About the Fund
Designed to support community organisations and charities in areas where National Grid’s work is impacting local people through operations and construction activities. Aims to strengthen and uplift communities across areas where National Grid is carrying out key infrastructure works through provision of financial support.
We support projects in the following areas:
• Social benefits (including initiatives supporting hard-to-reach community members, community safety, education especially STEM, and health and wellbeing)
• Economic benefits (supporting employment and capacity building for community/charity/voluntary groups)
• Environmental benefits (conservation projects, energy efficiency improvements, and initiatives helping with energy usage and affordable tariffs).
Eligibility
- Projects must be in areas affected by National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) operations or activities, but the applying organisation can be based elsewhere. Eligible applicants include registered charities, social enterprises, and non-profit organisations.
- Organisations must have a bank account with two unrelated signatories, a constitution (if not a registered charity), a management committee of at least three unrelated people, and be financially solvent.
- Only one application per organisation per fiscal year (April-March).
- Organisations can only receive one grant per fiscal year and must complete any previous projects before applying again.
No funding for land/building purchase, commercial organisations, projects above £40,000, standalone feasibility/planning costs, re-granting funds to others, advancement of religion activities (secular activities for faith-based groups are funded), political causes, medical research/treatment, core running costs, projects benefiting only individuals, day/residential trips, statutory organisations (local government, schools, NHS, councils), retrospective funding, improvements without tenure, statutory responsibilities (public transport/roads), applications outside England and Wales, one-off events (e.g. summer fetes).
Grant Details
- Funds projects with one-off grants
- Cannot be for retrospective funding (works must begin after funding decision and formal grant contract issued)
- Must show adverse impact of National Grid work on organisation and community
- Organisations can receive maximum of one grant each financial year
- Further awards in subsequent years possible if monitoring form completed and applying for ‘new’ project
- Will not provide ongoing support to previously funded projects or fund core running costs
- Over £520,000 awarded since 2018 across various projects
