The Community Generation Fund has been set up to provide support for these community-led projects. Managed by The FSE Group, with NEF as lead partner, the fund addresses critical barriers to community-led project development by providing support at both pre-planning development and post-planning construction stages, to community energy generation projects that can achieve technical & financial viability, community inclusion and social impact.
The Community Generation Fund will provide commercial but creative loan funding for communities at the pre-planning (“development”) stage of their projects, as well as the construction (post-planning) stage:
Development Loans: Contingently-repayable loans for design, environmental and other external costs involved in achieving the required planning and other consents/licenses
Construction Loans: Long-term loans for equipment, construction & commissioning costs (post planning consent) either stand-alone or alongside bank finance.
The Fund aims to provide access to capital at project stages or scales where funding is needed most but is not readily available. Please note therefore that the Fund is designed to supplement rather than replace traditional market sources. It is not a grant or “low/nil cost” scheme
Communities can submit “pre-applications” before a closing date of 16th April 2012
http://thefsegroup.com/funding/social-funds/community-generation-fund/