Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms Community Fund
Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms Community Fund – empowering communities to grow greener by supporting the projects and places that build nature connection and climate resilience.
In this round, grants of up to £10,000 are available from a funding pot of £90,000. The Fund can consider projects taking place in, or for people living in, the parishes in Zone 1.
The boundary for Zone 1 encompasses the communities located closest to the infrastructure for the wind farms. They are the communities that the three Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms have been consulting and engaging with since the outset of the projects, through planning and now into the construction phase.
All applications should address one of two themes:
- Nature and green spaces
- Transport
Themes were initially developed in consultation with local communities, and continue to be shaped by the Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms Community Panel.
Norfolk Community Foundation has been appointed as community investment steward for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms Community Fund by RWE. The Fund will be supported with contributions from Norfolk Vanguard West, Norfolk Vanguard East and Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farms in line with their construction timelines.
RWE is the leading power generator in the UK, and a leading renewables developer, generating enough power for around 12 million homes, with a diverse portfolio of wind, hydro, biomass and gas.
Once operational, RWE’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms will be set to be among the world’s most significant generators of clean, sustainable electricity for millions of homes across the UK each year.
These three projects will play a pivotal role in establishing and preserving East Anglia’s status as a leader in the UK’s renewable energy sector, placing the region at the forefront of our country’s shift towards a more sustainable, low-carbon economy. They are expected to create hundreds of jobs locally and will keep supporting local and regional skills development programmes.
What can the Fund support?
The Discovery Phase (2024/25) received and supported several applications for capital projects and new initiatives centred around Community Hubs. In 2026, the Community Panel are keen to support more activity-based applications that connect people with their local environment, and particularly encourage requests to continue or develop existing projects that work. All applications should seek to address one of two themes:
Nature and green spaces
- Activities that connect people with nature to improve their mental health and wellbeing
- Projects that connect people with nature and the outdoors to boost their physical activity
- Developing a community orchard, garden, woodland, allotment or other green space
- Outdoor workshops or working groups that engage the community with improving green or blue space habitat for the benefit of wildlife and native plants
- Establishing children’s nature clubs in the community
- Community initiatives to tackle litter in green spaces in urban areas, the countryside or on beaches
Transport
- Electrical vehicles or vehicle charging points
- Connecting people through community car or transport schemes
- Promoting walking, cycling and the use of public transport e.g. transport buddy schemes, installing bike racks, helping people to access or maintain their own bike
When reviewing your project, the Community Panel will take into account how it will benefit the environment as well as how it will engage and make a difference to the people living in Zone 1.
What else do I need to know?
Exclusions
In this round, some things cannot be supported, including:
- Commercial organisations
- Individuals
- Costs associated with normal delivery of the curriculum in schools, e.g. teacher salaries or equipment for lessons
- Capital improvements/projects on school premises
- Any works considered a statutory responsibility, such as scheduled transport services, works to public highways and public car parks
- Projects that are religious in focus or that support a party political campaign or cause or may bring the fund or the funder into disrepute
- Retrospective funding, i.e. projects that have already been completed, whether or not already paid for
Who can apply
Groups eligible to apply are listed below. Applicants should check that they meet NCF’s general eligibility criteria.
How to apply
To apply, complete the online application form linked below.
When to apply
The deadline for submitting applications is 12noon on Thursday 30th October. Please note that we expect to confirm funding decisions in early February 2026.
What about reporting?
Grant recipients will typically be contacted by NCF via an online form at 6 and 12 months during the funded period. After NCF receives your final report there will be an additional, optional opportunity to feedback to RWE directly about your completed project.
How will decisions be made?
The Norfolk Offshore Wind Farms Community Panel, made up of ten local residents, sets the Fund’s themes for each round and decides on which projects are funded. Applications to become a member of the Community Panel are currently closed.
Call for Applications
Open
Maximum Grant
£10,000
Deadline
30 October 2025 – 12:00pm
Who can apply?
Charity, Faith organisation, Parish/Town Council, School, Social Enterprise/CIC, and Voluntary/Community Group
Eligible Area
Selected Areas Only (See Map)
Find Out More & Apply
Interested? Talk to Catrin
