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 in early 2020.

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)

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 (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   

How much money can be applied for?

Applications for over £500 (up to a maximum of £50,000 in value) should be made, online, to the main fund.

Applications for under £500 should be made to the fund's Quick Fix Fund.  This is a simpler application process for very small one-off projects, and, like the main fund is open year-round to receive applications.

Please also see the answer to 'How do I submit an application?'. 

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:

2020 Timetable:

• Applications received between 1 December 2019 - 29 February 2020 will be assessed at the March meeting
  
• Applications received between 1 March 2020– 31 May 2020 will be assessed at the June meeting
  
• Applications received between 1 June 2020 – 31 August 2020  will be assessed at the September meeting
  
• Applications received between 1 September 2020 – 16 November 2020 will be assessed at the December meeting.
  

Applicants will be advised promptly of the outcome of decisions made by the Panel.

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 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 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 per cent of money (unless the total grant value is £2000 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 per cent 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 a report on the project in the Fund Annual Report
    
14. Fund annual report presented at the annual review meeting (scheduled for 2020).

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 visit the Flexi-Grant website:

Flexi-Grant System (external council website)

There are two options on the system to choose from:

• For small grant applications – select up to £5k form
  
• For larger grant applications - select over £5k 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 18kb)

Quick Fix Fund Guidance Notes (pdf 75kb)

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.

During the lifetime of the Goole Fields 1 Fund it 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)

Goole Fields 1 Wind Farm Community Fund Awards Summary - 2016 - 2017 (pdf 2.2mb)