EDF Renewables Longpark Wind Farm Community Fund
| Grant size | Up to £12,000 |
| Area |
Scottish Borders
|
| Key dates | |
| Application Deadline (for decision late March): | 20/01/25 |
| Application Deadline (for decision early June): | 07/04/25 |
| Application Deadline (for decision late August): | 23/06/25 |
| Application Deadline (for decision late November): | 22/09/25 |
About this fund
The EDF Renewables Longpark Wind Farm Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in the Parish of Stow Community Council area in the Scottish Borders. It is provided by EDF Renewables, which owns and operates the Longpark Wind Farm.
The Fund was opened in 2010. An annual amount of £45,000, inflation-adjusted, will be paid into the Fund each year for the operating life of the wind farm, which is expected to be 25 years. In 2024 for example, the income to the Fund had risen to £78,900.
Grant Size normally: £301 - £12,000 (see also additional criteria).
Purpose of this fund
The Fund provides grants to support charitable activities that:
- Enhance the quality of life for local residents.
- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities.
- Promote community spirit and encourage community activity.
Grants may support a wide range of costs, such as equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities, and so on.
Additional criteria
Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Stow Community Action Plan (published in 2023) and to highlight if the grant requested contributes to any of the Community Action Plan themes or objectives. It is recognised that not all grants requested will do so.
Applications for grants above the standard maximum stated above may be considered where the application can demonstrate the potential for significant community impact, and demonsrates widespread community engagement and support for the proposed project/activity. Applicants should, however, be guided by the amount of money available to the Fund each year (see above), and the number of grant-making rounds, being four per year. Please contact either the Foundation Scotland or SSE Community Fund Manager to discuss any applications for amounts above the standard grant maximum above (see contact details below).
Some applicants, particularly for higher value funding requests, may wish to request that the application is considered for funding contributions from both EDF Renewables Longpark (administered by Foundation Scotland) and SSE Toddleburn Fund (administered by SSE). Please contact either the Foundation Scotland or SSE Community Fund Manager to discuss this (see contact details below).
Applications towards recurring costs (especially staff costs or multi-year requests) will be examined particularly closely. The Funds' Panel will balance the importance of maximising the impact of grant funding against the risk of groups becoming dependent on wind farm funding. Panel recognises that not all groups can be fully self-financing, but will generally over time expect to see a reduction in dependence on wind farm grant funding towards recurring costs.
Who can apply?
Groups and organisations working to benefit people in the Parish of Stow area can apply. You don’t need to be a registered charity to apply, but your group/organisation must meet our standard eligibility criteria.
Applications from groups/organisations located out with the Fund area will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate clear benefits for residents within the Fund area, and evidence of support from the Parish of Stow community.
What can’t be funded?
Information on what the Fund cannot support is provided here.
Additionally, the Fund cannot support:
- The purchase of second-hand vehicles.
- Anti-wind farm or anti-renewable energy activities, including activities contrary to the interests of EDF Renewables and its subsidiaries.
How are decisions made?
A Community Panel made up of people who live, work, or volunteer in the four communities makes recommendations on grant awards from the Fund. The Panel advises on overall Fund strategy and is governed by Terms of Reference.
The panel of up to seven members includes a mixture of community councillors and other members of the community:
- Two Community Council representatives, appointed directly by the Community Council.
- Five ‘wider community’ representatives selected through an open and transparent process.
Each panel member typically serves a minimum of one and a maximum of three years, with members retiring on a phased basis to ensure knowledge and expertise are retained. Opportunities to become a panel member are openly advertised, both locally and on this website.
The panel also makes decisions on applications to the SSE Toddleburn Fund administered by SSE.
Minutes of the latest panel meetings are available on request from the Community Funds Manager (see contact details below).
More information on the decision process can be found here.
Frequently asked questions
-
What if my project needs less than the minimum grant amount?
If your grant request is for less than £300 you can apply for a micro-grant administered by the Community Council – see Useful links, below.
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When must grants be spent by?
Most grant awards must be spent within one year of being awarded unless otherwise agreed. However, grants awards may be multi-year in nature, usually for no more than three years, where requested and agreed in advance.
How to apply
Please complete the online application form. Completed applications and supporting documents must be received by the application deadline.
If you would like to review the application questions before starting the form, you can see them here.
If you have any problems accessing the form, please email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk or call 0131 524 0300 for help.
If you have already started an application and not completed it, please login here to resume.
Contact information
Central Systems Support
Malcolm Jack, Community Funds Manager
Colin McMillan, SSE Community Investment Manager
Useful links
- Help for applicants
- Community Councils and microgrants information: Parish of Stow Community Council
- More information about the Toddleburn (Stow) Fund is available on SSE’s website, or by contacting Colin McMillan, Community Investment Manager at SSE, colin.mcmillan@sse.com, 07423314294.
- For advice on running your group or project contact your local Third Sector Interface: Borders Third Sector Partnership.
- The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) provides a range of useful resources for setting-up a voluntary organisation or running your organisation. It also helps organisations develop their digital potential.
- Additional information and resources about developing a Safeguarding policy include Foundation Scotland guidance, NSPCC's safeguarding checklist, OSCR's Safeguarding Guidance and SCVO's advice.
- The Fund is provided by EDF Renewables.