Applications for the Community Benefit Fund of Yealm Community Energy
The Yealm Community Energy (YCE) Community Benefit Fund (CBF) is funded from surpluses generated by YCE’s three solar farms and provides support to community and voluntary organisations in the Parishes of Brixton, Holbeton, Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo, Wembury, and Yealmpton.
The CBF is open for applications from mid-February until April 19, with award decisions made by early June. The CBF has a total of up to £20,000 available for grants in 2026.
The Community Benefit Fund will typically support projects from organisations such as local groups, not-for-profit social enterprises, and charities. Applications should be related to:
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy measures for local community buildings.
• Initiatives to reduce carbon usage e.g. promoting walking or cycling, charging points for electric vehicles, use of community vehicles.
• Local environmental improvements, particularly those providing climate change mitigation or adaptation.
Individual grants are typically for £2,500 or less, but more may be considered in special cases, particularly for long-term energy and carbon reduction projects. CBF grants are expected to have matched funding to at least 50% of the total in cash, or voluntary labour.
Conditions, details, and an application form are on the YCE website (https://www.yealmenergy.co.uk). On the website go to: Key information>Documents>Community Fund Application Form 2026 to download the form in a Word format.
Applicants are strongly advised to discuss projects ahead of submission by contacting info@yealmenergy.co.uk. Ideas about larger projects aligned with the objects of YCE (set out in the application form) are welcomed at any time.
WARNING: Too often applications must be failed because they do not meet the basic minimum required in an application. Almost half of the 2025 round of applications were failed because applicants had simply not read the conditions and instructions. This year these are in a single document.
Eight tips for a successful application:
1. Read the preamble to the application form – all 5 pages. This is important as it tells you what applications can be for, how much is on offer for individual awards, and what conditions should be met for success.
2. Ensure that the application meets one (or more, perhaps) of the objects of the Society. These are interpreted broadly. Many applications fail because the make no mention of any of the aims.
3. Do have matched funding. This again is broadly judged, so might be funding from other sources or hours of work put in by volunteers. So estimate the number of volunteers and the time they will be working to demonstrate a commitment.
4. Showing that there is a committed body of people working to complete the project is a good rule in any event.
5. Make sure you know what the impact of your project on the local community will be, or what you want it to be. Who will benefit? How will they benefit? How sustainable is the benefit?
6. Never forget the issue of measuring the impact of the project. The CBF must report to the YCE board, and in turn that must report to its members and to the major funders who make this possible. What they all want to know is that what they are doing is worthwhile, and that it is worth doing more of it. So build into your application how you will try and measure the impact of your project on the community.
7. Get your application in well before the deadline (April 19). That allows time for the CBF to contact you about points that could make the application better.
8. And if you have a potential project that is different but interesting, please ask for a chat to see if there is a way forward.
January 21, 2026
