GrantRadar

Saddleworth Community Hydro Ltd

Saddleworth Hydro Sustainability Fund

Grants from the profits of Saddleworth Community Hydro, a community benefit society running a hydro turbine at Dove Stone Reservoir, for community sustainability projects in the borough of Oldham and neighbouring areas. Priority goes to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with biodiversity, food security, flooding, repair and recycling, and climate education for young people also considered. Grants range up to about £20,000 depending on scale; rounds are half-yearly and the next deadline is 30 October 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £20,000
Closes in
2 days left
30 October
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Properly constituted organisations with at least three members on the governing body or board, and a bank account in the organisation's name needing two unrelated people to authorise payments (schools are exempt from the own-name account rule)
  • The page welcomes schools, community groups, clubs, societies and faith organisations with wider community engagement; applications usually come from community groups or public organisations, not individuals or companies acting for themselves
  • The project must clearly benefit the community, not mainly the applicant
  • Projects should be in the borough of Oldham and neighbouring areas; the Fund is flexible for projects a little further away but asks you to get in touch first
  • Preference goes to smaller organisations or those with modest incomes, areas of high deprivation, and projects involving a wide range of people

What it funds

Community sustainability projects, with priority for those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions: renewable energy (solar panels, heat pumps, insulation of prominent buildings, micro-hydro, wind, energy storage), tree planting, reducing private car use, cycle routes and footpaths, electric vehicles or charging points, and showing people energy cost savings. Also considered:

  • Reducing consumption and increasing reuse, repair and recycling
  • Restoring habitats and biodiversity
  • Food security (allotments, fruit trees, food waste, local food)
  • Flood reduction in the Tame Valley
  • Educational activity on these topics, especially projects that let young people take part in activities on renewable energy, carbon reduction and climate change (supporting the Oldham Pledge)

Grants can fund feasibility studies for larger projects or sit alongside other funding, and are spent over 3 months to 3 years.

Larger grants are for exceptional projects only and may need contributory funding.

What it will not fund

  • Projects run by individuals or businesses primarily for their own benefit
  • Projects whose main activity or benefits occur outside Oldham and surrounding areas
  • Activities that would happen anyway without the Fund
  • Legal duties of others such as the State or local authorities
  • Organisations that discriminate or limit membership in a deliberately exclusive way
  • Projects that do not, in the Fund's opinion, enhance sustainability
  • Activities or expenditure started or committed before the grant is confirmed, including deposits
  • Costs of preparing the application
  • Day-to-day running costs (utility bills, council tax, rent, insurance)
  • Contingency costs
  • Endowments
  • Existing activities or repeat or regular events (held in the last 3 years)
  • Fundraising activities
  • Items purchased on behalf of another organisation or individual
  • Land, buildings, refurbishment, property or vehicles, unless necessary to deliver sustainability benefits lasting at least 5 years
  • Land or building projects where ownership, lease or planning permission is not yet in place
  • Loans or interest payments
  • Ongoing staff costs, including salaries
  • Political or religious activities
  • Projects that cannot be maintained because of high ongoing costs or specialist skills
  • Alcohol or drugs
  • Routine repairs and maintenance
  • Recoverable VAT

How to apply

  1. Read the Guidance Notes on the fund page
  2. Contact community@saddleworthhydro.co.uk to discuss your idea before filling in the form (encouraged)
  3. Complete the Word application form (treated as an expression of interest): organisation details, areas of Oldham that will benefit, priorities, project description, delivery, beneficiaries, dates and a costed breakdown
  4. Email the form and any supporting documents to community@saddleworthhydro.co.uk (post also accepted) by the half-yearly deadline, next 30 October 2026
  5. A panel of directors, Friends of Saddleworth Hydro and invited experts assesses applications after the deadline and may ask you to present; the Board makes the final decision
  6. Decisions are emailed; payments are made at the start for small projects or against milestones for larger ones
  7. Report at the end with photos and a signed statement (small projects) or a report of up to 4 sides of A4 with accounts and at least 10 photos (larger projects)

Applications can be sent at any time but are only assessed after each half-yearly deadline.

Incomplete applications are returned; minor omissions may be fixed up to 5 working days after the deadline.

Have ready

  • Governing document
  • Bank account details in the organisation's name with at least two unrelated signatories, with a bank statement from the last three months
  • Insurance details (public and employers' liability), if applicable
  • Safeguarding policy, if applicable
  • Proof of planning permission, if applicable

Documents not easily available can be sent after the application, but must be seen before funds are released; an equity statement may be requested.

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