South Hams District Council is launching a £50,000 Climate Engagement Fund to help the District reduce its carbon emissions by supporting community engagement and behavioural change projects.

For the South Hams to become net zero by 2050, behaviour change is critical. We hear a lot about Net Zero, but what actually is it? Net zero is the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced, and the amount taken out of the atmosphere. Net zero is reached when the amount we add, is cancelled out by the amount we take away.

It is critical because it is the best chance to tackle climate change to reduce global warming. By reducing emissions in the future, everyone must work together to find ways to cut the carbon we produce.

That is why the Council is encouraging groups, clubs, schools, charities, parish councils and not-for-profits organisations, from all backgrounds, to apply to help them tackle climate change and reduce emissions within the District. The Climate Engagement Fund will help by investing in district-wide engagement activities or ideas for behaviour change.

Ideally, the Council are looking to fund proposals that improves awareness and action among the public. With a total of £50,000 to spend, the Council want to spend the money wisely on a few well-selected projects. Applicants can bid for funds ranging from between £3,000 and £25,000, projects with match funding or those levering in additional funds being looked upon more favourably.

The funding can be used towards events, equipment, research, feasibility studies, staffing or most costs associated with delivering community-based climate change project work.

In this first round, the Council are asking for expressions of interest about projects that produce measurable outputs. This could be shown through collected individual carbon footprints, changes over the life of a project or the numbers of people the project has engaged with.

South Hams District Council’s Cllr Tom Holway, Executive Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: “There are so many brilliant community groups and organisations in our district who are passionate about Climate Change who have ideas that we can help bring to life through this funding pot of money.

“We urge them to apply to us by Monday 7 March so we can select the projects we think meet our requirements.

“The process is simple, if they meet the entry criteria, they send in an expression of interest application. It will take us around four weeks to assess which projects will best benefit our communities. Those groups through to the second round will be invited to tell us more information about the project and if successful, they’ll receive the Climate Engagement Funds to continue their project with our support. This will help us work with our community partners towards our aim to become carbon neutral so it’s win-win for everyone.”

To find out if you are eligible to apply, and to complete the Expression of Interest form, go to the grant information page on the Council’s Climate Change and Biodiversity website at:

www.climatechange.southhams.gov.uk/climate-engagement-fund

Applications close on Monday 7 March 2022.

Please email your completed Expressions of Interest to: climatechange@swdevon.gov.uk