SSE Renewables

Overview

Eligibility

All communities within a 12 mile radius of any of their wind farms in Northern Ireland may apply. However, they place a particular emphasis on prioritising those community groups located within a 3 mile vicinity of each wind farm.

This application process is open to not-for-profit organisations only.

Applications are welcome from local community groups and not for profit organisations located within 12 miles of the wind farms, with priority given to groups within 3 miles.

All applicants must have:

• A constitution - formally known as a memorandum and articles of association, this governing document outlines the objectives and rules for your organisation.
• Organisational bank account - you must have a bank account or credit union account in the applicant's name.

What do they fund?

Their funds support a variety of projects under the following:

Community Development

Your project strengthens the ability of local groups to meet their own needs. Empower communities to develop through measures which demonstrate long-term social, environmental or economic improvements.

Energy Efficiency

Your project delivers reduced energy consumption through energy efficiency and / or involves generating clean renewable energy.

Sustainability

Stimulate meaningful regeneration to improve or enhance local infrastructure, landscape, biodiversity, or heritage and make a lasting difference to the places we live, work and visit.

Safety

Your project will enhance the safety for members of the community.

Multi-annual Funding

To support large scale transformational projects, SSE Renewables will consider multi-annual funding. It is expected that multi-annual funding will help community groups secure bridging finance and / or source other capital funding to progress such projects.

Under this strand, a contract is issued to the group for an overall sum, which is then paid in set instalments on an annual basis over the duration of agreement.

These types of projects will need to ensure satisfactory governance is in place, and additional supporting documentation will be required annually to show evidence of the project maturing year on year before drawdown.

The award must be fully drawn down before a group can apply for further funding.

The fund will also consider applications for both capital and revenue funding.

• Capital funding - can be used to purchase assets, either new or the significant refurbishment of existing assets. These are expected to have “wider community benefit” and to have an expected lifespan of at least 5 years.
• Revenue funding - can be used where there is no lasting asset. Revenue funding can be used to put on events, performances and activities or pay for trips and excursions.

Supporting documentation

For your project to be eligible for consideration you will need to ensure you have the following in place before applying to the fund.

For applications under £3,000 only documents with an * are required. For requests over £3000 all documentation is required.

• Constitution Document*
  • Your group / organisation should be properly constituted. Your constitution should be signed and dated and should outline your group / organisation’s purpose, as well as its governance and committee structure.
  • The constitution should include confirmation that:
    • The organisation has charitable purposes.
    • Is not for profit in nature; and that
    • No directors or trustees are remunerated.
• Bank / Credit Union Account*
  • A bank / credit union statement header showing the name and address of the group applying for the grant, IBAN, BIC and bank branch details must be submitted at application stage.
  • All project expenditure must be made through this account and grant payments will be paid into this account.
• AGM Minutes If your organisations constitution requires you to hold an AGM please provide a copy of the latest AGM minutes
• Audited Accounts Confirmation of income and spend in the last year or a copy of annual accounts.
• Quotations*
  • Quotations must be submitted with your application to verify the value of each item / service you wish to purchase. If any individual item costs £10,000 or more, you must provide three quotes from three different suppliers.

Community Funds

Schemes operate from:

Bessy Bell 2

Through their Bessy Bell 2 Wind Farm, near Newtownstewart Co. Tyrone, they make over £16,000 per year available for local projects promoting energy efficiency and social sustainability through their community fund programme.

This biennial fund opened on Monday, 18 August 2025 and closes at 5pm on Friday, 19 September 2025.

Apply here

Slieve Kirk

Through their Slieve Kirk Wind Park, in Co.Derry/Londonderry, they make over £170,000 per year available for local projects promoting energy efficiency and social sustainability through their community fund programme.

Slieve Kirk Wind Park is the largest wind farm in Northern Ireland. It can generate 73.5MW of clean, green energy to power almost 65,000 homes.

Tievenameenta

Through their Tievenameenta Wind Farm in Killeter, Co. Tyrone they make around £80,000 per year available for local projects promoting energy efficiency and social sustainability through their Community Fund programme.

In addition to the Community Fund, Tievenameenta Wind Farm also supports a Scholarship Fund for local students from across County Tyrone.

Tievenameenta Wind Farm can generate 34MW of clean, green energy combined equivalent to powering approximately 30,000 homes.