Community Grants Fund
Competitive grants help Oxfordshire member community groups reduce energy use, generate renewable energy and develop low-carbon transport.
Beskrivningen av den här finansieringen finns för närvarande på engelska.
The annual large-grant route supports work that cuts Oxfordshire’s carbon footprint: renewable heat or electricity, energy efficiency in homes and community buildings, and low-carbon transport. Your group can deliver the activity, buy in expertise or arrange for a local organisation to carry it out.
Each member group can request up to £5,000. Groups can apply together for up to £5,000 per participating group, limited by the funds available for the financial year. The current large-grant pot totals £10,000. Awards are competitive, so applying does not guarantee funding.
Eligibility
- Your group must belong to Low Carbon Hub’s community network. The network comprises Oxfordshire voluntary groups with a track record of local low-carbon activity. You can apply alone or with other member groups, and work with other local organisations, but grants are paid only to network groups.
- If you have not joined, an Oxfordshire group whose primary objective is reducing its community’s carbon footprint can apply for membership. Low-carbon and sustainability work must have energy as a central focus. Membership costs your group nothing: Low Carbon Hub purchases the nominal £1 share on your behalf. Applying to join does not itself meet the grant membership requirement.
- Your organisation must have a UK bank account in its own name and procedures requiring at least two unrelated people to sign cheques or authorise withdrawals.
- Partisan political organisations and party-political activities are excluded. Activities already carried out cannot be funded retrospectively. Some staff time is allowed, but requests mainly covering consultant or project-management costs are unlikely to succeed.
- Use any award for the agreed activity and discuss alternative uses with Low Carbon Hub if that purpose becomes impossible. Keep expenditure receipts and notify Low Carbon Hub of underspends; you may have to repay unspent funds unless an alternative use is agreed.
- The current outline instructions require activity to finish within one year of the application deadline. The general guidance also requires agreed activity within 12 months after a successful decision. Plan to meet both limits. Return the Grant Report Form within 12 months of receiving the grant.
How to apply
- Status
- stänger 20 nov. 2026
- Stänger
- Villkor för ansökningsomgången
- Current fresh-applicant entry is the large-grant outline proposal stage for Low Carbon Hub community network members. Detailed applications are available only to shortlisted projects.
If your group needs membership, contact Cathy Ryan, Community Engagement Manager, through the community network page or info@lowcarbonhub.org to apply to join before applying for the grant.
The 2026–2027 large-grant outline stage is open. Download the outline proposal form and email the completed form to info@lowcarbonhub.org so it arrives by 17:00 UK time on 20 November 2026. Hard-copy applications are accepted if you cannot submit electronically. A consortium nominates one lead group and submits one outline form per project.
Explain the activity, timing, scale, Oxfordshire communities and carbon savings or renewable energy involved. Set out the community benefits, success measures, lasting impact and how any additional project costs will be funded. Assessment considers whether the work is community focused, inclusive and collaborative, and whether it can attract further resources and produce tangible, visible, repeatable, growing and lasting benefits.
Low Carbon Hub checks eligibility and may request clarification or amendments. Only shortlisted projects proceed to a detailed application and Large Grant Finance Form; each consortium group must complete its finance form. Meeting the criteria leads to Impact Committee review for approval. The general guidance says applicants will hear within 30 days of the deadline.