Apply for funding to help cut carbon emissions
We're pleased to announce the launch of the Lewisham Community Energy Fund (LCEF).
The Lewisham Community Energy Fund is intended to provide new capacity for local community and voluntary groups to bring people together for a common purpose in relation to energy, carbon reduction and fuel poverty. The Fund is part of the Council’s wider work supporting the ambition for the borough to be net zero carbon by 2030.
This is the second round of Lewisham’s Community Energy Fund; the first round took place in 2019/20.
The key objectives are to:
- empower and enable the community to improve quality of life through access to clean and sustainable energy
- reduce borough-wide carbon emissions of households, community facilities and businesses through reduced energy use and increased uptake of renewable sources of energy
- find new ways to support vulnerable residents at risk of fuel poverty
Who can apply
- The fund is targeted at community-based organisations operating in Lewisham. The list of eligible organisations includes:
- community and voluntary groups
- co-operatives
- company limited by guarantee
- registered charities
- faith and equalities groups
- social enterprises
- schools
- community interest companies
- community benefit societies
- tenants’ and residents’ associations, or tenant management organisations
- other / constituted
- other / unconstituted
Individuals cannot apply but we welcome applications from organisations no matter how small, which if needed can partner with another organisation to receive the funding.
What will it cover
The fund will cover the four below streams:
- Stream A – Feasibility and business case development (up to £10,000 per project)
- Stream B – Project implementation and delivery (up to a third of the capital value, capped at £10,000)
- Stream C – Innovation and pre-feasibility development (up to £5,000 per project)Stream D -Training, events, and engagement (up to £5,000 per project)
- Stream D – Training, events, and engagement (up to £5,000 per project)
Application deadlines
- Lewisham Community Energy Fund opens for applications: 9 October 2023
- deadline for submission: Midday 18 December 2023
- feedback to applicants: 29 January 2024
- deadline for signed agreements:12 February 2024
The Council is working with Community Energy London who offer free peer mentoring which can support on a wide range issues relating to community energy.
Please see the prospectus and application form for more details:
If you're interested in applying, you might find the following resources with case studies and examples of successful projects of interest: