It’s great news for Warwickshire’s environment and sustainability as the second round of Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund receives an unprecedented number of applications.
The Warwickshire County Council Green Shoots Community Climate Change Fund was established in 2021 and aims to support community and voluntary projects that increase the adaptability and resilience of Warwickshire to the effects of climate change, reduce impacts on the environment and support thriving and sustainable community action.
In the first round of funding, the Council was able to support 69 projects, leaving £322k from the original £1m fund, which the Council plans to distribute in the second round of funding.
The application period for the second round of funding to the scheme closed on Monday 3 October with Warwickshire County Council having received a total of 104 applications worth a potential total of £1.7 Million. The applications cover a huge array of climate change adaptation and mitigation projects including biodiversity, energy improvements, waste and property management.
When it set out its ambitions for phase two of the fund, Warwickshire County Council made it very clear that it was hoping to see more applications from the Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire areas, which had been under-represented in the first round of funding. This aim has been realised with over 50% of applications having the potential to deliver direct benefits to those areas.
Speaking about the huge success of the latest round of Green Shoots applications, Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate & Culture, said: “What a fantastic demonstration of the great power of community that underpins our County.
“We are incredibly proud of this fund. At a total of £1 Million upon launch, it is one of the largest community climate change funds offered by any local authority in the UK and has already delivered a wide range of meaningful and innovative climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.
“The task ahead for officers of the Council is huge as they will sort through and assess each application to determine which will receive a share of the remaining £322K in funding that is available.
“I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the community and voluntary organisations who have come forward with high-quality applications to the fund. I will certainly look forward to these projects developing as we strive together for a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.”
Due to the high volume of applications, Warwickshire County Council will now be planning to notify those community and voluntary organisations who have been successful in their applications in late November or early December 2022.
For more information, visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/regeneration-projects/green-shoots-community-climate-change-fund-2022/2
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/
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