Community Fund 26Q2 Draft 2

Who we can support

We are seeking to fund Carbon Literacy training initiatives for the following types of organisations:

• Community groups (see Key Terms)
• Registered Charities (including CIOs and SCIOs)
• Community Interest Companies (CICs)

Eligible Recipient Groups must:

• Have an annual turnover of less than £250k.
• Be based in (living, working, or studying) the United Kingdom.
• Be primarily volunteer-led (where volunteers make up the majority of the workforce).
• Lack current access to a relevant CL course tailored to their target audience.

Organisations that exceed these criteria may apply as a Training Organisation on behalf of an eligible Recipient Groups if they are well-placed to reach the specific community. Additional support, such as assisting with course development and training would be expected of these applicants.

Additional considerations:

• Award frequency: Recipient Groups are eligible for a maximum of one award every 12 months.
• Repeat funding: This funding is intended to kickstart new initiatives rather than provide ongoing operational support. While repeat funding for the same CL initiative should not be expected, we offer wider assistance to help your project achieve long-term financial sustainability. To ensure a broad reach, any future applications from past recipients are expected to target a different sub-sector of the community.

Who we cannot support

• Initiatives that do not deliver or support the delivery of Carbon Literacy training.
• Initiatives that do not meet the eligibility criteria above.
• Applications submitted falsely, incompletely or in an unapproved format.
• Applications from individuals to cover their own certification. Certificate Applications must be organised through a group or organisation wishing to cover funding for a community of learners they are delivering appropriate training to.
• Organisations undertaking activities that exacerbate climate change or are in direct opposition to climate action/solutions.
• Government bodies: While the Carbon Literacy Trust collaborates with government at all levels, we do not provide direct funding to national, regional, or district/unitary authorities.

How the funding works

This opportunity provides a one-off allocation of up to £2500 in funded credits to the Recipient Group’s Carbon Literacy account. These credits can be used for the following services offered by The Carbon Literacy Project:

• Course accreditations
• Individual certificate applications
• Access to sectoral materials that are relevant to the Recipient Community Group

Please note that the costs of these services are subject to periodic increases. The amount deducted from the recipient’s funded credits will always reflect our current pricing at the time the service is requested. Our current pricing can be found in our Pricing Matrix.

The Recipient Community Group will be the official beneficiary of the funded credits. These credits can only be used for services that benefit its members and that are directly related to the initiative outlined in the successful application. Any proposed changes to how these credits are used must be communicated in writing to, and are at the discretion of, The Carbon Literacy Trust.

The Community Fund is supported by the contributions of organisations that have paid enhanced rates for Carbon Literacy certificate applications.

Fund expiration

Allocated funds remain active until the earliest of the following occurrences:

• The allocated funds have been fully spent.
• 12 months have passed since the Recipient Group last utilised their funded credits.
• 24 months have passed since the date of award acceptance.
• The recipient formally chooses to withdraw from the funding programme.

Upon reaching any of these conditions, any unused funded credits will automatically return to The CL Fund (our central fund) for redistribution.

Additional services

In addition to the funded credits, recipients benefit from:

• Training & professional development:
• Access to our Delivering Successful Carbon Literacy workshop for those who wish to become certified CL Facilitators.
• Carbon Literacy Facilitator (CLF) accreditation.

Dedicated support and networking opportunities:

• Professional onboarding and a dedicated account manager to guide your initiative.
• Access to our Pioneers Network.

Assistance with communications to broadcast your impact:

• Access to branding guidelines, official assets, and templates for press releases and case studies.
• Opportunities to feature your open courses on our public Events page.

We cannot fund

We are unable to provide funding for anything outside of the above offer, such as:

Monetary grants: To avoid creating additional barriers like requiring a bank account for applications and to bypass bureaucratic complexities, we are unable to distribute monetary grants. This means the Community Fund cannot cover logistical expenses such as trainer time, transport costs, venue hire, refreshments, subscriptions, printing, etc.

Non-essential certification costs: The Community Fund’s primary goal is to boost Carbon Literacy levels within communities, and not to support organisational or individual professional development. While we hope professional growth occurs as a result, costs for Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO) and Carbon Literacy Trainer (CLT) accreditations cannot be paid for via Community Fund funded credits. Recipients can still pursue these accreditations, but will need to cover those costs themselves.

Community Group: A collection of people, likely within the same geographical area, demographic or with the same interests, coming together to promote a common cause for public/community benefit. These can include, but not limited to:

• Unincorporated associations: A voluntary or community group that is not registered with the Charity Commission and does not exist as a standalone legal entity.
• Faith-based groups: A community group whose values, mission, and activities are inspired or guided by specific faith beliefs, teachings, or spiritual principles.
• Social housing tenants: A community of people who rent their homes from either a local council or a housing association.
• Parish, Town & Community Councils: A community council below district/unitary authorities, acting as a statutory consultee on planning applications and representing community interests to higher-level authorities.
• Underrepresented groups: Historically marginalised communities that face a disproportionately high risk of social exclusion, discrimination, violence & poverty than the general population. This includes, but is not limited to, ethnic minorities, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, economically disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, isolated elderly people & children, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Registered Charity (unincorporated): A voluntary or community organisation that’s a registered charity with full liability, but is not a company registered with Companies House.

Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO or SCIO): A registered charity with limited liability, but is not a company registered with Companies House.

Community Interest Company (CIC): A company registered with Companies House and the Community Interest Company regulator.

Recipient Group: The intended recipients of Carbon Literacy training and the official recipients of the funded services.

Training Organisation: An external organisation that is responsible for delivering Carbon Literacy to the Recipient Group.

Individual Trainer: A sole trader or a volunteer who acts independently of any group or organisation and who is responsible for delivering Carbon Literacy to the Recipient Group.