Nearly 50 community projects have been helped by the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant Power Fund and the scheme is still open for applications.

The Power Fund was established in 2019 and, in that time, grants have been awarded to 47 community projects in Sleaford and the surrounding areas. The value of grants allocated to date is £125,573.50.

Schroders Greencoat – the owners of the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant - in partnership with North Kesteven District Council, make funding available via the Power Fund to support community projects within a five mile radius of the plant.

The Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant (Sleaford REP) Grant scheme is always open for eligible applications, which are considered on a quarterly basis – see more information here. The deadline for the next round of applications is midnight on December 10, 2025. 

At Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant Power Fund Panel’s meeting in September, two more grants were approved – for Leasingham Junior Football Club and the Rainbow Stars charity.

This adds to the five that were approved in May this year for Ewerby Reading Rooms, Fairfield Links CIC, Kirkby La Thorpe Academy Friends of School, Heckington Allotment Association, and Sleaford and District Model Railway Club. 

Others to have benefitted include Anwick Parish Council, who said that without the scheme they wouldn’t have been able to repair a leaking roof and it enabled their meeting room to be used regularly again. Rauceby Village Hall also benefitted from the grant and was able to kick-start its upgrade programme and continue with refurbishment plans. 

The Swaton Vintage Day and World Egg Throwing Championships is a non-profit making organisation that praised the scheme’s application process and said “this grant made a huge difference to the success of our show”.

Councillor Richard Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council, said: “Local communities and the people within them are at the heart of everything we do at the Council. Being able to give financial support to such fantastic groups and community projects shows how valuable the Community Power Fund is. I would like to encourage more local community projects and groups to send applications in so that they can benefit in the many positive ways almost 50 in the District already have.”

Hugh Unwin of Schroders Greencoat said: “I’m delighted that the Sleaford REP Power Fund, with the valued support of North Kesteven Council, has awarded grants to so many different groups and organisations within the area, making a positive difference to people’s lives.”

The Sleaford REP Power Fund Panel has an allocation of £125,000 to distribute over a five-year period and aims to distribute £25,000 per year.

For a project to be supported by the Power Fund, it must meet the following objectives: 

• Cover one of the following: the environment, sport, wellbeing and education
• Encourage community cohesion to build stronger communities
• Benefit the community/group by supporting activities and projects that bring wider community benefit

There are two application forms available and it is important to make sure you complete the correct form – see more information here.