Questions and Answers

For any other questions relating to the Fund not covered below, please email communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Who is the fund aimed at?

This funding is exclusively aimed at Edinburgh-based groups delivering local climate projects that would contribute to the city's net-zero target and 2030 Edinburgh Climate Strategy. All projects must be delivered in Edinburgh.

Who can apply?

Any Edinburgh-based community, voluntary or non-profit organisation can apply for up to £20,000 to put ideas into action. Normally these will have one of the following structures:

Constituted community group or club
Social Enterprise
Community interest companies (CIC)
Registered charity (SCIO)

I have an idea but I am not part of a group?

Informal groups who do not meet the above criteria can still apply but will be required to work with a parent organisation who would submit the application in partnership. If you are not sure or would like to discuss, please contact communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Can we put in a joint proposal with other organisations?

Yes. Partnership proposals are actively encouraged, especially where they will result in reduced consumption by sharing resources across a community area, or with a similar community group.

The fund does not accept applications from:

individuals  
sole traders  
City of Edinburgh Council Services
organisations based outside Edinburgh
organisations focused on making profits and sharing these profits privately - including companies limited by shares, organisations without the right asset locks or organisations that can pay profits to directors or shareholders

What type of proposals are you looking for?

We need your ideas for projects that will meet one or more of the following objectives:

Create opportunities for community leadership and learning on climate change
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions within communities and contribute to the net-zero agenda for Edinburgh
Generate sustainable projects for the benefit of local people to build resilience or adapt to climate change within communities
Build relationships between neighbourhoods of different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds to work together on just, equitable and accessible climate and resilience activities contributing to the city's net-zero agenda, also ensuring that activities work towards reducing or removing barriers for disabled people in the transition to net zero.

So what makes for a good idea?

Ideas can be large or small and will be eligible as long as they are in line with at least one of the project's aims. The community will be asked to decide on the best ideas.

Ideas might include:

Local energy information roadshows where free energy-efficient lightbulbs are available and advice from professionals is available on a number of achievable energy-reducing actions.
Services that assist elderly people and those with disabilities in making energy-saving changes to their homes (supplying and fitting lightbulbs, draft excluders, heat packs and warm boxes)
Education on alternative heating systems and support to explore finance options
Advice and education sessions on climate change provided at local groups – potentially bringing in specialists to begin climate change conversations.
Work with schools and other local youth groups to encourage education on achievable climate action and encourage uptake within local communities (peer education, intergenerational projects, joint creation of local activities – e.g. young people working with care homes to create community gardens/recreational space, etc.)
Working with local educational establishments to identify clean job opportunities and encourage uptake of available training and career pathways
Free community café provided to local residents that uses donated and/or locally grown food for its core ingredients.
Cookery projects that educate on reducing energy whilst cooking as well as dietary changes that can impact on environment.
Community Gardens that grow produce to be used or dispersed locally for the benefit of the community of place.
Project that refurbishes bicycles and donates/leases these to local people and provides proficiency training for young people as well as lobby for the better provision of cycle lanes.
Walking, wheeling or cycling groups that encourage like-minded people to go out together as a group and promotes the benefit of reduced car use and social interaction.
Transport-sharing schemes to reduce the need for single-occupancy vehicle use – shopping buses or car pools, etc.
Adapting local community buildings to be prepared and ready to act as emergency response locations for local communities in the event of extreme weather events.
Woodland management projects that reimagine areas to maximise carbon capture and benefit local people (tree planting, bird nesting, access paths, etc.).
Community-managed greenspaces containing projects designed and supported by local people which could include introduction of community gardens/allotments, wildflower planting, bird nesting, bat boxes, etc.
Education projects within communities that identify actions that could be taken in their natural environment to offset carbon and provide increased local opportunities for involvement and action.

Can we get help with our application?

Yes! As long as it meets our themes, we really want your project to be there at the voting stage. If you need any help with your application, please contact communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk as soon as possible and we will do our best to help you. You can contact us directly with questions or for some support. You can ask for someone to come along and speak to you and/or your group directly about the project and the themes or attend one of our drop-in information events.

For application support please email: communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk

Support sessions are avaialble for applicants:

23 January 1000am-12noon & 1pm-3pm – Application Support Drop in - City Chambers
24 January 630pm-730pm - Online information session
26 January 1000am-1100am- Online information session

Who do we contact if we need more guidance?

