Applicants must be one of the following:

• a non-profit group or organisation based in South Cambridgeshire or benefiting South Cambridgeshire residents
• a South Cambridgeshire parish council
• an informal community group or local business that has partnered with an eligible non-profit organisation (the lead applicant must be the non-profit organisation and will be required to demonstrate an appropriate level of involvement in the project).

Commercial businesses are not eligible to apply. 

Schools and any other organisations can apply for a grant for a project which is accessible to the community and not just for educational purposes.

Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA’s) and school-based groups are eligible where the project delivers a clear benefit to the wider community and is not solely for educational curriculum purposes. Note that school buildings are not eligible for funding through this grant scheme. 

Sports and membership-based organisations (for example bowls clubs) are eligible where the project demonstrates wider community benefit beyond members, such as supporting mental wellbeing, inclusion, or community cohesion. 

Grants of between £2,000 and £19,500 are available.

As well as capital costs we can fund:

• salaries of project workers
• salaries of management staff. These should be in proportion to the staff time spent on the project
• reasonable expenses of project staff and volunteers
• marketing and publicity for the project (as appropriate)

We cannot pay for the following:

• activities, events or services which have already taken place, including staff development time
• activities that benefit individuals, rather than the wider community
• activities that generate profits for private gain
• religious activity or content (although we are able to fund religious organisations if they are providing benefit for the wider community)
• activities that replace or supplement government funding (for example, we can only fund school activities that are additional to the curriculum) 
• loan repayments
• renewable energy installations where it is intended to claim Renewable Heat Incentive payments or any other payments where the use of public grants renders the installation ineligible for such payments.

Organisations that are awarded a grant will be expected to comply with the following conditions as a minimum:

• funding must only be used for the agreed purpose and must be spent within 12-months of the award being made except where exceptional circumstances apply, and an extension is agreed with the grants officer in writing
• where a proposal anticipates financial savings or income, the applicant will need to show this will be for the benefit of the community
• publicity must take place acknowledging the award provided by South Cambridgeshire District Council
• any unused grant must be returned to South Cambridgeshire District Council
• 2 reports are required at the end of the project:
  • an end of project report with photographs must be submitted to us one calendar year after the grant award
  • a one-year post-completion update report must be submitted to us outlining longer-term outcomes and impact. 

Applicants will be required to confirm: 

• that no person involved in the delivery of the project has any unspent criminal convictions relevant to the project
• that the organisation is not subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings
• that any required planning permission or regulatory consent has either been secured or is demonstrably in progress prior to submission. Note that the ZCC team can provide signposting regarding consents but cannot obtain permissions on behalf of applicants. 

In your application please include: 

• a copy of your organisation’s constitution or mission statement (except parish councils)
• a copy of your latest accounts (audited if available)
• a copy of your organisation’s safeguarding and equal opportunities policy
• any quotes received for the project (please note, for solar PV projects we require organisations to seek quotes from 3 installers)
• written evidence of landowner permission (where relevant)
• copy of any lease in place (where relevant)
• specialist reports, for example an ecology or energy survey
• sketches or plans of your project.

Applicants are encouraged to: 

• seek support for their application from their local Member
• read case studies of ZCC funded projects published in our Zero Carbon Communities newsletters  
• where appropriate seek part-funding/match funding from other sources including their parish/town council. There is no requirement for this, but if as expected, the fund is oversubscribed, proposals including match funding or funding from other sources will be prioritised. Part-funding can include your own fundraising and can be of monetary and/or in-kind value
• plan ahead. Check and apply for any consent or planning requirements or other regulatory approval or permit prior to submitting your application
• we strongly encourage applicants to make use of the free support and resources available from Support Cambridgeshire (formerly Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service). They provide guidance on applying for funding, identifying suitable funding sources, strengthening applications, and accessing useful tools for community groups. Their support can be extremely helpful in preparing a high-quality application.

All eligible grant applications will be reviewed by the Grants Advisory Committee, who will make recommendations to the lead Cabinet Member for Resources for decision. We aim to let applicants know of the decision within 2 months of the application deadline.  

Project proposals will be scored and prioritised for funding based on how well the answers to the questions fulfil the objectives given for each theme: 

• Theme 1: Carbon emission reduction or locking up carbon. 
• Theme 2: Community engagement on climate change and nature. 

Each theme will be scored differently as set out in the grant Information Document [PDF, 0.4MB]. 

A funding agreement will be prepared for all successful applicants. This will include arrangements for payment of the grant. Projects will be required to measure and report on their progress one calendar year from the award of the grant, and again one-year post-completion. This allows us to continue to report on the annual impact and also to understand longer-term outcomes of the grant. 

