VCSE's in Greater Manchester encouraged to apply for Energy Resilience Fund

Funding is available to support trading voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises (VCSEs) reduce energy costs of community owned and managed buildings.

By making the building more environmentally friendly, VCSEs can reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs, helping to futureproof the organisation.

Loans to install energy generating/saving technology are available through blended finance (loan and grant combined) to enable organisations in this sector to retrofit energy generating/saving technology on community owned or managed buildings.

The initial focus is to stabilise or reduce energy costs and if possible, to target high energy users working in deprived communities or with marginalised groups. 

The investment is for incorporated social enterprises or trading charities with community owned or managed buildings who wants to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce their energy costs.

Loans between £10,000 and £150,000 are available with 40% of the total funding offered as a grant. 

The eligibility criteria is for community owned or managed buildings with a minimum 12-year lease. At least 30% of your income should be generated through trading (such as renting rooms, selling goods and/or services). The fund cannot support organisations who are totally dependent on grants. 

An energy audit of the building, carried out in the last 12 months is required. If you don’t have an audit, a grant of £500 - £2,500 may be available to carry one out - this will only be awarded to organisations who are serious about taking on a loan to make building improvements.

The Energy Resilience Fund is managed by the Key Fund with GMCVO as a local delivery partner. The Key Fund make final decisions on the awards.

To find out more about how social investment works and the eligibility criteria, visit GMCVO.