Goole Fields Wind Farms Community Fund

What is the Goole Fields Wind Farms Community Fund?

The first Goole Fields Wind Farm started operating in 2014 which also saw the introduction of a community fund. Innogy Renewables UK (innogy), the wind farm operators made an annual donation to this fund, enabling it to support a wide range of projects which were of benefit to the local community. The commissioning of the second wind farm (Goole 2) in late 2016 brought with it a further donation. The Goole Fields Winds Farm Community Fund now receives a substantially increased funding from the operator. From January 2018 the annual donation from innogy will more than triple, from around £70,000 per annum to nearly £250,000 per annum.  A proportion of the additional Goole 2 funds will be ring fenced to a separate fund for an East Riding wide area of benefit which will be launched during 2018.

What is the area of benefit for the Fund?

The Fund is designed to specifically benefit communities within a defined geographical area identified in the downloadable map below:

Area of benefit map – Goole Fields Fund (pdf 6.9mb opens in new window)

What type of activities will the Fund support?

The purpose of the Fund is to promote community, charitable, amenity, educational, environmental and energy efficiency initiatives for the benefit of the communities within the area of benefit.

Who can make an application?

The Fund wants to encourage applications from as diverse a range of groups as possible including community groups and organisations, charities, social enterprises, town & parish councils, schools and faith communities. New groups or ideas for projects where a group does not currently exist can be considered. Please contact the Fund administrator at:

Email: ruralfunding@eastriding.gov.uk   

The Fund cannot accept applications from private individuals.

Are there are activities that cannot be funded?

The Fund cannot support activities adverse to the commercial interests of the wind farm, political or religious campaigns or support services that would otherwise be the statutory responsibility of local or national government.

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 can be requested by contacting the Fund administrator at:

Email: ruralfunding@eastriding.gov.uk   

How much money can be applied for?

To encourage a wide range of initiatives, the Fund has three application “bands”:

• Small project applications (no minimum, up to £2,000 in value).   
  
• Medium project applications (£2,000 to £10,000 in value).
  
• Large project applications (£10,000 to a maximum of £50,000 in value).

Applications for Small and Medium Projects are via single stage online application process.

To help both the applicant and the Fund, all applications for Large Projects (over £10,000 in value and/or are likely to be delivered over more than one year) need to be drawn to the Fund’s attention before a detailed on-line application is submitted. This involves a telephone conversation with the Fund’s administrator. To arrange this please contact the Fund administrator outlining your project (in a few sentences) and include your contact details.

Email: ruralfunding@eastriding.gov.uk

Will the Fund support 100% of the project costs?

The Fund retains the flexibility to support up to 100% of total project costs. However, the Fund’s decision-making Panel will take into account other external sources of funding (often referred to as "match funding") and the applicant’s own contribution to the project. This might include one or more of the following: monetary value of in-kind contribution from volunteers, and/or a contribution from own reserves/funds. 

The Fund has not set a target for the type of project that can be supported. For example, a project can be up to 100% capital orientated (e.g. installing a new heating system) or up to 100% revenue orientated (e.g. supporting additional variable costs or one-off costs that expand a service provision). 

For Large project Applications only (over £10,000 in value), the Fund is able to contribute to a credible proportion of some pre-existing (non-statutory) core costs of the organisation for the life of the project such as maintenance and heating costs. However, the Fund is not looking to contribute to pre-existing core salaries.

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

Decisions about how the annual donation is spent are made by the Goole Fields Wind Farms Community Fund Panel. The Panel is made up of local volunteers, who were appointed following an open application process, and who can draw on a wide range of knowledge, skills and experience when making funding decisions. Representatives from East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the operating company (non-voting) also sit on the Panel.

The Fund is open to receive applications year round. The Fund has finite resources that can be over-subscribed. Applications go through a Technical Assessment process and the Fund Panel makes decisions using a scorecard approach based on the Fund criteria. 

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

What are the deadlines and timescales?

The Fund is open to receive applications year round. The Fund Panel meets four times a year to make funding decisions. Consequently, applications will be grouped into “batches” through the year as follows:

2018 Timetable:

• Applications received 2nd Jan – 28th Feb – will be assessed March meeting.
  
• Applications received 1st Mar – 31st May – will be assessed June meeting.
  
• Applications received 1st June – 31st Aug – will be assessed September meeting.
  
• Applications received 1st Sept – 30th Nov – will be assessed December meeting.
  

Applicants will be advised promptly of the outcome of decisions made by the Panel (with the exception of the December meeting where decisions will be communicated early January).

What is the outline process from start to finish?

1. The applicant completes an online Application Form and submits it electronically with supporting evidence (including quotes, permissions, accounts and bank statements). Online Application Forms and Application Form Guidance Notes are located on the “eastriding4communities” website which can be accessed using the links in last section below.
   
2. The online system acknowledges receipt of application.
   
3. The Administrator carries out a Technical Appraisal (does the applicant have 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 scoring.
   
5. Fund Panel meet and make a decision (full award, part award or decline).
   
6. Administrator writes to unsuccessful applicants stating decision and reason.
   
7. Administrator writes to successful applicants offering funding and explaining any conditions that may apply.
   
8. Successful applicants write back accepting the offer of money and conditions.
   
9. Successful applicants submit an invoice for 50% of money (unless the total project value is £1000 or less which can be invoiced in full). Please note: normal payment terms are 30 days.
   
10. Successful applicants complete the project
    
11. Successful applicants submit End of Grant report, supporting evidence and invoice for 50% of funds. Please note: If you have a query regarding this payment profile please contact the administrator.
    
12. Successful applicants submit any final receipts and bank statements.
    
13. Administrator includes report on project in Fund Annual Report.
    
14. Fund Annual Report presented at Annual Review Meeting (scheduled for 2019).

How do I submit an application for funding?

The applicant completes an online application form within the Flexi-Grant system and submits it electronically with supporting evidence. 

To access this system click on the link Flexi-Grant System (external East Riding website) where you will also find Guidance Notes to help you complete the form.

Please Note:

For Small Project applications please use the applications for funding up to £2k form

For Medium and Large Project applications please use the applications for funding over £2k form

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

What was the Goole Fields 1 Wind Farm Community Fund? 

As previously identified, the Goole Fields 1 Wind Farm Community Fund closed in September 2017.  All unspent monies from this Fund have been transferred to the new Goole Fields Wind Farms Community Fund. 

Over the last two and a half years the Goole Fields 1 Fund supported many important local community projects and these are recorded in two Annual Review Reports. These are included here for reference. 

 Goole Fields 1 Wind Farm Community Fund Awards Summary – 2015 - 2016 (pdf 2.2mb opens in new window)

Goole Fields 1 Wind Farm Community Fund Awards Summary – 2016 - 2017 (pdf 2.24mb opens in new window)