This smaller grant category is aimed to lower the barrier to entry for smaller groups and spread funding across a wider range of smaller scale projects.

Examples include: Community workshops, School eco-clubs, Small-scale energy efficiency improvements.

Grants of up to a maximum of £1,000 can be applied for, and up to 100% of the total project cost will be considered for funding.

These grants are aimed to raise awareness and build resilience.

Examples include: Establishing and implementing local Sustainability Hubs.

Grants of up to a maximum of £15,000 can be applied for, representing up to 80% of the total project cost.

This grant category is aimed to support local organisations in implementing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient improvements to their facilities.

Examples include: Solar PV installations, Insulation, Glazing, Retrofits, Installation of heat pumps, and zero carbon heating solutions.

Grants of up to a maximum of £20,000 can be applied for, representing up to 80% of the total project cost.

This grant category is aimed to support projects that enhance biodiversity, improve natural habitats, and promote ecological restoration.

Grants of up to a maximum of £10,000 can be applied for, representing up to 80% of the total project cost.

The following may be eligible to apply:

• Small Business Owners/ Directors (up to 50 employees)
• Schools/ School Eco-clubs
• Community Groups
• Charities
• Parish Councils
• Town Councils

If you are unsure whether your organisation is eligible to apply, enquire to: andy.markwell@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

The following are examples of the types of projects that can be applied for, listed by grant type:

Climate Action Micro-Grants (up to £1,000)

This smaller grant category is aimed to lower the barrier to entry for smaller groups and spread funding across a wider range of smaller scale projects and beneficiaries.

• Community Workshops on sustainability
• School eco-clubs of environmental education events
• Small scale energy efficient improvements for local businesses/ organisations
• Community garden or composting projects
• Micro-rewilding initiatives in urban areas

Social and Community Grants (up to £15,000) 

Establishing and implementing local sustainability hubs

• Convert accessible space into a community sustainability hub
• Offer workshops on Eco-friendly living practices
• Create a tool library for sharing rarely used household items
• Hold repair cafes
• Install interactive displays showcasing local and household carbon reduction ideas

School engagement & other projects

• Partner with local schools for sustainability initiatives/ a competition
• Organise inter-school events focusing on different environmental themes
• Create a digital platform for schools to share progress and ideas
• Award prizes for most improved carbon footprint, best innovation, etc

Other environmental focused community events

• Organise an environmental themed event
• Feature stalls from local eco-friendly businesses and organisations
• Host talks by environmental experts and workshops on sustainable living
• Provide entertainment with an eco-theme (e.g., recycled art installations)
• Ensure the event is zero-waste and carbon-neutral

Small business, Community Group, Charity and Parish Premises Grants (Up to £20,000)

• Solar PV Systems
• Install Solar PV Systems
• Reduce energy bills

Insulation, glazing upgrades & retrofits

• Upgrade insulation and glazing
• Install loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and/or double glazed windows
• Improve comfort for centre users and reduce carbon emissions
• Upgrade to LED lighting systems and smart controls

Installation of heat pumps and zero carbon heating solutions

• Replace old gas boilers with air source heat pumps
• Reduce carbon emissions from heating

Installation of EV Charging Points

• Install electric vehicle charging points
• Increase facility users, support charging infrastructure and EV market
• Create new revenue stream

Establishing electric car clubs and car share schemes

• Set up an electric car sharing scheme between businesses
• Develop a booking system for easy access

Install secure cycle storage

• Installation of secure cycle storage to encourage increase of cycling to premises

Waste reduction, water capture and heat recovery

• Implement a comprehensive waste reduction and/or heat recovery system in a local business park
• Install a centralised waste and recycling facility
• Set up/study to investigate a heat recovery system from larger businesses to heat smaller units
• Provide training for all businesses on waste reduction strategies
• Rainwater harvesting/capture, storage and reuse

Rewilding, Tree Planting, and Wildflower Meadow Grants (up to £10,000)

Please note: Grant applicants in this category will be expected to consider aftercare and maintenance costs for at least the first two years post project implementation.

