GrantRadar

GrantScape (on behalf of Ørsted)

Hornsea 3 Community Fund

Ørsted's community benefit fund for its Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, run by GrantScape, for communities along a 5km coastal strip from the Lincolnshire/Norfolk boundary to just south of Lowestoft and a 5km zone along the onshore cable route to the grid. Small grants of £500-£5,000 (no match funding) and main grants of £5,001-£75,000 (20% match funding) for community buildings, activities and services, environmental and open-space projects, and sport, recreation and play. There are two closing dates a year; about £500,000 a year goes through the main fund, with separate Skills and Legacy Funds.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£500 – £75,000
Deadline
45 days left
2 December
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Voluntary and community groups, local charities, parish and town councils, local authorities (applying on behalf of communities), and social enterprises and CICs operating on a non-profit-distributing basis (these need at least three unrelated directors not living at the same address)
  • Applicants need a written constitution, rules or governing document (not required of local authorities or town/parish councils; churches provide a mission statement) and a bank or building society account in the organisation's name
  • The project must be located in, and its beneficiaries come from, the fund zone (check the interactive map); organisations based outside the zone can apply for a project delivered inside it
  • One application per deadline (except local authorities and town/parish councils applying for other groups)
  • Unsuccessful applicants must skip one deadline before reapplying; successful applicants must complete the project and reporting, then skip the next deadline (nature conservation projects are exempt)

What it funds

Projects located in, and benefiting communities within, the fund zone that meet at least one theme:

  • Community buildings and facilities (capital improvements to village halls, community centres, museums, heritage centres, community cafes
  • Transition to lower-carbon operation particularly encouraged)
  • Community activities and services (health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, community cohesion, access to amenities, youth and older people's projects, support for local clubs)
  • Environmental, green initiatives and public open space (habitat and species conservation, community growing, public parks)
  • Sports, recreation and play (playgrounds, skate parks, climbing walls, sports equipment, field drainage)

Revenue funding for up to two years and capital costs can be requested in one application.

Projects at schools or churches can be funded where run for wider community benefit (e.g. publicly available church halls, churchyard nature conservation, a community facility on school grounds run by a separate organisation).

Land purchase is eligible after consulting GrantScape.

Projects partly inside the zone may be funded proportionally.

What it will not fund

  • Commercial organisations
  • Statutory duties or works required by law
  • Projects with a religious focus, or party political campaigns
  • Projects at religious buildings (except community-benefit projects such as publicly available church halls or churchyard nature conservation)
  • Schools or educational establishments (except a separate body applying for wider community benefit)
  • Private membership sports clubs (unless membership is open to the public without undue restriction)
  • Sports kits and uniforms
  • Projects benefiting only an individual
  • Purchase or hire of vehicles, and land-based community transport
  • Retrospective funding (projects already started or completed)
  • Public conveniences and car parks
  • Allotments (except community growing schemes or orchards with public access)
  • Festivals, carnivals, theatre productions, fairs, fetes, firework displays, parades, day trips, overseas travel and similar one-off events
  • Memorials, statues, sculptures and public art
  • Purchase of buildings
  • Stand-alone feasibility studies, development costs, planning costs and neighbourhood plans
  • Asset transfer costs (organisations can apply once the transfer is complete)

How to apply

  1. Check your project postcode on the Hornsea 3 interactive funding zone map (call GrantScape if you are unsure or on the boundary)
  2. Read the Hornsea 3 Full Criteria and the Ørsted Community Benefit Funds FAQs; decide between a small grant (£500-£5,000) and a main grant (£5,001-£75,000, 20% match funding, in-kind allowed)
  3. Apply through GrantScape's online application portal by midnight on 2 December 2026 (next round: 2 June 2027)
  4. GrantScape's grant team checks eligibility against the criteria; eligible applications are reviewed (by a local advisory group, panel or the fund donor)
  5. Recommendations go to the GrantScape Board of Trustees for a final decision, issued by email by the published decision date
  6. If awarded, meet the contract pre-conditions and sign the electronic contract before starting, then claim the grant with proof of expenditure and submit progress/completion reports

Late applications roll into the next round (about six months later). Success rate is normally about 1 in 3.

The Hornsea 3 Skills Fund and Legacy Fund have separate criteria, areas and deadlines; you can apply to the Community and Skills Funds at the same time.

Projects on school grounds should contact GrantScape before applying. GrantScape (01908 247630, info@grantscape.org.uk) can advise but will not write answers.

Have ready

  • Copy of your constitution, set of rules or governing document (churches: mission statement; not needed from local authorities or town/parish councils)
  • Bank account details in the organisation's name

No supporting documents (quotes, planning permission, consultation evidence) are needed at application; leases, consents and quotes may be required as grant conditions if awarded.

More like this

Other grants open to organisations like yours.