Funding to Support Energy Resilience Projects in Northern Powergrid Areas

Charities and community organisations across the North of England can now apply for funding to strengthen local energy resilience.

Northern Powergrid Foundation is offering grants of up to £20,000 per project to support energy resilience initiatives in communities served by Northern Powergrid.

The fund is open to eligible organisations in:

• Northeast England
• Yorkshire
• Northern Lincolnshire

What Is the Fund Supporting?

The funding aims to help communities remain safe, connected and operational during emergencies, such as:

• Prolonged power outages
• Severe weather events
• Flooding or extreme cold

The Foundation is particularly keen to support projects that enable community spaces to stay open and accessible when they are needed most.

Eligible Activities May Include:

• Energy Resilience Measures
• Installation of solar panels with battery storage
• Backup generators
• Emergency power hook-up points
• Creation or enhancement of community hubs that can operate during outages
• Energy Efficiency Improvements (As part of a wider resilience project)
• Draughtproofing
• Minor insulation upgrades
• LED lighting
• Efficient heating controls

Projects that combine resilience and efficiency are strongly encouraged, helping organisations both prepare for emergencies and reduce long-term energy costs.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible organisations include:

• Registered charities
• Community Interest Companies (CICs)
• Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
• To apply, organisations must:
• Have an annual income of less than £500,000
• Have been operating for at least one year
• Groups can apply for projects costing more than £20,000 if:
• Match funding has been secured, or They can demonstrate sufficient organisational reserves to cover the funding gap

Key Date

Application deadline: 14 April 2026

Find out more here

Why This Matters for the VCSE Sector

Community buildings often become lifelines during emergencies — offering warmth, power, food, connectivity and support. This funding provides an opportunity to future-proof those spaces, ensuring they can continue serving local people when infrastructure is under pressure.

For organisations already exploring solar energy, battery storage, or upgrading facilities to act as emergency hubs, this fund could provide the crucial investment needed to move plans forward.

We encourage eligible organisations across Yorkshire and the North to review the criteria and consider applying before the deadline.