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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. RWE  (formerly Innogy Renewables UK), 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 RWE (formerly Innogy) tripled from around £70,000 per annum to nearly £250,000 per annum. Further details on the fund and projects recently supported can be viewed here: Goole Fields Annual Report 2018-2019 (opens in new window 8.04MB)

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 was launched in early 2020.  For further information on this separate fund click in this link East Riding of Yorkshire Future Communities 

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?

Applications are welcome which promote community, charitable, amenity, educational and energy efficiency initiatives for the benefit of the communities within the area of benefit.

In addition to being open to receiving normal applications, the fund panel recognises its responsibility to support local community groups and organisations who are working hard to recover from the serious impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it.

To this end, the fund panel will be taking as flexible a position as possible on fund criteria when it considers all applications.  No type of costs identified within applications will be excluded for consideration.

This approach will be sustained for all applications received up to June 2021.  During this time the fund panel is also increasing the frequency of decision making meetings to reflect the urgency of the current situation (please see timetable section below).

In light of these changes, available funds may be oversubscribed.

Applicants are therefore advised to focus on the questions in the application form that relate to the identification of need (i.e. why funding is sought) and the results (outputs/outcomes) that funding will help groups and organisations to achieve.

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 £2500 (up to a maximum of £50,000 in value) should be made, online, to the main fund.

Applications for up to £2500 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. 

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 is planning to meet 6 times over the next 12 months to July 2021 to make funding decisions. Consequently, applications will be grouped into “batches” through the year as follows:

2020/21 Timetable:

  • Applications received between 1 June 2020 - 31 August 2020 will be assessed at the September  meeting
  • Applications received between 1 September 2020– 30 October 2020 will be assessed at the November meeting
  • Applications received between 31 October 2020 – 18 December 2020  will be assessed at the January 2021 meeting
  • Applications received between 19 December 2020 – 19 February 2021 will be assessed at the March 2021 meeting.
  • Applications received between 20 February 2021 - 23 April 2021 will be assessed at the May 2021 meeting
  • Applications received between 24 April 2021 - 25 June 2021 will be assessed at the July 2021 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. For the main fund, 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. For the Quick Fix fund, the applicant downloads and completes a paper based application using the link in the "How do I submit an application for funding" section below.
  3. The online system acknowledges receipt of application
  4. 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?)
  5. The application is sent to fund panel for scoring
  6. Fund panel meet and make a decision (full award, part award or decline)
  7. Administrator writes to unsuccessful applicants stating decision and reason
  8. Administrator writes to successful applicants offering funding and explaining any conditions that may apply
  9. Successful applicants write back accepting the offer of money and conditions
  10. Successful applicants can submit a single invoice in advance for up to a total grant value of £10,000.  If the total grant value is over £10,000 two payments will be made - one in advance and one on project completion.  Please note: normal payment terms are 30 days
  11. Successful applicants complete the project
  12. Successful applicants submit End of Grant report plus supporting evidence along with with any final invoice as appropriate.
  13. Administrator includes a report on the project in the Fund Annual Report
  14. Fund annual report presented at the annual review meeting.

How do I submit an application for funding?

Applications to the main fund (over £2500) 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 medium sized grant applications – select up to £10k form
  • For larger grant applications - select over £10k form.

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

Smaller applications for up to £2500 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 110kb)

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)

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