This fund will provide Capital investment to tackle the climate change emergency. 

Please note: Project creators will need to evidence green house gas reduction and be specific about volumes.

As well as making the Council a greener organisation, we will work with businesses and communities to ensure that our borough reduces its carbon footprint and that future generations are protected from climate change. We have a shared responsibility to act and there will be a real urgency to our response. While this is a real challenge it presents great opportunities to build a green economy, more active residents, less congestion, warmer homes, and a more efficient use of our resources.

Energy, Transport, Housing, Land Use, Waste and Recycling are priorities for this fund.  What we'll fund:  Projects that tackle the climate emergency by delivering quantifiable carbon benefits. Examples include but are not limited to:

•    Renewable energy projects
•    Energy efficiency projects
•    Heat pump projects
•    Zero or low carbon transport
•    Waste reduction
•    Natural capital/natural environment projects. 

• The Council producing less greenhouse gas
• Residents and businesses producing less greenhouse gas
• Improved access to alternative modes of transport such as buses, electric vehicles, cycling and walking
• More energy efficient homes and buildings
• Less waste and higher rates of recycling

When assessing your pitch, the following will be taken into account:

• The degree of community support for your project in the form of pledges towards your crowdfunding campaign
• Delivering greenhouse gas reduction benefits
• Compliance with financial regulations - The Council has a set of financial and contract procedure rules that explain how all goods, works and services must be procured
• Compliance with all legal requirements
• Achieving best value
• Ensuring transparency, openness, non-discrimination and fair competition 
• Demonstrating probity, consistency, accountability and integrity
• Supporting the council’s corporate vision and Play Your Part outcomes framework
• Capital projects - When considering support for capital projects (fixed items) or equipment, applicants are advised to check whether any planning permission or other authority permission is required for the project with the appropriate Service

1.    SHARE YOUR IDEA
Complete our Project Idea Form as soon as possible to tell us about your project idea and knowledge of crowdfunding.
 
2.    PROJECT PAGE AND PITCH BY WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2022
Create your project page on Spacehive which will match you to relevant funds.

3.    VERIFICATION
The project costs and necessary permissions will be checked by Spacehive's verifiers. This involves checking quotes for all the major items and if you have landowner permission for your project.

4.    CROWDFUNDING
Start by getting lots of small pledges from the community to show local support for your project. This will help unlock bigger pledges.

Note that the council will not be the first organisation to pledge to your project and will first want to see community support and backing, in the form of smaller pledges from local people.

The Spacehive team is on hand to share lots of advice on how to run a brilliant crowdfunding campaign.

5.    PLEDGE
The council will review all project campaigns and successful projects can expect to receive a pledge of up to £5,000/max 50% of your target during assessment.

6. HIT YOUR TARGET BY DECEMBER 2023 AND DELIVER YOUR PROJECT 

To learn more about crowdfunding on Spacehive, visit the Help Centre. 

For any additional questions, please contact Spacehive on support@spacehive.com.

The fund will provide Capital investment to tackle the climate change emergency.  The science and evidence is clear - climate change poses a massive threat to our way of life and the time for action is now. We use the phrase 'climate emergency' to reinforce the urgency required. If we don't face up to our responsibility we will see more flooding, pollution, threats to wildlife and an uncertain future for the next and future generations.

While Government and international bodies should take the lead, we can make a big difference locally. Our ambition is to become a carbon neutral borough, reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero by 2045 or earlier. Council emissions only make up 0.7 per cent of the borough's greenhouse gas emissions. As a council we will play our part and we will be carbon neutral by 2030, but we need to encourage and support others to reduce their emissions.

The UK is not currently going to meet its target of being carbon neutral by 2050, so there is a need to rapidly increase the rate of greenhouse gas reduction to ensure that west Cheshire makes its contribution to this national and international challenge.

This will require concerted action across industry in particular, given the high level of manufacturing in the borough. We will also need to see more sustainable energy, waste, transport and land use. Every citizen has a role to play, and often small things will add up to a big difference.

If we get this right we will not only secure a better future for those that follow us, we will also support economic growth in new green industries, support healthier lifestyles and help tackle fuel poverty.
 

All projects taking part in the Cheshire West Crowd must be eligible for Spacehive. Please review Spacehive's eligibility criteria here.

For feedback on eligiblity and for support to get your idea ready for crowdfunding, share it with the Spacehive team via our Project Idea Form.

Cheshire West and Chester Council will not directly or indirectly support the use of crowdfunding:

1. To fund or part fund statutory Council services apart from in exceptional circumstances.
2. To support raising of investment for private, profit making businesses unless the businesses are properly structured Community interest partnerships or cooperatives (unless in exceptional circumstances to be considered on a case by case basis).
3. To projects that do not meet the objectives in our Council plan.
4. To support projects taking place outside Cheshire West and Chester.

