Northamptonshire Community Foundation is delighted to launch the Northamptonshire Creative Climate Action Fund funding programme to provide a large and impactful grant award of up to £50,000 for up to three local projects for activity to support creative projects that build awareness around climate change and encourage people to make behavioural changes to protect the environment in Northamptonshire. Grants can fund up to two years of activity.

This programme aims to support goal 13: Climate Action of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and to ‘think global, act local’ You can find out more here: www.globalgoals.org

The project must deliver on the following:

• Work with a professional arts practitioner/ group of art practitioners or an arts organisation, or your own organisation is an arts organisation, to deliver excellence of high quality arts; eligible applicants will need to evidence a portfolio of art work from the commissioned artists.
• Have a programme in place to engage the community within Northamptonshire that builds awareness around climate change and encourages people to make behavioural changes to protect the environment in Northamptonshire.

Project(s) addressing one or more of the following are welcome to apply:

• Encourage local residents to rethink their lifestyles
• Enable a fair and just transition in making lifestyle changes
• Connect with the biodiversity crisis
• Assist local communities to understand the climate crisis
• Adapt to the effects of climate change
• Raise awareness of the impact of human activity on the planet

Priority will be given to projects which can demonstrate how they propose to maximise community engagement and increase audience participation.

Stages of the application process

• 14^th March: Closing date for Expression of Interest forms
• These will then be reviewed by the fund-holder
• 14^th April: Shortlisted organisations will be invited to submit a full application
• 23^rd May: Closing date for full applications
• Applicants will be notified of the fund-holders decision by the end of June

Shortlisted organisations will be asked to send in a portfolio of artwork from the commissioned artists/arts group and provide a copy of your organisation’s business plan along with their application.

We strongly recommend that you discuss your project proposal in the first instance with the Foundation Grants Team. Please contact Grants Manager Alex Rex: alex@ncf.uk.com.

Follow this link to complete an Expression of Interest form: Northamptonshire Creative Climate Action Fund

Is my group eligible?

• Your group must be a small, locally managed VCSE organisation such as a  charity, constituted community group, social enterprise such as a Community Interest Company (CIC), or a company limited by guarantee with charitable aims. Please note that as a general exclusion, we do not fund social enterprises that have a  person  with significant control (PSC). 
• You must be based in Northamptonshire
• You must have a set of written rules or constitution that your group adheres to, that contains a dissolution clause. We can help advise you on how to do this especially if you are a new group
• You must have safeguarding policies in place if relevant to your work and all groups must have an equalities policy in place
• You must provide a copy business plan for your organisation - if selected to submit a full application
• You will need to evidence a portfolio of arts work from the commissioned artists - if selected to submit a full application

For more information about eligibility and information on supporting documents please visit our Help for Groups section.

Please read the guidance notes and download the reference form and supporting documents checklist at the bottom of the page before applying.

Northamptonshire Community Foundation can provide advice and guidance during the application process aswell as viewing draft applications prior to submission. Call the grants team on 01604 230033 for more information.

Please click here to view our Diversity Statement applicable to our grant awards.

Our funds and programmes are working towards the 10 UNSDGs we have adopted into our charitable activities. For more information please click here

Project Type: Arts, Culture & Heritage

Grant Location: Northamptonshire (county-wide)