Labour to launch £120k grant funding scheme for local green schemes

13th June, 2021

Grant funding scheme to launch later this month

A grant funding pot of £120,000 will be made available by Labour-led St Helens Borough Council to small and medium businesses and local community groups dedicated to reducing their carbon emissions.

This grant funding opportunity will support bids up to a maximum of £10,000 and is open to enterprises with less than 250 employees, and who are locally based.

Community organisations such as charities, voluntary and faith groups, Friends of’ groups and residents’ associations are able to bid up to £5,000.

Bids should aim specifically to reduce carbon emissions or to increase an organisation’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Renewable energy projects
Energy efficiency projects
Zero or low carbon transport
Waste reduction
Empower local community to promote a culture of sustainable living
Support biodiversity and ecological change
Increase community composting

The funding opportunity follows the establishment of a multi-agency Climate Change Commission, set up in response to the council’s declaration of a climate emergency and a commitment to achieving zero-carbon status by 2040.

The commission is an independent and strategic forum between local organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors which will provide expert advice on key steps towards a low carbon, climate resilient future for the borough.

Project application forms and evaluation criteria will be available from Monday 28 June online at www.sthelens.gov.uk/climatechange.

Bids must be prepared and submitted by Sunday 25 July. Successful applications will be notified by Friday 13 August.

Funded projects must start by 1 October 2021 and completed by the end of March 2022, when the Climate Change Commission will review the success of the projects.

Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, said:

“Climate change is a crisis faced by all of us and we all have a role to play in addressing it. Every person, every business, community group and organisation can help to limit global warming and take care of our planet.

“We know there are such businesses and groups out there in our communities trying to make a difference, but often without the support they need to act, particularly after such a difficult year. We hope this funding pot will demonstrate our backing of local green initiatives and provide an incentive to make a difference.

“Working together we can tackle the climate emergency in St Helens and build a more sustainable borough.”