In addition, the council cannot support:

 •    Anything that does not respond to the Climate Emergency
•    Ongoing revenue or maintenance costs
•    Any costs incurred when putting together an application unless specifically authorised and funded via pre-development funding
•    Loans or interest payments
•    Anything party political, including supporting political organisations 
•    Anything solely for religious purposes
•    Lobbying against Council policy
•    Anything that will bring the Council into disrepute
•    Anything contrary to the Council’s financial regulations or Council policies
•    Anything illegal
•    Anything which is met by a Schools Pupil Premium Strategy
•    Any organisations planning to use funding to hand out separate grants to other people or organisations.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is committed to building greener, fairer, and stronger communities.

Working with common purpose alongside our residents, public services, and businesses, we will harness the strengths, hopes and dreams of our communities so that fewer people will be held back or left behind. We will also have a relentless focus on value for money, stretching our collective resources and innovating to make a positive difference.

The Community Innovation fund would enable local organisations, charities, CIC’s and volunteers to fund local projects that would give lasting benefits. It could be used to kick start innovative schemes at the heart of our communities.

We are looking forward to receiving innovative project ideas that will address issues such as:

• Enabling more children and young people to have a better start in life
• Raising aspirations in our deprived wards and tackling the cost of living crisis
• Addressing challenges experienced by rural communities

Successful projects could be as diverse as equipping or hiring a kitchen to teach people to cook healthy meals affordably or to grow their own vegetables or gain some experience in catering and serving. It could be used to assist with setting up healthy exercise options or sustainable transport that could increase opportunities for people of all ages to overcome isolation, do more after school activities, gain work experience or train or retrain. It could be used to support Council owned assets handed over to the local community or improve public realm projects.

We believe in a future where people are more empowered to help themselves to develop their potential, take responsibility for their wellbeing and can help others. It’s that old saying about giving a person a fish and they eat for a day but teach them to fish and they can feed themselves for life.

A great project will hit more than one objective in our council plan, it will be innovative and will be delivered in a ‘high need’ area such as:

• Enabling more children and young people to have a better start in life
• Raising aspirations in our deprived wards and tackling the cost of living crisis
• Addressing challenges experienced by rural communities

1.    SHARE YOUR IDEA + ATTEND A WORKSHOP
Complete our Project Idea Form as soon as possible to tell us about your project idea and knowledge of crowdfunding. Register here
 
2.    PROJECT PAGE AND PITCH BY WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2022
Create your project page on Spacehive which will match you to relevant funds.  Be sure to declare any pre-campaign funding at this stage so it does not incur Spacehive fees.

3.    VERIFICATION

Spacehive’s verification team will check your project information.  Where appropriate, please be sure to gather and share the following in advance to ensure speedy verification:

• project costs with quotes
• necessary permissions i.e. planning, land owner, highway or any other
• relevant council service permissions
• governance evidence including bank statement and relevant policies

4.    CROWDFUNDING

Run your crowdfunding campaign. A typical crowdfunding campaign runs for 6-12 weeks. You should aim to hit your target by December 2023.

Start by getting lots of small pledges from the community to show local support for your project. This will help unlock bigger pledges. The Spacehive team is on hand to share lots of advice on how to run a brilliant crowdfunding campaign.

5.    PLEDGE

The council will review all project campaigns and hold 3 assessment panels during the funding window. See fund details of what you could receive. 

Note the council will only pledge to your project when they see community support and backing, in the form of smaller pledges from local people. You must have a minimum 20 backers to be considered for a pledge from the council. Please aim to showcase as much support as you can (minimum 20 backers) by assessment weeks listed below:

Cheshire West & Chester council assessment weeks:

• Assessment 1: w/c 6 November
• Assessment 2: w/c 4 December
• Final Assessment: w/c 8 January 2024 (please note this assessment is dependent on remaining funds being available. We urge you to achieve 20 backers ASAP to be considered in the first 2 assessment dates).

6. HIT YOUR TARGET AND DELIVER YOUR PROJECT 

Your project supporters love to hear how you’re getting on.  Use the tool on your project page to post regular updates and/or photographs.

To learn more about crowdfunding on Spacehive, visit the Help Centre. 

For any additional questions, please contact Spacehive on support@spacehive.com.

7. COMPLETION OF YOUR ONLINE IMPACT REPORT

As part of your pitch for funding, you agreed once your project is delivered to complete an online impact report to be shared with backers to your campaign and the Council.  When you’re ready, you can find a step-by-step guide to impact reporting here. 

The impact report is a mandatory requirement following the completion of your project as evidence that the project outcomes have been met and promises have been delivered.

Should you have any questions about this process, Spacehive’s Project Success Team is happy to help – simply email: support@spacehive.com for assistance.

The Council is looking to fund new or existing projects that meet the project outcome criteria and make a positive difference to residents in west Cheshire.

Cheshire West and Chester Council will not directly or indirectly support the use of crowdfunding:

1. To fund or part fund statutory Council services apart from in exceptional circumstances.

2. To support raising of investment for private, profit making businesses unless the businesses are properly structured Community interest partnerships or cooperatives (unless in exceptional circumstances to be considered on a case by case basis).

3. To projects that do not meet the objectives in our Council plan.

4. To support projects taking place outside Cheshire West and Chester.

For feedback on eligibility and for support to get your idea ready for crowdfunding, email: chesterlocality@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk