National Grid Community Matters

Charity Number: CUSTOM_8C134939

Annual Expenditure: £1.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £500,000 per themed round (approx. £1.5 million annually across three rounds); £10.5 million awarded since 2021
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 6-8 weeks (applications close, decisions by late November, funds distributed early December)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £5,000
  • Geographic Focus: Midlands, South West England, and South Wales

Contact Details

Website: https://customer.nationalgrid.co.uk/your-neighbourhood/community-matters-fund

Application Portal: Applications managed through Localgiving at https://www.localgiving.org/

Note: Applications are submitted via Localgiving's online portal. Existing Localgiving members can apply through the “Find Grants” menu; non-members can register during the application process.

Overview

The National Grid Community Matters Fund, launched in 2021, is a shareholder-funded grant programme operated by National Grid Electricity Distribution in partnership with Localgiving. Since inception, the fund has awarded £10.5 million to grassroots organisations across the Midlands, South West England, and South Wales. The fund operates three times annually with rotating themes focused on energy transition, fuel poverty, sustainable communities, and employability. National Grid serves eight million customers across these regions and designed the Community Matters Fund to support economically disadvantaged areas and historically underrepresented and marginalised groups. The fund emphasises long-term sustainable impact rather than short-term interventions, with particular focus on projects that help beneficiaries save money on household energy bills on an ongoing basis.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Community Matters Fund operates three themed rounds annually, each with approximately £250,000-£500,000 available:

Energy Affordability (typically autumn round)

  • Amount: Up to £5,000 for registered charities/non-profit companies; up to £2,000 for unregistered organisations
  • Focus: Distributing warm packs/energy efficiency measures, visiting isolated households for energy efficiency improvements, running warm community spaces, improving energy efficiency of community buildings, providing fuel poverty advice (tariff switching, energy saving)
  • Application Method: Fixed deadline through Localgiving portal

Future Skills (typically spring round)

  • Amount: Up to £5,000 for registered charities/non-profit companies; up to £2,000 for unregistered organisations
  • Focus: Supporting key groups including youth (16-25, not in full-time education), people from ethnic minority backgrounds, those with health conditions or disabilities, armed forces veterans, ex-offenders through skills development programmes, literacy/numeracy/IT classes, networking and placements
  • Application Method: Fixed deadline through Localgiving portal

Low Carbon Communities (typically summer round)

  • Amount: Up to £5,000 for registered charities/non-profit companies; up to £2,000 for unregistered organisations
  • Focus: Improving energy efficiency and lowering bills for community centres and halls (insulation, glazing upgrades, smart thermostats, energy efficient lighting), education from STEM-qualified professionals on sustainability/renewable energy/retrofit, promoting sustainable transport infrastructure (active transport schemes, cycling racks, EV charging points)
  • Application Method: Fixed deadline through Localgiving portal

Priority Areas

  • Energy poverty alleviation: Warm packs, warm spaces, energy advice, tariff switching support
  • Community building energy efficiency: Retrofitting, insulation, smart heating controls
  • Skills and employability: Supporting people furthest from the job market with practical skills training
  • Sustainable communities: Low carbon initiatives, renewable energy education, sustainable transport
  • Support for marginalised groups: Refugees, asylum seekers, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, youth not in education

What They Don't Fund

  • Core running costs (applications must be for specific projects)
  • Ongoing support to previously funded projects
  • Applications to land or property where the applicant cannot demonstrate long-term security of use (e.g., requires lease or formal agreement)
  • Capital items that will become the property of another organisation
  • Organisations that have not completed monitoring reports from previous grants
  • Multiple applications within the same fiscal year (April-March)
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Governance and Leadership

The Community Matters Fund is managed by National Grid Electricity Distribution in partnership with Localgiving, a charity platform specialising in connecting communities with funding opportunities.

Key Quote from Partnership: Andrei Yusfin, CEO of Localgiving, stated: “This is an area of huge opportunity for groups to make a major impact, and we are delighted to be partnering once again with National Grid in supporting these goals with the latest Community Matters Fund.”

