Is my organisation eligible to make an application?
Funding is aimed at not-for-profit organisations or charities with no share capital, close to landfill sites, that need funding to improve the quality of life in their community or to protect and conserve nature’s recovery.
Although not exhaustive, we are unable to accept applications from local authorities, councils, hospices, hospitals, day-care centre, nurseries, food banks, rehabilitation units, residential care facilities, activity centres, schools and colleges. We are also unable to accept applications for projects located on the grounds of any of the above, or on allotments.
Who is Entrust?
Entrust is the HMRC appointed regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund. All projects are registered with Entrust to ensure funding is spent in line with approved objects. All projects, with the exception of some managed by existing Environmental Bodies (EB), are registered by RSWT.
I don’t know if my organisation is already registered as an EB with Entrust?
You can check to see if your organisation is already registered here.
I am registered as an EB with Entrust, can I still apply?
With the exception of a few existing EB’s, ALL projects are registered and managed by RSWT on your behalf.
If you are already an enrolled EB with Entrust, have no live projects running through the scheme, and would like to voluntarily revoke, please contact them directly here before submitting an application. Revocation can take up to four weeks, depending on your circumstances, which Entrust can advise you of directly.
Can we apply for a Recreation, Community Buildings or Cultural Facilities project if we don’t own the land?
If you’re not the landowner, a fully signed lease agreement between the landowner and the applicant must be in place, with at least 10 years remaining. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any other forms of agreement, including but not limited to letters of intent, draft agreements, heads of terms, subleases or underleases.
What are your themes?
Under our Main Grants Scheme, we welcome applications of between £10,000 and £75,000. We have four different funding themes, each with its own strict eligibility criteria. The themes are Community Buildings, Recreation, Cultural Facilities and Nature Recovery.
There can be no crossover between themes. To find out more download our Main Grants Scheme Guidance Notes. Please note that these might have changed if you have applied for funding before.
Under our Partnership Grants Scheme we have two different themes - Natural Environment and Built Environment. Please check here to see whether our Partnership Grants Scheme is currently open for Expressions of Interest.
How do I find out whether my project is within the required distance of a significant Biffa operation or licensed landfill site?
Biffa Operation: When you chose a project theme from the main menu you will find a Postcode Checker at the bottom of the page. Enter your project postcode into the box and click Search. For now, click the box that asks if you live within 10 miles of an active landfill site. Any significant Biffa operation or Biffa landfill site within the required distance will be revealed if your project site meets the Biffa Award distance criteria.
Licensed Landfill: Enter your project postcode across the two boxes here and click Check Postcode. If your site is located within 10 miles of a licensed landfill site, the site name, distance and postcode will appear. If no details appear, unfortunately your project doesn’t meet the Landfill Communities Fund distance criteria and you cannot make an application for funding.
Remember to make a note of the addresses, as you will need these to make an application.
If I meet all criteria, will my Expression of Interest automatically be invited forward to full application?
Due to limited funding and oversubscription, not all eligible applications can progress to Full Application. Only those that demonstrate the greatest need to ensure spaces remain open and fully accessible to the communities they serve, or to protect nature’s recovery will be considered, and there is no guarantee of a successful outcome if your project is invited forward to submit a full application.
Even if your submission qualifies for funding, it may still be rejected if others are considered to demonstrate a greater need, based on our strict criteria and against other submissions received. Projects focused solely on cost-cutting or energy-saving will not be funded.
Does my project have to benefit the whole community?
Yes. All of the projects that Biffa Award fund through the Main Grants Scheme must benefit the whole community - that is what makes our funding so special. We will ask you to evidence the community benefit of your project when you apply to us, so make sure that everyone is on board before you start your application! We will ask you to provide letters of support or evidence of community consultation to prove that everyone wants the project as much as you do!
Can we apply for a Nature Recovery project if we don’t own the land?
If you’re not the landowner, you will need to have a signed landowner agreement in place agreeing to access for maintenance, surveying and monitoring for a period of not less than 8 years from completion of the project. Contact the team if you want further clarification. You will also be expected to submit a full biodiversity management plan with your Expression of Interest.
What is the maximum limit for total project costs for Main Grant Scheme applications?
The maximum amount of funding a project can receive is £75,000. However, the total project costs must not exceed £200,000 including VAT. Unfortunately, standalone elements of a larger project that can be delivered for less than £200,000 including VAT cannot be funded. This includes, but is not limited to new extensions and fit out of a new build separated into smaller phases like heating, kitchen and toilet installations. There are no exceptions to this rule.
If your project costs more than £75,000 you can secure funding from multiple sources but we will need to know how much money you’ll be getting in total and who the other funders will be.
How long does the application process take?
The Main Grants Scheme application process is a two stage process and can therefore take some time. Once you’ve submitted an Expression of Interest, it usually takes up to four months to find out if your project has been approved, subject to you being invited to Full Application and fulfilling all of our criteria.
When should I submit my application and when will I hear?
Submissions of Expression of Interest for our Main Grants Scheme are on a rolling basis, so you can submit at any time. We aim to advise whether your Expression of Interest will be invited forward to full application within one week of submission.
The Board meet four times a year to decide which projects to fund. Your full application will go to the next available meeting in line with our internal deadlines. However this does mean that it may take up to four months until you hear whether you have been successful.
What is the Third Party Contribution, why is it required, and who can pay it?
Third party funding is a tricky concept to explain. Some people prefer to think of it as leverage - finding a relatively small amount of money to release a much larger sum, e.g. £7,500 could unlock £75,000 of funding.
Only 90% of any grant can be paid by us using Landfill Tax Credits. The remaining 10% needs to be provided by another source, either from your own unrestricted reserves (if you are not a registered Environmental Body) or from an independent source (if you are a registered Environmental Body). The 10% will be paid directly to Biffa Group Limited, on request, if your application is successful, and this payment will unlock the funding.
Third Party Contributions are different to match or shortfall funding. You must not include the 10% in your application direct project costs as this payment is in addition to the amount being requested.
Third Party Contributions cannot be made up of other Landfill Communities Fund monies and cannot be funded by anyone that is going to derive a unique benefit from the project going ahead, e.g. a contractor for the project works. There can be more than one Third Party Contributor, but the contribution is non-refundable.
If you are already enrolled with Entrust as an Environmental Body, you must follow specific rules around the Contributing Third Party which can be found on the Entrust website at: www.entrust.org.uk.
Will you come to our opening event?
The Biffa Award team is very small and so we’re not always able to join you at celebration events. However, if you send the information to biffa-award@wildlifetrusts.org, we will check our diary or request a representative from Biffa to attend if we can. We will of course let you know.
What should I do if I have any more questions?
If this Frequently Asked Questions page has not answered your query, you can contact us by emailing biffa-award@wildlifetrusts.org.