The difference we make as a grant-awarding organisation
National Energy Action has over 40 years’ experience of delivering solutions to fuel poverty with a UK reach. Our vision is ‘no one living in fuel poverty’ and our focus is working to deliver this aspiration. Providing grant funding to local organisations has always been part of our work programme as we believe that partnership working is the key to tackling fuel poverty.
Over the years our grant-giving capacity has expanded significantly. We have designed, developed and delivered many exciting and innovative grant programmes, funding a range of organisations and enabling them to deliver their own energy-related projects and provide support to people in fuel poverty. As a result, these grant-funded programmes have directly benefited thousands of households through advice and energy efficiency measures, and millions indirectly through awareness-raising in communities. In some instances, it has allowed us to lever other funds, build capacity and to improve and share understanding of solutions to fuel poverty and opportunities to better target assistance.
Our skills and expertise in awarding grant funding
From administering small amounts of funding to hosting an energy awareness event in the local community, to awarding large pots of capital funding to install energy efficiency measures, National Energy Action has developed a robust and seamless process to distributing and managing grants to external organisations.
We have an extensive national network of members and stakeholders who we can reach out to when promoting available funding. This promotion and engagement often generate a high level of interest and number of applications.
Our policies and systems ensure that the grant-awarding process is fair, transparent and secure. We scrutinise each funding application, budget and the applicant organisation through a rigorous due diligence process that ultimately ensures we award funds to organisations that will deliver quality engagement, successful outputs and outcomes, as well as demonstrate value for money.
At National Energy Action, our intention is to create a collaborative partnership with the organisations we fund, developing long-term links that go beyond the parameters of the funding itself. Often, this involves our team of regional Project Development Co-ordinators providing mentoring support to grantees, offering guidance on engagement techniques and signposting to useful resources and good practice. Furthermore, our team is skilled in capturing and analysing performance and outcome indicators to demonstrate the impacts of the projects we fund.
Examples of funding programmes administered by National Energy Action include:
Smart Energy GB in Communities 2016-2024
Between 2016-2024, National Energy Action successfully partnered with Smart Energy GB to lead and deliver the Smart Energy GB in Communities programme, consisting of a practical and impactful range of activities, all with the intention of ensuring that vulnerable households across Great Britain can engage in the benefits offered by smart meters.
The programme involved National Energy Action setting up and administering grant funding to voluntary and public sector organisations to deliver their own smart meter projects and support to service users and clients.
We supported grantees through regular contact and mentoring; smart meter training; shared updates on the latest policy developments linked to the rollout; and provided opportunities for our partners to come together for shared learning and networking via good practice workshops. Importantly, part of our role has been to listen to our partners’ insights and share examples of challenges as well as good practice with relevant stakeholders.
In total, over £3 million worth of grant funding has been awarded to 125 charities, local authorities, housing associations and community groups to deliver smart meter-focused projects and advice. Grants were provided up to the value of £25,000. Some organisations received funding across multiple years, expanding their projects to new audiences and geographic areas.
Community grants programme
Recently, National Energy Action has offered a Community Event Grant Fund, enabling community groups and charities to apply for up to £350 to run a householder-focused community event providing information and advice to help as many vulnerable householders as possible to prepare for winter and to keep warm.
Our in-house team is responsible for all aspects of grant management, including promoting the funding, assessing applications, processing awards and collating and analysing output data.
Aligning this to the charity’s wider strategic objectives, we have utilised this grants programme to reach out to health and social care partners to help fund events that focus on health impacts and support households who are living with existing health conditions that are exacerbated by cold/draughty homes. Each funding round has provided financial assistance to around 60 organisations across England and Wales.
Health and Innovation Programme
National Energy Action successfully managed the £26.2 million Health and Innovation programme between 2015 – 2018, funding a range of partners to bring affordable warmth to over 9,000 fuel poor and vulnerable households in Great Britain.
The programme was divided into three funds: the Technical Innovation Fund (TIF), the Warm and Healthy Homes Fund (WHHF), and the Warm Zones Fund (WZF). Projects financed under all three funds included the delivery of ‘large’ measures, such as substantial heating and/or insulation projects. Furthermore, TIF and WHHF funded projects also included ‘small’ low-cost energy efficiency interventions, such as heating system repairs and heating controls.
We held a competitive two-stage bidding process coupled with stringent due diligence checks to ensure that funds were awarded to organisations that had the ability and experience to manage high-value awards. Our team maintained close oversight and engagement with each funded project and was responsible for collating and reporting on our grantees’ output data as well as the social and self-reported health impacts experienced by householders.
Examples of how the funding was used:
Technical Innovation Fund – Cynthia is a pensioner who lives on her own in a park home on the Ashfield Scunthorpe site. YES Energy Solutions used our grant funding to install underfloor and exterior wall insulation. Tariff and energy advice also helped her to reduce her fuel bills and access the Warm Home Discount, saving at least £240 per year on her energy bills.
“The house was cold, and I had to have the heating on more… it smelled a bit damp. That’s gone. I now know when I walk in that that’s not here. There’s no way I would’ve been able to afford it [the insulation] without this grant. I’m so thrilled with it.”
Warm and Healthy Homes Fund – Lisa from Birstall, received a new boiler through a project delivered by Papworth Trust and Leicestershire County Council Public Health, and funded by National Energy Action’s Warm and Healthy Homes Fund.
“When our boiler broke down, we were left with no heating or hot water for months on end and everything became a constant struggle. Living a normal family life was impossible; we struggled drying our clothes, bathing the children and we just couldn’t get warm. My mental health problems became worse, and I suffered from a severe chest infection that exacerbated my asthma last winter, something I believe escalated due to the house being so cold. Life is much easier now; as a family our health has improved, the house in much warmer and I’m less stressed which allows me to focus on supporting my son and his complex needs. I’m so grateful for the help and support we’ve received; I really don’t know what we would have done without it.”
Big Energy Saving Network
The Big Energy Saving Network was an initiative run by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, providing small grants to local community groups and charities across Great Britain to advise on energy saving in the home, switching energy suppliers, different energy tariffs and other support to help the most vulnerable have warmer homes and lower fuel bills.
Between 2014 and 2018 National Energy Action supported the department in co-ordinating Big Energy Saving Network funding, as well as providing training and support to the organisations and energy champions involved.
Bursaries and award schemes
For decades, National Energy Action has managed funding for bursaries and award schemes to recognise and reward good practice in tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency. The first Fighting the Cold Awards were made in 1991 and more recently organisations have won Energy Impact Awards and recognition awards linked to our Annual Conference.
Our in-house team is skilled at developing, assessing and making awards, whether this includes a financial value or recognition of good practice. We take pride in working with our partners to ensure the vision for their funding is realised and leads to a lasting impact.
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For more information about National Energy Action’s grant-awarding capabilities and experience please contact Danni.Barnes@nea.org.uk.