No-money-up-front schemes
Some energy suppliers and other firms will install energy-saving devices such as LED lighting with no up-front cost to you. They take their payment from the money you save in lower energy bills. Check with your energy supplier if they do this.
There are also localised ‘Rent a Roof’ schemes where organisations raise investment in the community to put solar panels on community buildings such as schools or community halls. There is no upfront cost to the school/church etc - investors make money from the energy production, and eventually the school/church will own the solar panels outright. One such local scheme is offered at Wey Valley Solar.
Church of England grants
How to get a slice of £190,000,000 of available funding!
There is a large pot of money that is being used to help the CofE achieve Net Zero by 2030 – it will be £190 million over ten years. It’s vital every church has its own Net Zero plan – on how to decarbonise their heating – and that they’ve filled in the Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) every year. You need to make sure you are ready to apply, and have all the data available to make any grant applications.
Grants and funding support
These are all helpful sites with information, ideas and where relevant, application forms for funding:
- Church of England grants funding guide from Parish Resources
- A guide to grants and projects to help your church get to net zero
- And a suite for “how to” guides from Parish Resources
- Community Energy England funding opportunities
- For local grants, find out whether you have a local CVS (Council for Voluntary Services). If so, they generally have a free searchable grants directory. Also contact the sustainability or community engagement officer at your local authority
- Church of England webinars on ‘green’ fundraising for environmental projects
- Small grants to take part in Great Big Green Week (September) with the Climate Coalition
Surrey County Council funding
There are a number of funds to help with net zero work. We keep close liaison with Surrey County Council in what these are and will keep them posted on this page.
We are liaising with Surrey County Council on how to best access these funds so if these are of interest to you then please email Andy Wells who will be able to help. Andy volunteers for one day a week so please allow time for him to respond once he has spoken to Surrey County Council.
Businesses and charities in the rural areas of Waverley, and businesses, charities and community groups in the rural areas of Guildford and Tandridge can apply for a Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) grant. This includes churches, community and voluntary groups.
The grant range is £2,500 to £50,000 of up to 50% of the project costs.
The fund can only be used for investment in infrastructure, buildings, equipment, machinery, or other costs which help in generating revenue and will be used on an ongoing basis. These would include:
• growing a local rural business, co-operative, social enterprise (including cafes)
• business hubs and research and development sites
• creation of repair cafes or mend workshops
• development of local rural tourism (including cafes, tourist attractions)
• projects cutting a charity or organisation's use of energy and so carbon footprint as part of a bigger project (not Waverley)
• improving accessibility beyond statutory requirements (not Waverley)
This fund is financed by DEFRA as part of the levelling-up strategy.
Your Fund Surrey Small Community Projects Fund is available for projects worth between £1,000 and £50,000 to support capital community projects. Each Surrey County Councillor has been given £50,000 Small Community Project funding to allocate in their local areas and they can decide which projects that £50,000 is spent on.
Examples of projects are:
• New kitchen items for a community hall
• New flooring or pathways for a community asset
• New chairs or tables for a village hall, or green space
• Solar panels
• General refurbishment of an existing building
• PA equipment for a school
• Replacement windows in a village hall or sports club
• Purchase of a new building or shed
• Planting new trees or creating a community orchard
The project must be from a voluntary or community organisation or registered charity as far as the Diocese is concerned. It cannot include paying for a consultant to make an application to the fund on the applicants' behalf.
Each Surrey County Councillor has been given £100,000 to help communities deliver activities that benefit the local people. These are one-off activities that can either totally pay for or be part of a larger fund of up to £50,000.
The project should be able to demonstrate one or more of the following:
• Tackling inequality
• Helping with people’s independence
• Integrating health and social services
• Changes to help towards carbon-neutral
• Benefiting a diverse workforce
• Helping with the local economy
Councillors are using these funds already so there are limited amounts left for many areas.
Parish Buying
From LEDs and solar panels to heat pumps and energy audits, let the power of collective purchase save you money. Find out more.