015 to support a wide range of projects of benefit to the local community. 

For further information on EnergieKontor UK Limited visit:

EnergieKontor UK Ltd (external website)

What is the area of benefit for the fund?

The area of benefit of the fund is the electoral wards of Mid-Holderness, North Holderness, South East Holderness and South West Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, with a preference for appropriate initiatives within the proximity of the development. The fund panel defined proximity to the development as a 5-kilometre radius of Burton Pidsea Post Office, HU12 9AX.

What type of activities will the fund support?

The fund is designed to promote initiatives for public benefit within a defined area (the area of benefit).  The following types of projects are eligible for help from the fund:

• Educational Initiatives
• Environmental Initiatives
• Energy-efficiency Initiatives
• Community initiatives. 

Who can make an application?

Applications are welcomed from community groups, community organisations, charities, parish councils, schools and faith based groups. New groups or ideas for projects where a group does not currently exist can be considered. Applications cannot be accepted from individuals.

For further advice please contact the fund administrator:

Email: ruralfunding@eastriding.gov.uk

Are there any activities that cannot be funded?

The following activities cannot be supported by the fund:

• Activities detrimental to the commercial operation of the wind farm
• Political or religious campaigns
• Statutory duties of the public body including the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Humberside Police, Fire and Rescue Services, the Coastguard, the Health Authority or Parish Council.

How can the fund distribute money?

Payments from the fund will usually be made in the form of grants.  Subject to appropriate governance measures as required, other forms of financial assistance (e,g, commissioning, loans, donations) can be considered by the fund panel.  For further details contact the fund administrator at:

Email: ruralfunding@eastriding.gov.uk

For information on other funding opportunities please visit Finding a grant.

How much money can be applied for?

Applications for over £500 (and up to a maximum value of £10,000) should be made online to the main fund. 

Applications for up to £500 can be made to the Small Grants fund. 

Please also see the answer to How do I submit an application for funding?

Will the fund support 100% of the project costs?

In certain circumstances, up to 100% funding is available however, projects that show their own contribution to costs will be viewed more favourably. As a guide the fund panel suggest 20% of total projects costs as a contribution. The contribution can be cash, donations, equipment loans, free use of land or buildings and/or volunteer time.

How is the fund managed and who makes decisions about how it is spent?

Decisions on how the money is spent are made by a fund panel made up of  representatives from the following organisations:

• Burton Pidsea Parish Council
• Burstwick Parish Council
• Elstronwick Parish Council
• Halsham Parish Council
• Roos Parish Council
• A member of the Burton Pidsea Community
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council

• The Developer.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is the Accountable Body for the fund and provides the secretariat and administration service through the council's Rural Policy and Partnerships Team.

What are the deadlines and timescales?

Applications to the main fund and small grants fund are currently closed.

What is the application process from start to finish?

For the small grant option the applicant completes a paper based application using the forms and guidance that can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.  The applicant completes the form and returns it to the administrator via email.  The application is then circulated to the panel for a decision and if the application is approved by a majority the applicant is informed and the grant is paid directly into the group/organisations account without the need for an invoice.  In most cases this process should only take approximately 14 days from application to decision.

For applications to the main fund:

1. The applicant completes an online application form and submits it electronically with supporting evidence (including quotes, permissions, accounts and bank statements).  These forms can be accessed using the link in the How do I submit an application for funding? answer below
   
2. The online system acknowledges receipt of application
   
3. The administrator carries out a technical appraisal (does the applicant have the ability and permissions to carry out the project, does the project meet the fund criteria, has all the necessary information been supplied?)
   
4. The application is sent to fund panel for consideration
   
5. The fund panel meet and make a decision (full award, part award or decline).  Panel members are required at meetings to declare any interests that they have in particular applications and, where this is the case, take no part in decisions relating to that application (they leave the room whilst this application is discussed)
   
6. The administrator emails unsuccessful applicants stating decision and the reasons
7. The administrator sends an offer letter electronically to successful applicants offering funding and detailing how payments will be made and any conditions that may apply to the award
   
8. Successful applicants accept the offer by sending back a signed and scanned copy electronically via a link supplied by the administrator
9. Awards up to £10,000 are payable by invoice supplied on return of the signed offer letter.  For awards over £10,000 an initial invoice for £10,000 can be submitted with a copy of the signed offer letter with the balance being payable on a second invoice which can be submitted with the end of grant form.  Please note: normal payment terms are 30 days
10. Successful applicants complete the project
    
11. Successful applicants submit an end of grant report (again electronically using a link supplied) plus supporting evidence along with any final invoice as appropriate
12. The administrator includes a report on the project in the fund's annual report.  The annual report is a document that records the awards made during that year and profiles all the projects supported.

How do I submit an application for funding?

Applications to the main fund (over £500) should be made online within the Flexi-Grant system. To access this system click on the link: 

Flexi-Grant System (external council website)

• For main grant applications – select up to £10k form.

There are guidance notes to help you complete the form.

Applications for up to £500 should be made on the Small Grants Form which, along with Guidance Notes, can be downloaded from the documents box below. 

If you have any queries please contact the fund by email: ruralfunding@eastriding.gov.uk.

For information on other funding opportunities please visit Finding a grant.