Your project should aim to achieve the following: 

• the project reduces the production of carbon emissions or reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• the project achieves wider community engagement and behaviour change around climate change and/or nature
• the project contributes additional value (for example funding contributions; volunteer time/expertise 
  from other sources; collaboration between organisations, and/or evidence of local and/or Member support; communication of the project to the local community)
• the project is sustainable and will have a ‘lifetime’ impact on the local and wider community
• the project aligns with the aims of our Climate and Nature Strategy 2026-2030 (and consideration is given to Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) priorities as appropriate). 

In your application, you will be required to calculate the reduction in carbon emissions that will result from your project. For community engagement on climate change and nature projects, you will be required to provide information on the number of individuals meaningfully engaged and the anticipated behaviour change. 

Further information is provided in our Application Guidance [PDF, 0.4MB].

Community buildings

Projects which provide improvements to community buildings to reduce its carbon emissions (for example, the need for grid electricity, gas or oil). 

Ideas for Community Buildings Projects:

• energy conservation measures: Draught proofing, insulation of walls, ceilings, roofs, floors and pipes and replacing doors or windows.
• energy efficiency measures: Lighting upgrades, smart heating control units or infrared heating. We will prioritise these where they have been recommended on an energy survey.
• solar PV and/or battery storage system for solar PV: feasible energy conservation and efficiency measures must have already been undertaken or be planned to be undertaken. 

Buildings must be available to the whole community, for example village halls. Multi-purpose church buildings or halls and Scout and Guide buildings are eligible where clearly advertised as multi-purpose. 

Applicants should have a freehold or leasehold interest in the hall in place. If there is a lease in place there must be at least 21 years left to run on the lease.  

School buildings are not eligible for funding through this grant scheme.

Transport

Projects which engage the community to reduce the reliance on car travel, encouraging walking, cycling and low carbon transport. 

Ideas for transport projects:

• community cycling events: funding for events or projects that promote sustainable lifestyle choices, or cycling 
• cycle shelters or stands: Cycling infrastructure improvements which encourage cycling 
  connectivity around the district on publicly accessible land. 

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure may be supported through this scheme where it clearly demonstrates community benefit and alignment with objectives of the chosen theme. 

Events, campaigns and education

Projects which engage the community to encourage them to reduce their carbon emissions through waste and recycling, diet or interacting with nature.

• food waste reduction projects: such as recycling or composting campaigns
• community allotment projects: to encourage people to grow their own food and engage with nature
• biodiversity mapping: to encourage people to get out into nature and engage with nature, or to 
  understand what they can do in their own gardens
• climate festival: to showcase climate action and engage others to take action
• nature and wellbeing: to improve health by creating or improving access to nature and green spaces. 

Nature 

Note that nature projects may be eligible under Theme 1 or Theme 2, depending on their core focus. Examples of both are given below. 

Nature projects should consider how they will make their chosen theme central to the project:

• under the carbon theme, projects should focus on maximising carbon savings, considering how carbon will be captured from the atmosphere or prevented from release, whilst at the same time creating or restoring natural habitats
• projects which provide additional value by communicating the value of nature-based solutions are recommended.
• nature projects might also apply under the community engagement theme but would need to ensure engagement and education was central to the project and not a secondary benefit. 

Potential projects include: 

• community orchard / community tree nursery / hedge or larger village-wide tree canopy project
• habitat creation or improvement, including rewilding, pond creation, wildflower meadow, wildlife corridors, and habitat providing stepping-stones and connectivity
• small-scale restoration of peatland.

When designing projects, applicants are advised to consider alignment with the Local Nature Recovery Strategy goals, and to include appropriate quantities/metrics for example land area improved in m2 or hectares. 

Note that projects delivering statutory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements are not eligible. 

The Zero Carbon Communities Grant has now provided over £855,000 of funding, this video celebrates some of the projects funded since the grant began in 2019.

The Let's Cook Project 

We gave a £15,000 grant to the Let's Cook Project - to continue their work providing food waste reduction campaigns in partnership with community groups. They are training and supporting 20 groups to deliver a five-week campaign including cookery sessions.

Climate Change Gardening 

We recently gave a £2,400 grant which is enabling Climate Change Gardening to reach and inspire thousands of local people across South Cambridgeshire to take practical climate‑friendly action through gardening and is giving residents practical ideas to create greener, more climate‑resilient gardens.

• PDF of case studies for previous projects [PDF, 0.8MB].