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Applicant Guidelines

We recommend you read the guidelines pack fully before applications are submitted. For further information prior to your submission please contact-:

Moishe Merry Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Fund Manager 01239 710238 [email protected]

Please note the fund manager is unable to attend committee meetings to discuss potential applications to the fund. However, you can book into a monthly funding surgery session to discuss your potential application to the fund. These are very popular, and often booked in advance. To book into a funding surgery please email [email protected]

What is the Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund?

Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm is a 28-turbine wind farm developed, built and operated by RWE Ltd. The forest is managed by Natural Resources Wales on behalf of Welsh Government. RWE Ltd has committed to delivering an index linked community fund of around £459,200 per annum for the operational lifetime of the wind farm which is expected to be up to 25 years. This will result in a total investment in excess of £11 million which will significantly benefit the communities that surround the wind farm. The Fund is administered by Antur Cymru/Antur Teifi.

Funding Pots-:

Grants up to £500 (Grant Bach)

These are for supporting one off special events, capital or unique capital or revenue expenses. We can’t fund trips and outings, unless there is specific knowledge transfer to the community, neither can we fund running costs for groups due to the high volume of constituted groups in the Fund’s area of benefit.

Quality Ref:BFW G02E Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund Applicant Guidelines/Issue 4/Effective Date 02.12.2020 Author: M Merry Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund ManagerAuthorised by: K Harrington Business Development ManagerPage 1 of 9

mailto:[email protected]


If you aren’t sure if you project qualifies, please get in touch with the Fund Manager.

Grants up to £10,000 Grants over £10,000 +

All applicants will be required to submit an application form. Grants over £10,000 will need to provide additional information and supporting documents.

There is no upper limit to the fund, to allow for any exceptional unique opportunities to be considered. On this basis the panel members have requested that the Fund doesn’t restrict supporting such projects. Please be mindful that in view of the Fund’s annual allocation that it can become heavily oversubscribed and you should bear this in mind when considering the amount you request.

Consultancy fees

The Fund Manager is unable to deliver community development work; however, there are some projects in the Fund’s area that may need a little development or support from a professional being built into their application, such as a feasibility study, energy audit or consultation piece of work. If you would like to discuss this, please contact the Fund Manager.

The Fund is for 25 years, so there are pieces of strategic work around supporting tourism, renewable energy, schools, businesses, transport, health etc. that the panel may choose to appoint a consultant to inform their decision making.

For complete transparency of the Fund, any consultant fees not built into a project application will still be displayed in the Fund’s website and report.

We are always looking for local consultants. If you are interested please email us your CV to [email protected] outlining your experience, your understanding of working in rural communities, your day rate, and Welsh language policy.

Who can apply to the Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Fund?

Voluntary or community organisations Town/Community Councils Constituted community groups and registered charities Clubs, Societies and Membership organisations Not for profit company and CIC’s Companies Limited by Guarantee Social enterprises



Schools and PTA’s - if it is for non- statutory provision e.g. out of school hours etc.

Statutory bodies will be eligible, if they can demonstrate the project has strong partnership links with the local community and that they are the best placed organisation to undertake the project.

National Charities, but only if they can demonstrate local partnership and support locally for the project they intend to deliver.

Your application will need to demonstrate how your project significantly benefits communities within the area of benefit for the Fund (this area is initially 6km from the wind turbines, as defined on the map provided)

Exclusions-:

At present as the Fund is heavily oversubscribed, we cannot support individuals and businesses.

Projects that don’t significantly benefit people living within the area of benefit for the Fund (see the map provided).

Retrospective funding i.e. for costs that have already been incurred e.g. planning costs.

Projects that promote religion or that support a party-political campaign or cause or may bring the Fund or the funder into disrepute.

Anti-wind farm/renewable energy activities. Trips and outings unless there is significant knowledge transfer to the

community evidenced in the application. Core funning costs for community groups.

Completing the Application Form

The notes below are included to help you to complete the application form. However, we do encourage all applicants to ring the Fund Manager in the first instance to before submitting any applications.

