Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) – Innovation Fund Open

Local Energy Scotland administers the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES). Local Energy Scotland provides free impartial advice and support for community groups, rural businesses, social enterprises and other stakeholders to advance local energy projects.

The Innovation Grant is one of the main funding streams offered to new applicants by CARES. Innovations Grants of up to £150,000 are available to support either innovation activity or improve the viability of projects.

The funding aims to address the following criteria:

Improve the viability of larger CARES capital projects by grant funding elements of the renewable/local energy system project.

Fund local energy system innovation activity.

Support the replication of CARES innovation projects that have worked well.

The grants support projects or pilots for new approaches and actions, demonstrator projects and those that innovate to overcome common challenges where local ownership, community involvement and/or community benefits are the basis of the projects developed.

Proposals should include significant consideration of the CARES focus on local energy, local benefit and local shared ownership. Also, applicants must demonstrate additionality (that the proposed work could not proceed without the funding).

The closing date for the 2019/20 Panel 1 round is 24 June 2019.

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.