Installing nature-based flood alleviation measures

• Create a series of small wetlands and rain gardens in flood-prone areas
• Plant water-absorbing native species to slow water flow
• Install permeable paving
• Engage the community in the design and planting process

Planting trees, hedge rows, wildflower meadows

• Plant mixed native hedgerows
• Create wildflower meadow in underused green spaces
• Plant native trees
• Involve local schools and community groups in planting and aftercare activities

Installing habitat enhancing and wildlife measures

• Install bird boxes, bat boxes, and hedgehog houses
• Create insect hotels
• Build wildlife ponds in suitable spaces
• Provide wildlife gardening workshops for residents

Diversification of farmland

• Convert marginal land into wildlife habitat
• Plant a diverse orchard with heritage fruit tree varieties
• Create a beetle bank and skylark plots in arable fields
• Install interpretation boards to educate farm visitors about biodiversity

The above is not necessarily an exhaustive list of options. If you have an idea not detailed here that you wish to discuss suitability, please email green.grants@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk providing a contact telephone number.

The amount of funding that can be applied for depends on which of the 4 grant categories that your proposed project falls into. The Categories are detailed below: 

Climate Action Micro-Grants (up to £1,000)

This smaller grant category is aimed to lower the barrier to entry for smaller groups and spread funding across a wider range of smaller scale projects.

Examples include: Community workshops, School eco-clubs, Small-scale energy efficiency improvements.

Grants of up to a maximum of £1,000 can be applied for, representing up to 100% of the total project cost.

Social and Community Grants (Up to £15,000)

These grants are aimed to raise awareness and build resilience.

Examples include: Establishing and implementing local Sustainability Hubs.

Grants of up to a maximum of £15,000 can be applied for, representing up to 80% of the total project cost.

Small Business, Community Group, Town & Parish Council Premises Grants (up to £20,000)

This grant category is aimed to support local organisations in implementing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient improvements to their facilities.

Examples include: Solar PV installations, Insulation, Glazing, Retrofits, Installation of heat pumps, and zero carbon heating solutions.

Grants of up to a maximum of £20,000 can be applied for, representing up to 80% of the total project cost.

Rewilding, Tree Planting, and Wildflower Meadow Grants (Up to £10,000)

This grant category is aimed to support projects that enhance biodiversity, improve natural habitats, and promote ecological restoration.

Grants of up to a maximum of £10,000 can be applied for, representing up to 80% of the total project cost.

For all grant types except the micro grant category, Up to 80% of a project total cost can be applied for.

Therefore applicants will need to contribute a minimum of 20% of the total project cost.

For Climate Action Micro Grants, up to 100% of the total project cost can be applied for.

All calculations should be net of any VAT, as we are unable to fund Value Added Tax as part of the grant scheme.

Organisations will need to fund approved projects in full, then claim the grant sum payment upon successful validation by Folkestone & Hythe District Council.

This scheme does not permit funding towards any of the following:

• Revenue costs e.g. salaries, rent, overheads, insurance
• Applications from individuals – we cannot make grant payments to individuals.
• VAT: We are unable to fund any Value Added Tax.
• Projects unable to start within 6 months of the grant award date.
• Improvements to domestic buildings or that benefit a property which is not wholly for non-domestic use.
• Private vehicles
• Own labour costs
• Costs connected with any leasing contract.
• Consents needed, for example planning permission.
• Licence fees, subscriptions, and service charges.
• Any cost incurred before the date of the final grant funding agreement, i,e. retrospective costs.
• Items or projects which only benefit an individual.
• Paid for lobbying, entertaining, petitioning, or challenging decisions, which means using the fund to lobby (via an external firm or in-house staff).
• Payments for activities of a party political or exclusively religious nature.
• Projects that are focused on securing compliance with legal/ statutory requirements.
• Contingencies and contingent liabilities.
• Bad debts and costs resulting from the deferral of payments to creditors or winding up a company.
• Expenses in respect of litigation, unfair dismissal, or other compensation.
• Standard agricultural equipment and inputs, like animals and annual crops.

Complete an application form 

If you have a project that you feel is eligible for funding, the first stage is to complete an application form. The links to the application forms and further details can be found in the ‘Application form submission’ drop down box below.

Please ensure that you submit your application no later than Monday 21st April for your application to be considered in the first round of decision panels.