Please contact communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk.

How do we apply?

Download an application form from the application page

All applications are made via the online platform and by returning the completed form to communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk.

The fund will not support:

Any proposals with unfunded recurring revenue impacts or that place any burdens on the Council
Proposals that lobby or require the Council to change policy
Projects or activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide, such as a local recycling service, bus stops, local bus services, etc. 
Proposals that involve improvements to buildings that are not owned by the applicant or significant infrastructure being installed on land that is not owned by the applicant - unless evidence of permission to do so is included within the application
Feasibility studies, development costs, design fees, planning costs.
Costs incurred before the Project Start Date or after the Project End Date.

Additionally, the fund will not fund:

Contingency costs
Core organisational or overhead costs - that are not directly related and proportional to the delivery of your project.
Items or activities which benefit an individual rather than the community as a whole
Fundraising activities or donations to other organisations
Loans, interest payments, bank or credit card charges
Political or religious activities
Alcohol or tobacco
Livestock and associated costs (e.g. food)
VAT that you can recover from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Costs incurred using high-carbon modes of travel (flights, cars, taxis, etc.) when lower-emission alternatives are available. All flights are ineligible unless there are extenuating circumstances.

How many applications can one organisation make?

Organisations can only make one application but they can apply for funds to support multiple aims so long as the total is no more than £20,000.

What happens after we apply?

Eligible projects will be voted on by members of the public as part of a Participatory Budgeting process. Projects with the most support will be awarded funding.

What is Participatory Budgeting?

PB is an internationally recognised method for engaging communities and is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. It gives people a real say in how money is spent. The City of Edinburgh Council has committed to the use of the PB process in delivering an element of local authority spend.

More information on Edinburgh Council’s approach to Participatory Budgeting can be found online

What are the benefits of Participatory Budgeting?

PB can encourage and support active citizenship, helping build more engaged, active and stronger communities. Citizens are better informed about public budgets and decision-making so are better able to take decisions on how public funds are spent to improve their area and more likely to take part in other community activities.

How do I vote?

You will be able to vote online, but there will also be sessions where you can vote in-person if you prefer. We will be letting the whole community know when and how to vote.

What happens if we get the funding?

Successful applicants will be required submit a monitoring report to the City of Edinburgh Council. Please retain all invoices, among other details, as you will need them for the monitoring report. We will send you a report template and remind you when the report is due (i.e. usually about 12 months after the receipt of funding). You will be asked to provide:

A breakdown of how the money was spent, together with receipts
A short report, including photos and videos if possible, and showing for example, who benefited, how the project addressed the themes that have been discussed throughout.

Will we receive feedback if our application is unsuccessful?

Yes, you will receive feedback through the application portal.

What will we need to do at the end of the prolject?

Successful applicants will be required to submit a case study highlighting project success at end of delivery (including lessons learned, achieved outcomes and impact had).

Why do I need to register?

We are asking people to register to help us keep the platform safe and reliable. If you are registered, you can also tell us if you want to be notified about future engagements. That way you will not miss anything important!

When you register for MyAccount, we ask questions about you such as your year of birth, sex and postcode. These questions are optional, but this helps us understand who is engaging with us. Knowing a little more about who you are also helps us get a higher quality of data to go along with your feedback. The data will help us determine for example, if specific groups such as younger people or older people have differing views. This provides us with a richer and more valuable response to help the Council make decisions. The registration data also allows us to know who is typically engaging with us and whether we need to take additional steps to target underrepresented groups.

Is my privacy protected?

Yes, we take your privacy very seriously. We will never give your personal details to a third party or disclose your personal information without your consent.

We will only use your email to contact you with updates and to invite you to participate in related engagement exercises. We will not give your email address to anyone else or use it for any other purpose.

For further information, refer to our privacy notice.

Where can I get help with MyAccount or with registration?

More information on MyAccount is available on the MyAccount Help Page

What are the key dates?

Applications open – 11 January 2023

Applications Close – 8 February 2023

Voting and deliberation – 3 - 12 March 2023

Results Announced – on the 14 March

Funds Available – before or by 31 March 2023

Project reports return – by March 2024