Grant Bach (up to £500)

Grant Brach has been launched in response to the demand for funding under £500. This can be spent on unique events such as centenary celebrations, or small capital or revenue costs. The demand for funds from Grant Bach is high, so remember to outline why your request is needed, and how it benefits people in the Fund’s area of benefit.

Please apply in time for your event, as we cannot fund retrospective costs.

TIP: you only need to complete one section, events, capital or revenue costs, not all three sections of the form.


Up to and over £10k applications

These forms ask the same questions, but the over £10k form gives a higher word count, and requires more supporting documents.

On occasions, the panel may require further information if it’s a highly complex project. If this is the case the Fund Manager may be in touch to ask you to supply an additional project brief.

(Section 1) About your organisation

Which organisation is making an application and who is completing the application and what is your role within your group or community organisation?

Are you part of a wider organisation, affiliated to any national group/governing body/charity?

Describe your organisation - are you an individual, voluntary club/association, youth club/organisation, charity, town/community council, environmental group/other etc.

Membership to your organisation/group/project - what does this look like if applicable?

Staff/Volunteers - please provide details of numbers who will be involved in the project.

TIP: give your project a name, as this is what it will be referred to on your offer letter and our website if you will be successful in receiving funding.e.g. Brechfa PCC (org name) Luncheon Club (project name)

(Section 2) About your project

What is the proposed project? TIP: often projects tell us why the project is needed or what their organisation does, but forget to explain in the opening section WHAT the project they are asking for funding actually is.

Why do you feel the project is needed? TIP: has consideration been given to undertake any local market research/consultation? Explain if it’s been going for some time, why it’s successful, - in these cases there isn’t an expectation for you to create a new project if what you do has positive benefit and impact for the residents of the Fund’s area of benefit.


How will the community within 6km benefit, demonstrate value for money? This is an important question for the panel members when considering applications to the Fund. TIP: if your project is out of the Fund’s area of benefit but supporting residents, explain and provide methodology for how your project has come about, and evidence of need.

The Fund is for the lifetime of the Windfarm, please explain the legacy of the proposal. TIP: in some cases it’s just a one off funding request so this question can’t be answered, if that’s the case, please explain that in this section.

TIP: if you are looking at a legacy project, it might be better to apply for a pilot, and explain that in the application, and what your anticipated next steps are. The panel are keen to support legacy projects, and develop relationships with existing funded projects. Ask for the right amount, rather than all of the funding. Again, if you need explanation on this, book into a funding surgery to develop your application.

How many people will directly benefit from the project?TIP: please don’t fill all your application with numbers and outputs of participants, the panel are keen to know how many residents are supported, and this kind of detail, but they favour projects that create meaningful change in the Fund’s area of benefit over statistics.

TIP: Explain how you will meet clients, overcome the challenges of rural transport or accessing services through your application if relevant, as these are the type of practical and logistical questions the panel will ask the Fund Manager when assessing the project. Other types of questions the panel consider are how will the project be promoted? What newsletters and local knowledge are demonstrated in your application? How does it link in with existing services and projects? If promotion is digital, how are the challenges of limited broadband overcome? If it’s a larger organisation how do signposting and referrals take place?

If your project is funded, how do you plan to sustain it in the long term?

TIP: The BFWWFF is heavily oversubscribed, so it’s not always able to offer 100% funding to eligible projects. We receive a lot of applications where they haven’t explored other funding opportunities. If you have contacted other funders, and they can’t fund you, please explain that in this section.


Do you ask for donations or fees for your service? Will you be applying to other funders after this project if successful in receiving funding? In some cases BFWWFF is the only funder, and it’s not appropriate to charge fees, but explain that in this section for the panel members to consider when looking at your application.

When are the project start and completion dates? Provide a timeline to support the project.?

TIP: check the fund website to know when the upcoming panel dates are, as the BFWWFF cannot fund retrospective costs.

Are you are working with schools in the area of benefit?

TIP: if we have any applications that just loosely say “we work with the schools in the area of benefit” they won’t be taken to panel. We would need specific letters of endorsement from the schools to say that they have capacity to work with your project, as there are limited numbers of school INSET days that the schools can allow for working with other projects.

