Open Call for Bath and West Community Energy Fund (UK)

The Bath & West Community Energy Fund (the BWCE Fund) is a local grant programme from Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) that supports community projects in Bath and the surrounding area. It offers grants of up to £5,000 for activities that reduce carbon emissions and/or tackle fuel poverty. The programme opens on 25 September 2026 and closes on 29 October 2026 at 1:00 pm. The Bath & West Low Carbon Fund (the BWCE Fund) provides grants for community projects in Bath and the surrounding area. The funding comes from Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE), a community enterprise created for the benefit of the community. BWCE develops community-owned renewable energy projects and gives local people the opportunity to invest in local projects, increase local renewable energy, and earn a reasonable return. BWCE members have a say in how the organisation is run. The BWCE Fund supports community-led action that helps reduce carbon emissions and/or tackles fuel poverty. The source also notes performance from the previous 2025 round: 25% of the applications received were successful. (This is presented as historical context, not a guarantee.) The grant programme is open to groups or projects working in Bath and the surrounding area. It is particularly targeted at small organisations with charitable aims, but you do not have to be an energy or environmental group.

Applicant types must be:

Additional notes from the source:

For an overview of BWCE project locations, the source includes a projects map page: https://www.bwce.coop/what-we-do/#projectsmap To be eligible, projects must aim to reduce carbon emissions and/or address fuel poverty in Bath and the surrounding area. Carbon reduction may include more than energy projects, such as:

Fuel poverty / affordable warmth focus:

This fund is designed for locally rooted organisations seeking to tackle two linked community challenges: lowering carbon emissions and reducing energy-related hardship. Because eligibility is tied to Bath and the surrounding area, applicants can focus on place-based solutions that align with community needs, including fuel poverty and related affordability issues. The opportunity is also specifically aimed at small organisations with charitable aims, and it does not require applicants to be established in the energy or environment sector. Official application link: Not specified in the supplied article text (the page states the link is visible only when the programme is open). Guide for applicants and eligibility criteria: The page references a guide and an eligibility criteria page, but the supplied article text does not include direct URLs or document details (“Not specified in the source”). What is the Bath & West Community Energy Fund (BWCE Fund)? It is a local grant programme funded by Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) to support community projects in Bath and the surrounding area that reduce carbon emissions and/or tackle fuel poverty. How much funding is available? The maximum grant awarded is £5,000. The source does not specify a total programme budget or a per-recipient minimum. Where can projects be based? Projects must work in Bath and the surrounding area. The funder particularly welcomes applications from projects near existing BWCE projects. Who can apply? You can apply if your group is a community, self-help or voluntary group, a community enterprise, or a charity, and the work is in the fund’s local area. What are the opening and closing dates? What kinds of activities qualify for carbon reduction? Carbon reduction is not limited to energy projects and may include local food, sustainable transport, waste reduction, or other activities that reduce carbon emissions. When will we receive a decision? The source states that applicants will be emailed the panel’s decision within 8 weeks of the closing date. If your organisation is based in Bath and the surrounding area and your project addresses carbon reduction and/or fuel poverty, review the official guide for applicants and eligibility criteria referenced on the programme page. Then prepare your application for submission through the online form before 29 October 2026 at 1:00 pm.