Local groups can access green grants to make North Norfolk more sustainable

Date published: 31st October 2023

The North Norfolk Sustainable Communities Fund is still open for applications from local North Norfolk groups, offering grants of between £1,000-£15,000 for sustainable schemes and initiatives.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, the awards panel have awarded over £170,000 in grants to 26 projects improving local biodiversity, the energy efficiency of community buildings and green schemes that improve our local environments.

Applications are still open for community groups to submit projects for funding.

Cllr. Adam Varley, portfolio holder for Climate Change & Net Zero said:

“With the Sustainable Communities Fund, we are helping our towns and villages to improve local biodiversity and decarbonising or retrofitting buildings that important community groups use.

We’ve managed to help many groups in the last year, but would love more to come forward to make North Norfolk more sustainable.

Applications can be anything from tree planting, rewilding and preservation, to insulation, solar panelling and heat pump installation.”

Applications for grants must be received by Monday 6 November to be considered for the December panel, but applications are welcome to the Sustainable Communities Fund all year round.

Since 2020, 23 grants have been issued to retrofit or decarbonise buildings, ranging from new insulation, PVC windows,  heat pumps and solar panelling.

A further 9 grants have supported local biodiversity, with projects around raised flower beds, community orchards, planting hedgerows and introducing wildflower mixes

Other schemes have centred around local transport, with a grant to install EV infrastructure, and others for community cycling schemes.

Alongside sustainability, the SCF also awards grants to quality-of-life schemes, improving life for residents, including those with accessible requirements.

The SCF has funded schemes around accessibility, including advanced play equipment and accessible toilets and welcomes applications which seek to help improve the quality of life for residents.

You can contact supporting.communities@north-norfolk.gov.uk for more information about applying to the grant scheme.

Find out more at www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/SCF

View a list of awards across the district.