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Halsary Windfarm Community Benefit Fund (Halkirk & District)

Grant size Up to £10,000
Area
Highland
Key dates  
Application deadlines: 15th March, 15th June, 15th September, 15th December
Notification dates: At the end of May, August, November and February

About this fund

The fund is provided by ScottishPower Renewables, the company that owns and operates the Halsary Windfarm. The Fund will be worth approximately £30,000 annually for the life of the windfarm, expected to be 25 years.

The Fund supports community activity and development by supporting the charitable activities of constituted, not-for-profit groups working to benefit the community. 

The Fund is for groups operating in the Halkirk District Community Council. To apply, please click on the links below.

Visit the ScottishPower Renewables website to learn more about the wind farm operator.

Purpose of this fund

Projects must meet one of the following purposes

  • community facilities
  • skills and employment
  • community or local events
  • sport and recreation
  • environmental improvements
  • youth and education
  • heritage
  • net zero / emissions reduction initiatives
  • and/or such other purpose as has first been approved in writing by ScottishPower Renewables

Applications which do not clearly fit with these outcomes but which can show strong community support and evidence of need may be considered where funds allow.

Additional criteria

Additional criteria

  • Local consultation: That you have consulted with the intended beneficiaries of the project and other local groups and/or businesses as appropriate, and that these are supportive of the proposal.
  • Partnership working: Where appropriate, applicants should consider whether delivering their project in partnership with other organisations/groups could add value (financial, capability, or other). This could involve working with voluntary, private or public sector bodies that operate at local, regional or national level.
  • Sustainable development: Applicants should consider whether projects will contribute towards sustainable development, including minimising the environmental impact of projects and reducing the ‘carbon footprint’ of the applicant organisation and/or Halkirk & District community.
  • Local procurement: Local suppliers of goods and services should be used where appropriate (e.g., in terms of quality of products/services available) and feasible (in terms of availability and cost). The definition of ‘local’ will vary depending on the goods/services in question. In some cases, it could be taken to mean within Halkirk & District but in others, Caithness, or indeed the North of Scotland might be most appropriate.

Who can apply?

Groups and organisations working to benefit people in the community can apply.  Your group/organisation must meet our standard eligibility criteria. You don’t need to be a registered charity to apply.

Applications from groups/organisations located out with the fund area will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate clear benefit for residents within the fund area.

What can’t be funded?

Information on what the Fund cannot support is provided here.

How are decisions made?

A Panel of local residents make recommendations on grant awards and advises on fund strategy.

The Panel makes decisions on two further funds: the RWE Bad a Cheo Wind Farm Community Fund (Halkirk & District) and the Achlachan Wind Farm Community Fund. The Panel accepts applications to both funds for the same project (co-funding).

The Panel can have up to 14 members, as follows:

  • Two residents nominated from the Westerdale area.
  • Two residents nominated from the Spittal area.
  • Two residents nominated from the Scotscalder area.
  • Two residents nominated from elsewhere within the fund priority area.
  • Two residents nominated from youth groups in the area.
  • One representative nominated by the Halkirk & District Community Council
  • One resident nominated from the Halkirk area.
  • One representative nominated from Halkirk School Parent Council.
  • One representative nominated by the owner of the wind farm.

More information on the award making process is available here 

If you are interested in joining the Panel please submit your contact information here and we will contact you.

Panel members serve for between two and four years, retiring on a phased basis to ensure knowledge and expertise are retained.

Current Panel members are:

  • Kathrin Haltimer
  • Stuart Mills
  • Linda Levack
  • Anne Gunn
  • David Busby
  • Victoria Spencer
  • Gordy Levack
  • Anne Frew

The Panel meets four times each year to consider applications for support.

Minutes of the latest Panel meetings are available on request from the Community Funds Adviser. Contact details can be found below.

How to apply

Please complete the online application. Completed applications and supporting documents must be received by the application deadline.  

If you would like to review the questions you will be asked to answer before starting the form, you can see them here.

If you have already started an application and not completed it, please login here to resume. 

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Frequently asked questions

  • Can I apply for Running Costs?

    Running costs are eligible. It would be expected that the amounts applied for would be comparable to previous year’s running costs.

  • Do I need to secure match funding?

    Applicants should ensure that possible funding sources for the project have been explored. Awards from the Fund should not displace funding that could be obtained from other sources, but should help leverage additional funds if possible. Additionally it should not reduce community-based groups’ commitment to organising local activities that contribute to a vibrant community calendar and promote community spirit. However, applicants are not required to source any specific proportion of matched funds towards their project.

  • Do I have to procure goods and services locally?

    It is desirable that, where appropriate, applicants should seek local providers but this should be demonstrated to offer best value, balancing considerations of cost, availability and quality as appropriate to the specific goods or service in question.

  • Can I apply for the cost of trips outwith the area?

    Yes. Applications should demonstrate how the trip will deliver on the Fund outcome(s).

  • Can I apply for the cost of feasibility studies and other project development work?

    Some projects, particularly large and transformative projects such as those involving the purchase and / or development of property, can require significant research / consultation, planning and other feasibility work. The Fund can support such activity however applications must demonstrate realistic ambitions, that appropriately skilled /qualified personnel are involved in conducting the work, and must not duplicate any similar recent feasibility work.

  • Can I apply for the cost of multi-year awards?

    In applying for funding towards multi-year costs the applicant must list measurable activities and how these will contribute to the Fund outcome(s) in each year. Funding for subsequent years, where multi-year funding has been agreed in principle (to a maximum of three years), will be dependent on evidence of the agreed set of activities and outcomes being achieved annually.

  • Can I apply for funding towards salaries for staff or wages?

    Applications must show how the position will contribute to the achievement of Fund outcome(s) in a measurable way, including listing the main outputs to be delivered over the grant funding period. Where multi-year funding has been agreed in principle, funding for subsequent years will be dependent on evidence of set outputs achieved annually.

    Applicants will also have to:

    • demonstrate how the salary / wage rate has been arrived at, including how it has been
    • benchmarked with comparable posts;
    • provide a job description and person specification for the post; and
    • outline the recruitment process, ensuring this is being run in a fair and open way.
    • Sustainable Development: Applicants should consider whether projects will likely contribute to sustainable development, including minimising the environmental impact of projects and reducing the ‘carbon footprint’ of the applicant organisation and/or Halkirk community.

Contact information

For application process and technical enquiries

Central Systems Support

For criteria and fund priority enquiries

Eilidh Coll - Fund Coordinator

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