Funding from the carbon offset fund
Westminster’s carbon offset fund secures funding from any new developments which are unable to fully meet the carbon savings required at the development site. Payments to the fund are determined by the amount of residual carbon to be offset. The fund is then used to finance carbon-saving projects elsewhere in Westminster.
Who can apply for this fund?
The carbon offset fund is available to groups and organisations operating within Westminster, including, but not limited to:
- constituted community groups
- charitable organisations
- faith groups
- local small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 250 employees and/or a turnover of less than £40 million (and subject to state aid requirements)
- schools
- public sector bodies and organisations
What are the essential criteria for awarding funding?
The essential criteria to be awarded funding are:
- projects must deliver clear, quantifiable carbon savings that help to support Westminster’s Climate Emergency targets (as set out in our Climate Emergency Action Plan)
- projects should demonstrate additionality (for example they would not have happened without carbon offset funding and/or they deliver wider social, economic or environmental co-benefits)
- funding cannot be used to simply comply with legislation
- all bids must comply with funding rules/regulations
- projects should be ready to commence upon confirmation of funding approval
What types of activity can be funded through the carbon offset fund?
The fund can be used to support all costs relating to a carbon saving project, including:
- capital costs (for example the cost of the physical measure or activity)
- core costs (for example staff, office costs) – capped at 10% of total application value
- project costs (for example venue hire, project worker directly linked to delivery of project)
Applications are accepted quarterly and are considered as part of the Neighbourhood CIL determination process.
Upcoming application deadlines
| Application deadline | Decisions made |
|---|---|
| 26 January 2024 | Spring 2024 |
How to apply
To apply to the Carbon Offset Fund, please complete the application form included within the Guidance above (see Appendix 2) or here:
Return completed forms to [email protected] before the submission deadline.
If you have any queries ahead of submitting, please contact the Climate Emergency team for support at [email protected]