The fund is paid for entirely by National Grid shareholders, demonstrating corporate commitment to community support independent of customer revenues.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Applications must be submitted through Localgiving's online portal
  2. Existing Localgiving members: Log in and navigate to “Find Grants” menu
  3. Non-members: Register with Localgiving during the application process (successful applicants receive complimentary annual membership)
  4. Organisations must complete Localgiving's registration and validation processes, including all due diligence documentation, before the application deadline
  5. Applications are project-specific (not for core costs)

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline:

  • Application window opens: 2-4 weeks before deadline
  • Application deadline: 5pm on specified Friday
  • Review period: Late November (for autumn rounds) or equivalent for other rounds
  • Outcome notification: End of month following deadline (e.g., late November for October/November deadlines)
  • Funds distributed: Early following month (e.g., early December for autumn rounds)
  • Project completion deadline: Typically end of fiscal year (31st March)

Overall decision time: 6-8 weeks from application deadline to fund distribution

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. However:

  • The fund has awarded £10.5 million since 2021 across multiple rounds
  • Each themed round typically has £250,000-£500,000 available
  • Given the modest grant amounts (£2,000-£5,000), the fund supports numerous organisations per round
  • High demand has resulted in expanded funding in some rounds (£5 million distributed in one winter round due to high application volumes)

Reapplication Policy

For Unsuccessful Applicants:

  • Organisations can only apply once per fiscal year (April-March), regardless of outcome
  • Unsuccessful applicants cannot reapply until the next fiscal year
  • Only one application permitted per application deadline

For Previous Grant Recipients:

  • Previous recipients must complete their funded project and submit all required monitoring reports before becoming eligible for further funding
  • Cannot apply for ongoing support to a previously funded project
  • Must wait until project is fully completed (all funds spent and all reporting completed) before applying again, even for a different project
  • Can only receive a maximum of one grant per financial year
  • Must demonstrate that previous grant was received more than 12 months ago

Application Success Factors

Direct Guidance from the Funder

The fund explicitly states: “We are very keen on the projects delivering a legacy of support, beyond just the initial funding.”

Key Emphasis Areas:

  • Long-term impact: “Applications which achieve a long-term impact by helping beneficiaries save money on their household energy bills on an ongoing, sustainable basis are especially encouraged”
  • Measurable outcomes: “Applications which clearly define the long-term and measurable impact (e.g. energy bills, carbon footprint, energy efficiency) are especially encouraged”

Successful Project Examples

Derby Refugee Forum/Derby Refugee Advice Centre (DRAC):

  • Provided warm packs to refugee communities
  • Organisation feedback: “The warm packs from the National Grid Community Matters Fund are a godsend in these situations”

Women Connect First (Cardiff):

  • Warm hubs, free meals, and help with energy costs
  • Supported approximately 240 women with warm hubs and fuel poverty advice

Energy Efficiency Projects:

  • Insulation and glazing upgrades for community centres
  • Smart thermostats and energy efficient lighting systems
  • STEM-qualified professionals providing sustainability education

Skills Development Projects:

  • Literacy, numeracy, and IT classes for people furthest from the job market
  • Networking and placement programmes for underrepresented groups

Language and Terminology

The fund uses specific language that applicants should mirror:

  • “Energy transition”
  • “Economically disadvantaged areas”
  • “Historically underrepresented and marginalised groups”
  • “Long-term legacy”
  • “Sustainable basis”
  • “Grassroots organisations”
  • “Fuel poverty”

Tips for Standing Out

  1. Demonstrate long-term impact: Show how the project will continue benefiting people beyond the grant period
  2. Include measurable outcomes: Specify how you'll measure success (energy bill reductions, carbon footprint improvements, energy efficiency ratings)
  3. Target priority groups: Clearly identify how you serve economically disadvantaged areas and underrepresented groups
  4. Show sustainable approach: Explain how the project creates lasting change rather than temporary relief
  5. Geographic relevance: Ensure clear connection to Midlands, South West England, or South Wales
  6. Complete all monitoring: If previously funded, ensure all reports are submitted before applying again
  7. Submit complete documentation: Ensure all Localgiving due diligence requirements are met before deadline

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Think legacy, not quick fixes: The fund explicitly prioritises projects with long-term sustainable impact over short-term interventions. Show how your project creates lasting change.
  • Align with themed rounds: Each round has a specific theme (Energy Affordability, Future Skills, Low Carbon Communities). Tailor applications to the relevant theme rather than submitting generic proposals.
  • One chance per year: You can only apply once per fiscal year (April-March) regardless of success or failure, so make your application count and choose the most relevant themed round.
  • Measurable outcomes are essential: Clearly articulate how you'll measure impact with specific metrics (energy bill savings, carbon reduction, energy efficiency ratings, number of beneficiaries).
  • Complete monitoring is non-negotiable: Previous grant recipients cannot access new funding until all monitoring reports are submitted, so maintain excellent reporting discipline.
  • Register with Localgiving early: Complete all due diligence documentation before the deadline to avoid last-minute issues that could disqualify your application.
  • Geographic focus matters: The fund specifically serves Midlands, South West England, and South Wales. Clearly demonstrate your presence and impact in these regions.

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