Renewable Energy Fund Grants

Rural Facilities Sustainability Fund

The Rural Facilities Sustainability Fund helps rural communities keep local facilities open when they are at risk of closing. You can apply if your group is linked to a building facing imminent closure and you need short‑term support while you explore long‑term options. The fund is open from February 2024.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are a constituted or non‑constituted community group. Non‑constituted groups will need support from a local Councillor.
The fund can support facilities such as sports centres, halls, church halls, bowling greens or other community buildings. You must provide evidence that closure is likely, for example committee minutes or public notifications.

What the fund can cover

We can provide revenue support for up to 36 months to help your group keep the facility running while you develop new operating or funding arrangements.

Your application can include costs for:

structural surveys
community consultation
business plans
small, urgent repairs

If timing is critical, you can submit a separate, fast‑tracked application to the REF for these early costs.

How to apply

1. Submit an expression of interest

Send an expression of interest if your group is linked to a facility at risk.

If the facility is already on a closure list, or is considered at immediate risk, we will move you to the full application stage within one week.

Submit expression of interest

2. Prepare your application

If the facility belongs to SLLC, they will provide the deficit costs. For other properties, you will need to provide your own evidence of these costs.

The application process is designed to be simple and light‑touch.

For additional costs under £5,000 (such as surveys) one quote is enough.

3. Decision times

small grants under £20,000: decision within four weeks (often sooner)
larger grants over £20,000: quarterly deadlines apply and committee approval is required
you can submit staged or multiple applications, as long as funding is not duplicated and revenue support does not exceed 36 months