RWE Lochelbank Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund

About this fund

The RWE Lochelbank Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in the Glenfarg or Earn Community Council areas. This fund is provided by RWE, the owner of Lochelbank Wind Farm in Perthshire.  

The fund opened in 2011. An annual amount of £20,000, rising in line with inflation, will be paid into the fund for the operating life of the wind farm which is expected to be 25 years. In 2022 the contribution to the fund was £27,026.

Grant size: £350 - £5,000

(Grants in excess of the maximum stated above and/or multi-year requests (up to 3 years) can be considered in exceptional circumstances - see Additional Criteria, below). 

Purpose of this fund

The Fund provides grants to support charitable activities that:

• Enhance 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, for example the costs of equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities and more.

Additional criteria

Grants in excess of the maximum stated above and/or multi-year requests (up to 3 years) can be considered in exceptional circumstances.  Such applications should be able to demonstrate strong community support and the potential for significant impact.  If you wish to apply for more than the stated maximum, please contact the Community Funds Adviser (contact details below) to discuss your proposal before completing the application form.  

Applicants are also encouraged to consider the following when preparing applications:

• Matched funding:  Grants can cover 100% of project costs but applicants are encouraged to seek other sources of funding for part of the cost.  In particular, larger applications will, ideally, demonstrate that a percentage of the total project cost will be sourced from the group’s own fundraising efforts or other grants.  
• Financial sustainability:  For longer-term projects, the ability to demonstrate financial sustainability beyond the life of the grant – without reliance on continuous grant funding – is favoured.
• Environmental sustainability:  Applicants are encouraged to consider the environmental impact of their activities and the project for which they are seeking funding.  If the application is contributing to the cost of a new building or refurbishment of an existing building, this should be based on sustainable design principles.  In all projects, the carbon footprint across the full lifecycle of the project, the use of environmentally benign materials, energy efficiency, waste reduction and active travel should be considered where relevant.  
• Local procurement:  Local suppliers are favoured for the provision of goods and services.  The term ‘local’ will vary depending on the nature and availability of the goods or service in question.  It could refer to the Glenfarg and Earn areas, Perth & Kinross or the east of central Scotland as appropriate. 
• Capacity building:  Applicants are encouraged to consider how the project will provide opportunities to build the skills and knowledge of group members or other local people.  This may be a key aim of the project or an indirect benefit arising from the project.  
• Partnership working:  Applicants are encouraged to consider collaboration with other appropriate organisations on the delivery of their project.

In exceptional circumstances, Panel may be willing to make an urgent decision between Rounds.  Applicants should state in the application the reasons an urgent decision is required, and should contact the Community Funds Adviser (contact details below).  

Who can apply?

Groups and organisations working to benefit people in any of the communities within Earn and Glenfarg community council areas 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 outwith the Fund area will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate a 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 Community Panel, made up of people who live, work or volunteer in Glenfarg or Earn, 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 eight members (at least three and up to four each from Glenfarg and Earn) includes a mixture of community councillors and other residents in the community:

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

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

More information on the award making process is available here.