Resources
Suppliers
There are a range of resources to get started on delivering community energy projects, including lists of potential suppliers and installers:
- Community Energy London: List of Contractors and Suppliers
- Find a MCS certified installer in Hounslow: https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer/
- Find a National Insulation Association installer: https://www.nia-uk.org/find-an-installer/
Explainers and Guides
Here are some resources that you might find helpful as you embark on your community energy journey:
- Community Energy England: Comprehensive resources for community energy.
- Community Energy London: Comprehensive resources for community energy.
- Next Generation: Practical guides for community energy groups.
- Centre for Sustainable Energy: Resources and guides on energy efficiency and retrofit, especially for community buildings. For example, see their energy survey for community buildings.
If you’re applying for retrofit, make sure you attach energy surveys from potential contractor’s, or fill in as much of the ‘LBH Non-Domestic Energy Survey’ to identify where energy efficiency improvements can be made.
Match Funding
Some useful sources of match funding include:
- Community Energy England – Funding Opportunities: Up to date list of national and location-based funding opportunities.
- Centre for Sustainable Energy - Grants and Funding: List of funding opportunities which may be relevant to your project.
- Awards for All: National Lottery Award that provides between £300 and £10,000 for smaller charities and community-led groups.
- The National Lottery Community Fund Reaching Communities: National Lottery funding of over £20,000 (for up to five years) to voluntary community groups.
- The National Lottery Heritage Fund: Heritage funding from £3,000 for projects that connect people to local, regional, or national heritage. Covers project activities, operating costs, organisational development, and capital costs.
- Heathrow Community Trust: Grants up to £15,000 for community groups surrounding the airport. Covers projects aimed at reducing energy consumption or tackling climate change.
A number of funds are targeted specifically at churches and faith groups
Here are some examples:
- The Churches and Community Fund (CCF): Gives grants to community projects run by parish churches, deaneries, dioceses and other bodies connected to or working in partnership with the Church of England. See also: Funding - Parish Resources
- The National Churches Trust: Aims to protect and support the built heritage of churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the UK.
- Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme: Gives grants that cover the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings in use as places of worship.