Assessment of application form

Upon receipt of your application, a council officer will review your application, and will be in contact with you if there are any queries or if further information is required. You will be informed at this stage if your proposed project does not meet eligibility criteria and therefore cannot be considered for funding. An evaluation document is prepared and scoring of your application will take place.

Decision panel review 

Your application will be presented to decision panel members, at which time a decision will be made on whether to grant funding to your project. The following outcomes are possible:

• The full requested value will be awarded
• A reduced sum will be awarded
• Further information may be requested from the applicant prior to making a final decision
• The application is rejected (valid reasons will be provided in the unlikely event this occurs)

Applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly after the meeting.

Decision notice period 

We are required to enter into a decision notice period for successful applications, which entails publishing details of successful projects into the public domain (on our corporate website). This typically lasts a few weeks.

Entering into a Grant Agreement 

Successful applicants are required to enter into a grant agreement. This will be sent out for signing at the end of the decision notice period. Projects should not commence until the signed grant agreement is in place.

Implementation of the project 

The project is carried out by the applicant organisation. Projects should be completed within 12 months of signing the grant agreement.

Validation of completed project 

When projects are completed, the council is notified and evidence of spend and completion is sent to the council for validation. A site visit to view the completed project may also be required. Further guidance will be provided during this time.

Grant Payment 

Upon successful validation of the project, the financial processes to payment will take place. The grant payment is normally made within 2-3 weeks of submitting the proof of payment information.

Follow up 

We may be in contact during the months that follow project completion to request information regarding the benefits that implementing your project has brought about (e.g. environmental).

Submission date deadline for first round of applications is Monday 21st April

To complete and submit and application. Click on the links below. Please ensure that you use the correct link for the grant category applicable to your organisation and project type. Please see Grant type and What type of projects can be applied for drop down boxes for further information on this.

• Climate Action Micro Grants (up to £1,000).

Click on the link below to complete an application form for this type of grant:

https://fhdcformassembly.tfaforms.net/f/green-grant-micro

• Social & Community Grants (Up to £15,000)
• Small Business, Community Group, Town & Parish Council Premises Grants (up to £20,000)
• Rewilding, Tree Planting, and Wildflower Meadow Grants (Up to £10,000)

Click on the link below to complete an application form for these type of grants:

https://fhdcformassembly.tfaforms.net/f/green-grant-non-micro

When completing an application form, please ensure that all necessary information is completed. Incomplete forms may be rejected.

Please be as descriptive as possible when detailing your project and other supporting information.

Projects should be accurately costed and based on quotes (where required) and actual item costs, and not based on own estimates.

Quote requirements:

Projects up to £5,000 – 1 quote

Projects over £5,000 – 3 quotes

It is generally expected that the most reasonably priced quote is used.

Before submitting your application, please ensure you attach any supporting evidence where required, such as quotes.

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation message/ email.

Please note that as part of our due diligence process, additional information may be requested after submitting an application. For example, this may include requesting the constitution or terms of reference for a community group, business tax header, bank statement header.

In the event that you require a paper copy of the application form to be sent to you, please email green.grants@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk and provide your name, address, and contact telephone number.

Should you have any queries or further questions, please email:  green.grants@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

Please provide a contact telephone number when sending an email.

Alternatively, you can telephone Andy Markwell on 07816 989171.

The following are questions & answers raised by members of the public…. 

Q: When will the panel make their decision and award the grants?

A: For the first round of applications, the panel members will convene and look to award grants by June 2025.

Q: Can one group or organisation apply for multiple grants or projects?

A: Yes, one group or organisation can apply for multiple grants, however the decision panel will be looking to award grants to a wide range of organisations, projects and locations, so we advise you only submit your top priority ideas and plans.

Q: Is there support available to write applications?

A: Yes, an online Q&A session will be held on the 11^th of March, and an in-person event will be held on the 1^st of April (see main page for details), where applicants can discuss their projects and applications. You can also email green.grants@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk if you have any other questions.

Please note that Folkestone & Hythe District Council does not endorse, nor is affiliated with, any third party organisations that charge fees for grant application writing services.

Q: Can I apply for a grant to conduct a study?

A: Yes, grants can be used to finance feasibility studies (such as surveys and decarbonisation measures).

Q: Can I include the costs of any planning application or other consents? 

A: No, we are unable to use the fund towards covering these types of costs.