NB The Govt has just announced that this fund is closing (August 2010) due to unprecedented demand. The information has been left here for information.

CARES is the Scottish Government's rebranding of the previous SCHRI programme. Community Energy Scotland won the contract to deliver CARES across the whole of Scotland for three years from May 2009. CARES continues the support available for communities under the previous Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) and builds on this by increasing the maximum grant levels by 50%. Grants of up to £150K are now available.

Community Grants

What is the funding for?
Through Community Energy Scotland CARES offers grants to a range of community organisations to help with the installation of a variety of renewable energy technologies. Communities may apply for funding for technical assistance and capital grants for renewable energy equipment installation and associated costs. Under CARES there is no set grant funding. The amount of funding awarded is determined on a case by case basis.

Technical grants

Technical assistance funding is available to support non-capital projects, such as feasibility or scoping studies and capacity building within a community. The maximum grant is £10,000.

Funding is available to:

* pay for part or all of the costs associated with feasibility studies or community consultation
* provide support for an organisation's staff to develop a proposal
* pay for capacity building (renewable energy awareness raising, training and skills development)

Capital grants contributing to the capital costs of a project. The maximum grant is £150,000 for:

- the capital costs of installing renewable energy generation plant
- capital costs for supporting infrastructure, such as roads
project management costs associated with the development and installation of generating equipment
- the costs of the community establishing a partnership with a third party such as a developer, or setting up a new company or purchasing an equity share in an existing company
- the costs of implementing regulatory or fiscal regulations designed to encourage renewable energy generation or use; these may include metering equipment, licences or costs of accessing Renewable Obligation Certificates.

Technologies that are eligible for funding under CARES include (but not limited to):

- hydro-electric (incl wave and tidal)
wind
- green hydrogen / fuel cells
- geothermal
- solar water heating
- solar space heating
- heat pumps (ground, air and water source)
- automated wood fuel heating systems

The scheme does not fund

- non-automated wood burning stoves (as a mature technology with well-established market which does not require this support)

Renewable energy technologies can generate energy in the form of electricity and/or heat - both types of technologies are acceptable. The overriding requirement is that the project must result in a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, relative to alternative sources of power.

Who can apply?
All projects must be located in Scotland.

All legally constituted, non-profit distributing community organisations are eligible to apply. Such organisations may include (but are not restricted to):

- local/national voluntary, non-profit and charitable organisations

- local rural partnerships

- local authorities

- housing associations

- Universities and schools

Consortia of non-profit distributing organisations are acceptable. Bids in which private industrial or commercial organisations collaborate as part of consortium bids with non-profit distributing bodies will also be accepted, provided that the private organisations is not the lead applicant / beneficiary and the project itself is non-profit distributing. Communities may apply for funding for technical assistance and capital grants for renewable energy equipment installation and associated costs.

Further information on the Criteria can be found on the website.

How much is available?

The fund can provide up to 50% of the funding required up to a maximum of £150,000 on Capital projects, £10,000 on Technical grants. Each case is decided individually.

When to apply
CURRENTLY CLOSED (AS AT AUGUST 2010)

How to apply
Contact the office below to find out how to apply to the fund

Community Energy Scotland

2b Fodderty Way, Dingwall Business Park, Dingwall, Ross-shire IV15 9XB

Tel. 01349 860120 Fax. 01349 860138

Email: info@communityenergyscotland.org.uk

Key words: Renewable energy