Grants

Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub is an organisation that works with local businesses, including self employed people and not for profit organisations, to find the right guidance, support and grant funding to help their business work smarter, develop and grow. Visit their website to find out more and to get in touch about available grants.

There are several funds and grants to help environmental and low carbon initiatives. The funding can help initiatives and schemes get started. They can also support existing initiatives and schemes.

Here are a few funding suggestions:

• NEW: Crowdfund Cornwall Climate Emergency funds for
  • Carbon Neutral Cornwall projects
  • Forest for Cornwall projects
• Cornwall Council’s Grants advice service. This service has information about funding for community projects.
• The Government’s Pocket Parks. For community-led organisations in partnership with local authorities to help communities transform unloved, neglected or derelict areas into new green spaces.

Cornwall Council also offers match funding through Crowdfunder and the Cornwall Social Inclusion Fund.

According to the South West Waters website, the water supplier is providing free water-efficiency audits to selected businesses in Cornwall.

This audit will include an approved plumber who will:

• Identify and fix leaking loos
• Fit water-saving devices (this includes tap aerators, displacement bags in cisterns, shower heads/regulators and urinal controls)
• Advise on further possible water-saving measures

Who can apply?

South West Water is looking for businesses “ with toilets, showers and washbasins PLUS either a high level of daily visitors (e.g. pubs, restaurants, large visitor attractions, schools, colleges) or more than two blocks of facilities supporting higher numbers of staff (e.g. factories, office blocks, hotels)”.

Cornwall Council has a Property Flood Resilience Scheme (PFR) in this they discuss the possibility of applying for PFR for funding and equipment with the last successful application during  2020 – 2022 where 30 properties were successful in acquiring the PFR.

If successful the following will be conducted 

• Carry out a risk assessment to determine how and why your property is at risk of flooding.
• Conduct a survey to determine which PFR measures would work in your situation.
• Provide a certified contractor to supply and fit the measures to the National Code of Practice standards.

Cornwall Council “ Hopes to provide a new PFR scheme for more properties over the next three years”

This scheme is for both residential and commercial property.

Application link 

Energy Efficiency Grant from Energy Renewals  grants range from £5K-£100K, to apply your business energy bill (Gas & Electricity) must be a minimum of £40K.

Funding if the grant is successful covers.

• Upgrade for LED lighting
• Heating System upgrades
• Cooling systems upgrade
• Building management systems optimisation
• Improving building fabric and insulation
• Renewable energy 

This scheme is weighted heavily towards large businesses and industries.

The UK government is currently running a Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), this scheme “ provides grants to encourage property owners to replace existing fossil fuel heating with more efficient, low carbon heating systems including air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and, in limited circumstances, biomass boilers”.

The scheme will grant:

• £7,500 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump
• £7,500 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump
• £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler

Eligibility

• Your property must be a home or small non-domestic building in England or Wales. The maximum installation capacity of 45kWth covers the vast majority of these properties.
• Your property must have a valid energy performance certificate with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. (There are some exceptions to this, please speak to your installer for further information).
• The commissioning date of your low-carbon heating system must be on or after 1 April 2022.
• Biomass boilers are only eligible in properties that are both in a rural location and not connected to the gas grid. Heat pumps do not have either of these restrictions.
• You must be fully replacing an existing fossil fuel system such as an oil or gas boiler, or an electric heating system such as storage or panel heaters. Funding will not be available for the replacement of existing low-carbon heat systems.
• you can still apply if you’ve received separate funding for energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, doors or windows.
• new-build homes and social housing are not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, although self-build properties are eligible.