Document
Community Climate Fund: Application guidance notes
The application process
- Read through the application criteria on the Community Climate Fund page.
- Draft your application form and gather all the necessary documents.
- Complete and submit an online application form . Then await email confirmation and Grant Application Reference number.
- The Sustainability Team will complete initial checks to confirm eligibility.
- If eligible, your application will be evaluated by the Community Climate Fund panel 2 weeks after application close. The panel will determine if the project should receive all, some or none of the requested funding.
- A decision will be made 2 weeks later. Please note that the panel’s decision will be final.
The post-application process
If unsuccessful, you will receive an explanation via email. You are also encouraged to contact the Community Climate Fund team for further queries and support with potential reapplication.
Successful applicants will receive a successful letter that sets out the terms and conditions of funding. Funding can be released as soon as Horsham District Council receives the supporting documents (see diagram below).
Key terms
Priority target areas – The necessary focus for funded projects, including carbon emissions, energy, water, waste, biodiversity, and transport.
Outputs – The actions or items you want to deliver through your project to achieve your outcome, or in other words, ‘the means to an end’. Outputs are typically:
- Tangible and therefore easy to measure/report or validate.
- Quantitative.
For example:
- 'Replacing 5 LED lights.'
- 'Create a drought resistant garden of 10m2.'
- 'Host 2 bicycle maintenance workshops.'
- 'Install a bicycle rack.'
- 'Increase pop up fridge/repair café/garden opening times to 3 times per week.'
- 'Have a community resource that will be used by approximately 50 people or recruit 3 additional volunteers.'
Outcomes – A desired result that occurs through changes in people, communities, the economy, or environment driven by your project. Outcomes are typically:
- Intangible and therefore are not straightforward to measure or validate.
- Quantitative (measured in numbers) or qualitative (descriptions).
For example:
- 'Extending community fridge collecting days will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 1.5 tonnes of CO2 a month.'
- 'LED lights/automatic lights and taps will reduce carbon emissions by 61%/40KWh, or costs by 20%/£150 a year.'
- 'Running community groups like repair cafes and community fridges encourage reusing or repurposing items, supply skills/knowledge development, build social inclusion and strengthen community communication networks.'
- 'The inclusion of 23 volunteers in a community gardening strengthens social wellbeing, improves physical and mental health, and offers environmental education.'
- 'Introducing a bicycle rack or e-bicycle improves mobility for users and encourages sustainable transport with lower emissions.'
Match funding – Access to monetary reserves equal or more than the money being requested. You will be required to have match funding when requesting £5000.
Support in kind – Any unpaid services committed to the project by volunteers. It can be given a quantitative value by multiplying a realistic would-be hourly rate by the total hours dedicated, e.g., £10/hour x 50 hours = £500.
Progress review – An informal update given to Horsham District Council after 6 months regarding your project’s development.
Monitor and evaluation form – A Horsham District Council document that must be completed by Community Climate Fund recipients within 12 months of receiving funding. This presents the opportunity to demonstrate project outputs, outcomes, community value, environmental benefits, and photos/quotes supporting this evidence.