GrantRadar

Northern Powergrid Foundation

Energy Resilience Grant Programme

Grants of up to £20,000 for community organisations in Northern Powergrid's area (North East England, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire) to make a community building energy resilient, so it can stay open as a safe, warm hub for the wider community during storms and long power cuts. Typical projects are solar panels with battery storage, backup generators and emergency hook-up points, with small energy efficiency measures allowed as part of a wider resilience plan. Applicants must have an annual income under £500,000 and supply two itemised installer quotes (MCS-registered for solar and battery). The Foundation is the independent charity of the electricity distributor Northern Powergrid, and pays grants by cheque.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £20,000
Deadline
94 days left
20 January
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Registered charities, organisations that qualify as charities but are not required to register, other not-for-profits and social enterprises (such as CICs); parish councils appear among past recipients
  • The organisation must have an annual income under £500,000, have been operating for at least 12 months and be able to provide its latest annual accounts and governing document
  • The project must be based within Northern Powergrid's operating area of North East England, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire (you do not need to be connected to Northern Powergrid's network), show a clear community need for energy resilience, be willing to open to the wider community during an emergency or power cut, and deliver a tangible benefit to the wider community
  • You need ownership of, or a secure long-term lease on, the building, with landlord and planning permissions in place
  • Organisations funded before must wait two years after completing their previous project
  • The organisation must be able to receive and bank a cheque, the only payment method

What it funds

Aim: community energy resilience projects that help communities stay open, providing a safe and supported space to the wider community during emergencies such as storms or long-duration power cuts:

  • Installing solar panels with battery storage
  • Installing backup generators
  • Creating safe, reliable community hubs that can stay open during power cuts or severe weather
  • Installing hook-up points for emergency use
  • Small energy efficiency improvements as a small part of a wider resilience project: draughtproofing and minor insulation, LED lighting, efficient heating controls

the list is 'not limited to' these; the Foundation can cover up to 100% of project costs, and larger projects can be part-funded if match funding or reserves cover the gap (evidence of match funding needed before payment)

What it will not fund

  • Salaries and overheads
  • Projects or initiatives outside Northern Powergrid's geographical areas
  • Retrospective funding
  • Actions that conflict with Northern Powergrid's interests
  • Activities which are the responsibility of another organisation or statutory authority
  • Applications from branches or federations of national charities
  • Supplementary funding as a result of inflationary or other increases
  • Sports clubs and associations
  • Political purposes or activity, including lobbying
  • Grants to individuals
  • Activities which are not charitable in law
  • Organisations without adequate safeguarding arrangements
  • Contributions to general appeals or circulars
  • Hospices or other healthcare providers
  • Projects where the primary benefit is the advancement of religion or of animal welfare
  • Larger organisations with a greater capacity to fundraise
  • Uniformed groups such as scouts, guides and sea cadets
  • Privately owned and profit-distributing companies or limited partnerships
  • Organisations previously funded by the Foundation until two years after their last project was completed

How to apply

  1. Read the Applicant Toolkit and Grant-Making Policy
  2. Log in or create an account on the online Applicant Portal (grantinterface.uk) and tell the Foundation about you and your organisation
  3. Complete the eligibility quiz (instant results)
  4. If eligible, submit a short Expression of Interest (EOI) covering project location, area served, building ownership or permission, planning permission, use of the grant, amount requested, organisation focus and additional funding; the outcome comes within 14 working days
  5. Speak to installers and get two itemised, in-date quotes for all works
  6. If the EOI is approved, submit the full application through the portal before 20 January 2027

draft EOIs are removed after 4 weeks; an approved EOI stays valid for 6 months; an EOI may be resubmitted at most twice per round if the Foundation says it is eligible for resubmission

incomplete applications cannot be assessed; a paper application form can be requested from foundation@northernpowergrid.com

where applications are many in one area, the Foundation prioritises those that best match the programme aims so it can fund across all its regions

Have ready

  • Latest financial accounts
  • Governing document (e.g. articles of association)
  • Charity or company registration number
  • Safeguarding policies
  • Details of match funding
  • Two comprehensive, itemised quotes for all works (from MCS-registered installers for solar and battery works)
  • A clear mobilisation plan for an emergency or long-duration power cut

non-charitable applicants must also show evidence of a bank account and that the activities would be charitable

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