The Community Partnering Fund, supported by Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and Northern Powergrid, is open for grant applications, with allocations of up to £10k available to community groups and grassroots organisations based in the North of England.

Delivered by Leeds Community Foundation, The Community Partnering Fund was jointly set up by NGN and Northern Powergrid to enable community groups to deliver schemes that tackle issues such as affordable warmth and energy efficiency. It helps local organisations to deliver schemes that tackle issues that are close to their hearts as utility companies, including:

• Alleviating hardship associated with fuel poverty
• Informing communities about domestic power and gas safety including the dangers from Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning
• Encouraging interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects and related career opportunities
• Encouraging people to become Priority Services members and access network operator and suppliers’ free support services for customers who may be more vulnerable, and
• Championing community energy
• Community organisations which can show that they can use the funding to provide vital support for residents in vulnerable circumstances or promote community resilience during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation will also be considered.

The grants available range from £1k to £10k. To find out more and apply, go to https://www.givebradford.org.uk/grants/community-partnering-fund-2/.

Applications must be submitted by 2nd August 2021.

Selby Big Local received a grant of more than £6k in the last round of Community Partnering Fund grant allocations. A community organisation, Selby Big Local aims to tackle social isolation, improve people’s health and wellbeing, and create new opportunities for change. The grant from the Community Partnering Fund is being use to support Community Fridge, a project that aims to equip residents with the knowledge and confidence to prepare healthy, nutritious food on a budget, while training a cohort of Energy Ambassadors who will share advice on energy efficiency.

The Co-ordinator at Selby Big Local, Bryony Boyle, said: "Funding from the Community Partnering Fund has been instrumental in enabling us to develop our Community Fridge project and earlier in June we launched our first community cookery course, Eat and Energise!

“We're also working with our Energy Ambassador to provide energy saving advice while we bring residents together to develop their cooking skills using slow cookers: a much more energy efficient way to cook healthy nutritious meals. This funding is helping us to support our residents improve their food and energy knowledge in a fun and safe environment, which is just fantastic."

The energy network operators, which together serve 6.6 million homes and businesses throughout the North East, Yorkshire, northern Cumbria and Lincolnshire and provide work for more than 5,500 local people, are continuing to deliver essential services to keep energy flowing to homes, businesses, hospitals and critical services.

Jill Walker, Social Strategy Project Manager at Northern Gas Networks, said: “At Northern Gas Networks we’re committed to helping our most vulnerable communities throughout the region.  The Community Partnering Fund, in partnership with Northern Powergrid, is all about providing enduring support to organisations at the heart of the communities that we serve, something that is needed now more than ever.”

Michelle Cummings, Northern Powergrid’s Social Responsibility Manager, said: “We know being a force for good goes beyond our network powering peoples’ lives. This joint fund delivers vital support to community groups that work in the communities we serve. Enabling community groups to champion community energy, tackle fuel poverty and support local people is central to our approach now and in the future.  We urge community groups across the region to apply.”

Kate Hainsworth, CEO of Leeds Community Foundation, said: “We are pleased once again to be working with our long-standing partners, Northern Gas Networks and the Northern Powergrid. The fund has distributed £250k to community organisations across the region, supporting thousands of local people.”