Brent Cheshire, DONG Energy's UK Country Chairman, said:
"DONG Energy is committed to supporting the local areas and communities where we operate and so I'm delighted this fund is now open to applications.
"We are proud of our place in this part of the country and we recently announced plans for a multi-million pound investment in Grimsby to create the UK's largest offshore wind operations and maintenance hub. This fund is another way we can make a difference locally."
The East Coast Community Fund will be managed for DONG Energy by the national grant-making charity GrantScape. Applications for grants of between £1,000 and £50,000 from the main fund are now invited from community groups, charities and other eligible organisations with projects located in the funding area. This stretches from Flamborough Head in Yorkshire to Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk.
A detailed map, searchable by postcode and showing these areas is available on GrantScape's website, as are full details of how to apply for a grant. This information can also be viewed via this link.
When operational, the Hornsea Project One and Race Bank offshore wind farms will have a combined capacity of nearly 1.8 gigawatts, making them capable of meeting the electricity needs of over 1.5 million UK homes.
About East Coast Community Fund
The East Coast Community Fund will be managed and administered by the national grant-making Charity GrantScape (www.grantscape.org.uk).
They can be contacted on 01908 247634 or by email at: eccf@grantscape.org.uk
Grants from the main fund will be available for projects and initiatives in the following categories:
- Community buildings and facilities. For example: capital improvement works to village halls, community centres, museums, heritage centres and community cafes.
- Community activities and services. For example: projects addressing health and wellbeing, social isolation, community cohesion, access to amenities, young and old people's projects, and projects providing support for local clubs and groups.
- Environmental and public open space projects. For example: projects involving parks, nature reserves, community growing schemes, and habitat/species conservation.
- Sports, recreation and play. For example: playgrounds, skate parks, indoor climbing walls, sports equipment and sports field drainage projects.
There will be two application rounds each year. The first closing date for applications is 15 March 2017. Decisions on the first round of applications will be announced in June 2017.
A local Advisory Group has been established to help decide which applications will receive grants. Details of its membership can be found on GrantScape's website.