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.  

From January 2018 the annual donation from innogy tripled from around £70,000 per annum to nearly £250,000 per annum. A proportion of the additional Goole 2 funds has been ring-fenced to a separate fund for an East Riding wide area of benefit which will be launched during 2019.

What is the area of benefit for the Fund?

The Fund is designed to specifically benefit communities within a defined geographical area (namely the Wards of Goole North, Goole South, Snaith, Airmyn, Rawcliffe and Marshland plus the Parishes of Kilpin, Laxton, Blacktoft). This is also 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 and 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 any 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?

Applications for over £500 should be made, online, to the main fund.

To encourage a wide range of initiatives, the main 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).

All applications to the main Fund are via a 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 online 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

New for 2019

Applications for under £500 should be made to the Fund’s 'Quick Fix Fund'. 

This is a simple application process for very small one-off projects.

Please note: you can also get further information from the 'How do I submit an application' answer below.

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 additional wages/salaries that are directly linked to expanding a project or 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 through 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:

2019 Timetable:

• Applications received between 1 December 2018 - 28 February 2019 will be assessed at the March meeting
  
• Applications received between 1 March 2019 – 31 May 2019 will be assessed at the June meeting
  
• Applications received between 1 June 2019 – 31 August 2019  will be assessed at the September meeting
  
• Applications received between 1 September 2019 – 30 November 2019 will be assessed at the 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 in 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).  These forms can be accessed using the link 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 grant 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?

Applications to the main fund (over £500) should be made on the online application form within the Flexi-Grant system. 

To access this system visit the Flexi-Grant website:

Flexi-Grant System (external council website) 

There are two options on the system to choose from:

• For Small Project applications – select up to £2k form
  
• For Medium and Large Project applications - select over £2k form.
  

Both forms have Guidance Notes to help you complete the form.

Applications for less than £500 should be made on the Quick Fix Fund Application Form which, along with Guidance Notes, can be downloaded below: 

Quick Fix Fund Application Form - (Word 17.5kb opens in new window)

Quick Fix Fund Guidance Notes  - (pdf 74.5kb opens in new window)

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 money from this Fund has 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 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 2.2mb opens in new window)

Can I apply to become a panel member?

The Goole Fields Wind Farms community fund is offering an opportunity for two people to join its panel, to help deliver funding for local community groups. 

Now in its second year, and supported through an annual donation of over £250,000 by the wind farms’ developer, Innogy Renewables UK Ltd (Innogy), the fund makes an important contribution to the success and vitality of community projects across the  Goole area.The fund has a panel which is the formal body of predominantly local volunteers who make decisions about the disbursement of funds. The fund is administered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Following the election of two panel members as ward councillors, the panel is now looking for two new members to join its ranks, and the process of filling these two vacancies is now underway. Typically, a panel member has a keen interest and involvement in community issues and activities and wants to see the fund make a real difference to their community.

Katy Woodington, community investment officer at innogy, said: “This is an exciting time for the Goole Fields Wind Farms community fund, and I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a panel member to consider applying to join the fund panel.”

Applications

Job profile - panel member (70kb)

Panel member application form and instructions (26kb)

Closing date

The closing date for applicants who wish to join the panel is 5pm on Thursday 14 November 2019.

More information

For further queries, please contact the fund administrator on (01482) 391655.