Bullet point the main outputs or achievements if your project is funded.

TIP: If your project is funded the Fund Manager will need to monitor and assess your project. This is your opportunity to highlight the main achievements and outputs. Examples could be: - - Hold a 150 year celebration of the school on x date- Run a weekly luncheon club session promoted by xxx charging xxx

overcoming transport barriers by xx

If it’s a larger funded project then the expectations in this section would be higher.

Note: if it’s a salary funded post, we will need to see your Job Description and Person Spec. before assessing the application.

(Section 3) Proposed Project Financial Details

Provide a full list of expenditure, including cost of items and VAT. Provide details of any other grants/loans being applied for or been awarded to

support the application. TIP: if you have applied for funding from other funders, please put in how you would deliver the work if the funder declines your request. i.e. will there be an expectation that the BFWWFF funds the whole project?


Any item over £5,000 will need x 3 quotes, anything under £4,999.99 will only require x 1 quote. If your organisation has a procurement issue and can only work with one approved supplier, this needs to be highlighted to the Fund Manager.

Outline if you are able to re-claim VAT. At the end of this section please state how much grant aid you are seeking

from the Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund. If your project is in excess of £10,000 please provide a 3 year business plan

and 3 year detailed cash-flow projections for the proposed project. If you are asking for consultant or staffing fees, please include the day rate

breakdown rather than a one off quote of £4,999.99 for staff costs providing one quote.

If you are working with village halls, please use an accurate pricing structure, rather than a guestimate.

Do you have high organisation reserves? If so explain why or what they are ringfenced for.

(Section 4) Project Check List

Please ensure all the documents have been included as part of your application, these are set-out in the application packs for grant aid under £10,000 and in excess of £10,000.

If you project is on NRW land, we will require written permission and a lead contact from NRW that you are working with.

Further information and support to help complete your application is available from BFWWFF manager.

Please return completed applications to-:

Moishe MerryBrechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund ManagerAntur Cymru, Antur Teifi Business Park, Aberarad, Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire, SA38 9DB

Or Email to: [email protected]



What happens next?

All applicants will receive confirmation on receipt of their application.

If ineligible, the Fund Manager will notify the applicant.

All applications will be assessed by the Fund Manager and then passed to the grant panel who will make all decisions on the allocation of funds.

If the Fund Manager has a conflict of interest with an application, it will be assessed by her line manager Marion Morris HR Manager at Antur Cymru who also has a background in fund management.

The panel is made up from local residents in the funds area of benefit. We take conflicts of interest very seriously, and any panel member with a conflict of interest with your application won’t be assessing or involved in the discussions for your application.

The Fund Manager in conducting due diligence, may follow up with the pricing structure of quotes, letters of support, existing or potential participants/beneficiaries of your project. If you are funded by an existing funder, the Fund Manager may contact them for additional information as part of the due diligence checks.

As more projects in the funds area of benefit are funded, the Fund Manager may contact existing funded projects to ensure that they have capacity for your project to be delivered if applicable. e.g. a school’s proposal.

Following the panel meeting all applicants will be informed whether they have been successful. The panel decision is final, and detailed feedback cannot be provided.

Successful applicants will then be asked to agree to the following-:

Submit receipts for all expenditure. Use the monies as specified in your application unless prior agreement has

been received in advance. Submit progress reports, these will be outlined to all individual case studies

subject to the size of the project. By submitting a form, you are agreeing to the RWE Ltd. code of conduct. All successful applicants will need to agree to our brand guidelines, including

use of the logo e.g. colours and sizing for marketing purposes etc.

All comments directed to the Fund, both complaints and compliments need to be submitted to the Antur Cymru address to be assessed in a timely manner.


The initial area of benefit for the Fund

The Fund currently is 6km radius of the wind farm. At present the Fund is heavily oversubscribed, but in time when the requests slow down, the panel members have identified the local villages and communities that the funding will be extended to. Projects out of the area of benefit, that evidence benefit to the residents of the funds AOB can be funded on a proportional basis. e.g. A school situated outside the AOB has 42% pupils from the AOB.


Documents

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