Introduction

These community grants for climate projects are an initiative of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and are being coordinated by Local Authorities in accordance with local priorities. Grants in Calderdale will focus on developing community climate action in Park and Warley ward. It will be open for applications from September.

Goals of the Community Grants for Climate Action Fund

These Community Grants for Climate Projects will bring people, investment and funding together for the greatest impact, by supporting community proposals for greener, cleaner and climate-ready neighbourhoods.

Disengaged and disadvantaged communities have a more acute barrier to participation in climate-related activities. Community organisations are central to developing a neighbourhood approach to the climate emergency by engaging and bringing communities together to work towards common goals. Introducing projects at a neighbourhood-level across West Yorkshire to support climate resilience, regeneration, and sustainability, will ensure that local solutions are delivered for neighbourhoods, whilst enabling partnerships and networks, and increasing accessibility for net zero carbon adaptation.

Calderdale climate projects Priorities

There are lots of solutions that can be implemented right now in Calderdale. Working with existing community groups and developing new ones is essential. Many community groups in Calderdale are already leading the way on climate action. They are creating a sense of belonging, showing what is possible and supporting each other to help ideas grow. A community group can be anything from a resident’s association to a group of campaigners. Being a part of a community supports people to do work they value and to make a difference in their neighbourhood. 

Community climate action groups are people coming together to pool their skills and collectively act on climate change issues locally and beyond. Joined up thinking and action at the community level can ensure that everyone’s voices are heard, which means the needs of those people experiencing significant challenges in their life can be identified and addressed.

The Opportunity

We will be awarding grants between £5,000 and £50,000 to increase knowledge of and engagement in climate action in Park & Warley. We want to see the right advice and support in place that will enable community groups and individual people to take climate action.

This could include:

• Climate education and awareness, either through formal learning or through events and activities
• Skills and capacity building for local communities to take climate action
• Support for local people to set up their own campaigns on the issues that matter to them
• Capacity building for local support infrastructure that can deliver e.g. climate advice, climate action planning
• Setting up a local climate advice hub
• Developing a neighbourhood climate action plan

Or you might have another idea!

Projects that focus activity around one of the following themes will be prioritised:

• local, clean, and flexible energy solutions
• healthy, affordable, and efficient buildings
• walking, cycling and public transport (shared mobility schemes will not be supported)
• green and climate ready nature solutions

Capital expenditure is not eligible, projects should focus on laying the groundwork for community awareness and action, or on taking action. Funding is available for staff salaries involved in direct delivery of projects, and other costs such as facilitator costs, room hire, materials and equipment. We are not able to support organisational overheads through this fund.

Where the funding forms part of a larger project, it is expected that the remainder of the funds will be secured and this funding will make the project happen.

Types of outcomes for projects through this fund

• More people understand the climate emergency and how it relates to their lives
• More people feel confident about the role they can play in taking climate action
• More people feel they have a voice in the climate conversation
• More people champion climate action within their communities
• More people have access to networks to take climate action
• More groups incorporate climate action into their wider work

Deploying the available Funds

• Calderdale has iro £140,000 to deploy
• Grants of up to £50,000 will be available
• If the total project costs are higher than the grant applied for, the rest of the funding and resources required to start the project must already be in place

Calderdale Community Grants for Climate Projects Fund Round 1 expected timescales