Cambridgeshire Community Foundation

Warwick and Dominey Fund – Decarbonisation

The decarbonisation strand of the Warwick and Dominey Fund at Cambridgeshire Community Foundation gives non-profit organisations in Cambridgeshire grants of up to £15,000 for practical decarbonisation, especially replacing fossil-fuel systems with locally generated renewable energy such as solar panels and heat pumps, including in new buildings. The donors favour match-funded projects and want to see how the work fits the organisation's wider net zero plans. It has £50,000 a year and is open on a rolling basis until the pot is used up.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £1,500 – £15,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Non-profit organisations for projects in Cambridgeshire
Community-focused, not-for-profit organisations, which must be legally registered if their income is above £5,000: registered, exempt and excepted charities; CIOs; religious organisations (only if the project benefits the wider community and has no religious content); parish and town councils, village halls and parochial church councils; CICs, social enterprises and companies limited by guarantee (running for at least one year, non-profit distributing with an asset lock, at least three directors, no one person holding over 50% of shares or votes; companies limited by shares not normally supported); co-operatives and community benefit societies; schools; and sports clubs that are CASCs, affiliated to a national governing body or have income under £5,000
All applicants need a signed governing document with a not-for-profit statement and dissolution clause, and three independent/unconnected management committee members or trustees (plus two unconnected cheque signatories)
National organisations can apply for projects delivered in the area if the funding is restricted to it
For work on land or buildings you do not own, CCF needs evidence of a long-term lease

What it funds

Practical decarbonisation and climate initiatives, particularly replacing fossil-fuel-based systems with installations that use locally generated renewable energy (e.g. solar PV, heat pumps)
Projects enabling new buildings to use locally generated renewable energy
Past grants:
£15,000 for solar panels on an off-grid community building at Wisbech Community Farm
£11,468 for solar panels at an arts and community space
£11,000 for a solar PV system at a village community hub

Applications should state other funds secured or being sought (match funding is favoured) and describe how the project fits the organisation's wider sustainability strategy and net zero plans.

What it will not fund

Activities or projects which have already taken place
Sponsored events or fundraising activities
Repaying debt or loans
Grant-making bodies or activities (not usually funded)
Improvements to land/buildings that are not open to the general public at convenient hours
Projects promoting political activities or lobbying for causes
The practice of religion, or projects that actively promote religion, a particular belief system or the lack of a belief
Animal welfare projects
Overseas travel
Statutory obligations, i.e. activities that replace government funding
Organisation types not on CCF's eligible list, or projects that are not charitable in focus

How to apply

Check your organisation and project are eligible using CCF's application guidance (CICs, social enterprises and companies limited by guarantee should also read the additional CIC guidance)
Prepare the required supporting documents (see the general document checklist)
Complete the online application form linked from the fund's page (CCF's general form for the current round), naming this fund and including match funding and your net zero plans
Submit the form and all documents by 11:59am on the round deadline
CCF's Grants Team may phone you for an assessment call; complete, eligible applications go to an internal panel of volunteers and trustees, then to the fund panel, which may fund in full or in part
Outcomes are emailed; if successful, return the grant offer letter signed by two people
Complete the online end-of-project report around a month after the project ends

Deadlines are at 11:59am (midday), not midnight. Each round has its own form; a part-completed form is lost when the round closes.

CCF recommends only one general application per round; you can name a preferred fund on the form or leave it unspecified for the Grants Team to match.

A guide to the form questions (Word document) is available to prepare answers offline.

The fund is rolling and stays open until the £50,000 annual pot is depleted; the application form itself is issued per quarterly round.

Have ready

Signed governing document (e.g. constitution or articles) confirming you operate not for profit and containing a dissolution clause passing assets to similar charitable organisations
Accounts for the past year (small unincorporated groups: an income and expenditure document; organisations under a year old: income and expenditure to date)
Bank statement or paying-in slip from the last 3 months showing bank name and logo, account name, sort code and account number (screenshots of online statements not accepted)
Names of three independent/unconnected management committee members, trustees or directors, and two unconnected cheque signatories
Three quotes for any capital item or equipment costing over £500
CICs: CIC 36 form (registered in the last 12 months) or latest CIC 34 annual report; co-operatives/community benefit societies: FCA registration form or latest AR30
Evidence of a long-term lease if the grant is for land or a building you do not own

Documents must be submitted with the application by the deadline or it may be declined without assessment; you need not resubmit documents sent in the last two years unless there have been significant changes. Safeguarding and equali…

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