GrantRadar

Point North

Longpasture Solar Farm Community Fund

Grants of £2,000 to £5,000 for community groups, charities and voluntary organisations in communities within 10 miles of the Longpasture Solar Farm in Darlington, run by Point North with the developer Enviromena. It supports new or existing projects that tackle poverty and create opportunities and activities for local people. Applicants must have charitable aims and annual income under £500,000.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£2,000 – £5,000
Deadline
32 days left
22 November
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Community groups, charities and voluntary organisations in communities within a 10-mile radius of the Longpasture Solar Farm in Darlington, which Point North lists as Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Newton Aycliffe and Sedgefield
  • Applicants need not be registered charities but must have charitable aims and annual income under £500,000: registered charities and CIOs, constituted community or voluntary groups, and registered social enterprises (CICs, companies limited by guarantee)
  • Groups need at least three unrelated committee members (companies three directors, or four if two are related) and a bank account with two unrelated signatories; groups with income over £5,000 must be registered with the appropriate body
  • Social enterprises must have been registered at least 12 months, earn over 50% of income from trading, have an asset lock, and apply for a charitable project that is not part of their usual charged services
  • Groups that have not returned monitoring for previous grants, are under investigation, or have restricted membership are not eligible
  • One grant per year from this fund

What it funds

Existing or new projects and activities that tackle poverty and create opportunities and activities for the local community, for example:

  • Capital items and equipment (except vehicles or minibuses)
  • Coaching or training activity
  • Project costs
  • Sessional costs
  • Contribution to core or running costs where the expenditure of the organisation is typically less than £500,000 per year
  • Capacity building activities
  • One-off community events (must clearly meet the aims of the fund)
  • Travel costs
  • Repair costs
  • IT equipment (limited to maximum £1,500)

What it will not fund

  • Activities that are primarily about proselytization or supporting worship (faith organisations may apply for projects open to the whole community with wider social benefits)
  • Building or buying premises or land rights
  • CIC start-ups and wholly grant maintained CICs
  • Contingency funding
  • Deficit or retrospective funding
  • Direct replacement of statutory or public funding
  • Feasibility studies or initial community consultations
  • For profit or commercial elements of charitable organisations
  • Fundraising activities and events
  • Onward awarding of grants except in exceptional circumstances
  • Party political activity and campaigning
  • Profit making or business ventures, including start-up costs
  • Projects that solely support animal welfare
  • Public bodies carrying out their statutory obligations
  • Purchase of vehicles (running costs will be considered)
  • Sponsored events, multiple trophies or prizes
  • Unspecified contributions to general fundraising appeals or large projects

not normally funded: national or regional charities (unless running specific projects in the area), organisations with free reserves above 12 months' running costs, medical research and equipment, and organisations without their own bank account.

How to apply

  1. Read the grant guidelines in full
  2. Apply through Point North's online application portal by 22 November 2026

Point North offers an advice line (0191 378 6340) and funding advice surgeries.

Have ready

  • One quote or estimate for single capital items or works of £250 to £1,000
  • Three quotes for single capital items or works of £1,001 to £50,000

appropriate policies are expected, such as safeguarding, public liability and employers' liability insurance, equality and diversity, and DBS checks for those working with children and vulnerable adults.

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