ORIT Cumberhead Community Fund

About this fund

The ORIT Cumberhead Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in the Community Council areas of Coalburn and Lesmahagow. The Fund is provided by Cumberhead Wind Energy Limited, the company which owns and operates the Cumberhead Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire, under the auspices of Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust (ORIT).  

The Fund opened in 2023, but transferred to Foundation Scotland's responsibility in 2024.  An annual amount of £124,950, inflation-adjusted, will be paid into the Fund each year for the operating life of the wind farm, which is anticipated to be 25 years.

Grant size: £250 - £25,000*

* a higher amount may be considered in exceptional circumstances for large-scale projects where the applicant can demonstrate significant benefit to, and support from, one or more of the the two communities. 

Purpose of this fund

The Fund provides grants to support charitable activities that benefit the residents of the Coalburn and/or Lesmahagow areas; anything which enhances the economic, social or environmental sustainability of these communities.  Most of all, the Fund aims to ensure that successful applications are translated into real projects that make a material difference and deliver a lasting legacy.

Grants may support a wide range of costs, for example, the costs of equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities, and so on.

Additional criteria

The Fund is keen to encourage environmentally responsible and sustainable practice amongst applicant groups and within communities, and would welcome (in application forms) information about any measures groups have been able to take or plan to take to achieve this.  Projects which aim to tackle the climate challenge at a local level would also be welcome.  

Match funding is not necessarily required, however, evidence of external funding contributions, fundraising or monies from the applicant’s own resources will strengthen an application.

If the application is for asset or land development, then the organisation must usually own the asset/land or show evidence of a long-term lease agreement or other legal right to develop the asset or land.  

Who can apply?

Groups and organisations working to benefit people in any of the four communities 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 communities of Coalburn and Lesmahagow will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Such groups must demonstrate a clear benefit from the proposed project for residents within one or both communities, and demonstrate demand for the project from within those communities.

What can’t be funded?

Information on what the Fund cannot support is provided here. 

Additionally, the Fund cannot support:

• Anti-wind farm or anti-renewable energy activities, including activities contrary to the interests of Cumberhead Wind Energy Ltd, Octopus Renewable Infrastructure Trust (ORIT), or any of their holding companies, subsidiaries or sister companies (as defined under the Companies Act 2006);
• Activities that bring Cumberhead Wind Energy Ltd, Octopus Renewable Infrastructure Trust (ORIT), or any of their holding companies, subsidiaries or sister companies (as defined under the Companies Act 2006) or Foundation Scotland into disrepute;
• Projects that are detrimental to the environment or those that encourage further climate change. In particular, the Fund is unlikely to support applications which include the use of fossil fuels.  

How are decisions made?

A Community Panel made up of people aged over 16 who live, work or volunteer in the two communities makes recommendations on grant awards from the Fund. The Panel advises on the overall Fund strategy and is governed by Terms of Reference. The Panel of up to 8 members (four from each area) and includes a mixture of community councillors and other members of the community:

• At least one and up to two Community Council representatives appointed directly by each of the two Community Councils.  
• At least one and up to three ‘wider community’ representatives, selected through an open and transparent process from each of the two areas.  

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.

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

More information on the decision process can be found here.