East Riding of Yorkshire Future Communities Initiative

What is the East Riding of Yorkshire Future Communities Initiative?

Launched in 2020 this Initiative is funded by Goole Fields 2 Wind Farm Fund, which receives an annual donation from the wind farm which is operated by RWE (formerly Innogy Renewables UK Ltd).

It is designed specifically to "strengthen the capacity of communities to progress sustainable local development" or, in short, to help community and voluntary groups to realise their own ambitions.

The initiative has three overlapping objectives:

1. To enable local community and voluntary groups to review and improve how they work. This will include helping to identify and address a wide range of training needs of community activists and volunteers.
2. To enable the development of community-based networks. This will include the professional facilitation of networks to improve the flow of ideas and information for network members.
3. To enable community groups to identify and harness new communication opportunities. This will include the effective use of digital media and events to bring community and voluntary groups together.

Working with partners, the Initiative is facilitated by East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Rural Policy and Partnerships Team.

The council acts as the Accountable Body and facilitator of this Initiative.

For more information please contact the fund facilitator at:

Email:  futurecommunities@eastriding.gov.uk

Full information on the overarching Delivery Plan for this initiative can be viewed in the document below:

Future Communities Initiative - Delivery Plan (pdf 45kb)

What is the area-of-benefit for the Initiative?

The Initiative is designed to benefit community and voluntary groups located within the East Riding of Yorkshire.

What type of activity does the initiative support?

Informed by survey work, and guided by a community and voluntary sector-led Reference Group, the Initiative is focusing on programmes of activity that increases the opportunity for community and voluntary groups to access training, participate in relevant networks and improve their use of digital communication, including social media.

Activities supported:

• avoids duplication
• builds on existing good practice
• innovates and break new ground where appropriate
• encourages participation
• is measurable. 

Who is involved in delivering the Initiative?

The Initiative is delivered by a mix of partners including organisations which support community and voluntary groups more widely, constituted community networks and businesses that can bring relevant skills to the sector.

How are programmes of activity be invited, awarded and managed?

The level and longevity of funding available and the large geographical area involved means the Initiative focuses on delivering specific and well-defined activity over a number of years.  Programmes of activity that attract funding are relatively few in number but substantive in nature.  To meet the objectives of the Initiative, a number of programmes of activity are agreed, delivered and completed on a rolling basis.

Organisations and businesses wishing to participate in delivering this Initiative are invited to submit proposals to meet specific Project Specifications that will be advertised on this web page (please see below).

Decisions regarding successful submissions are made by a decision-making panel whose members are independent of organisations who may consider applying to deliver activities.

Monitoring the delivery of successful submissions will be carried out by the fund facilitator.

For more information please contact the fund facilitator at:

Email: futurecommunities@eastriding.gov.uk

Are there any activities that cannot be supported?

The Initiative cannot support proposals from private individuals or support activities adverse to the commercial interests of the Goole Fields 2 Wind Farm, political or religious campaigns or support services that would otherwise be the statutory responsibility or local or national government.

How do I find out about current programmes of activity required?

The current status of programmes of activity required is described in the Project Specifications attached:

How do I submit a project proposal?

Please use the project specification as your guide when creating your submission document.

Applicants are invited to submit their full submission document as per the project specification, in PDF format electronically to: futurecommunities@eastriding.gov.uk

If you have any queries please contact the fund facilitator at:

Email: futurecommunities@eastriding.gov.uk