Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund Information Sheet – 2021/22

About the fund

The Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund has been developed to support the communities surrounding Renewi’s waste treatment facility in Manvers, Rotherham, and will involve local people in its project selection process and delivery.

We wish to bring real improvements to local communities and the people living in them through support of environmental projects through volunteer time and/or financial funding.

The aim of the Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund is to help people to improve their communities making them happier, healthier or better places to live both now and for the future.

Eligibility criteria

Who can apply to the Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund?

The Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund is available to any community groups, voluntary groups, environmental groups, charities, not-for-profit organisations and education groups that have a constitution and records of previous meetings. Organisations or groups applying for funds must also have a bank account with auditable accounts.

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, we are changing the criteria for funding this year. Non-constituted groups will be able to apply for smaller amounts of funding to help aid recovery activities.

If the organisation or group applying is not the landowner for the location of activities or work, written consent from the landowner must be provided if successful.

Where can community projects be located?

The Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund is only available to community projects which fall into one or more of the following five geographic areas:

  1. Locations within 3.5 km (as the crow flies) of the Bolton Road waste treatment facility
  2. Benefit of project reaches community within 3.5 km (as the crow flies) of the Bolton Road waste treatment facility
  3. Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council local authority area
  4. Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council local authority area
  5. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council local authority area

What can you apply for?

Groups can apply for up to £3,000 per eligible project per year for locations or impact area within 3.5 km of the Bolton Road site and up to £1,000 per year for locations outside of the 3.5 km radius but within Barnsley, Doncaster or Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council areas. 

Projects are able to apply for 90% funding with groups providing 10% matched funds.  In addition to this, groups can apply for volunteer time to support their projects up to a maximum of 30 hours per eligible project per year with groups providing a minimum of equal volunteer hours wherever possible.

Groups are also able to apply for up to a maximum of 30 hours of volunteer time per eligible project per year where funding is not required.

When applying for volunteer time only, groups must provide a minimum of equal volunteer hours wherever possible.

Volunteering hours will only be awarded if they can be performed in a COVID secure manner, observing Government guidelines.

What kind of projects can you apply for funding for?

Funding is available for a range of environmental projects that will benefit the broader community and the maximum possible number of people within that community.

Examples of the types of projects that could receive funding include:

  • Improvements to an open space or public area as part of employment or vocational training or health improvement
  • Development of community re-use networks or projects
  • Creation of community orchards or growing spaces which can be accessed by a range of community members
  • Grow, cook and eat sessions where skills are developed to create less waste
  • Food waste minimisation sessions for adults or children
  • Funding for walking bus equipment
  • Development of community time or equipment sharing schemes
  • Other environmental, educational, community or well-being opportunities for community groups
  • Due to the ongoing pandemic we will also be considering different projects that benefit Coronavirus recovery including funding for food bank projects, social isolation projects and other community benefiting activities

School Applications

If you are applying on behalf of a school, college or other education establishment, we require that the project being funded is outside of the curriculum. If you are unsure whether or not your project qualifies, please contact us using the details below.

What are the timescales for applications?

Applications for volunteer time only will be assessed on a quarterly basis with application closing dates of 31 January, 30 April, 31 July and 30 October, annually. Successful groups will be informed within one calendar month of these deadlines.

Applications for funding only or funding and volunteer time can be made up until the close of applications at 23:59pm on Monday 31 January 2022.

Applications will then be assessed and considered with input sought from the waste treatment plant’s Community Liaison Group and where necessary further information from applicants. Successful applicants will be informed as soon as possible and will have until 31 March 2022 to provide relevant documentation, claim funding and/or arrange volunteer time.

How will applications be assessed?

The BDR scoring matrix will be applied to assess each application. The highest scoring applications from each of the four geographic areas will be contacted for further details and a further assessment made based on this additional information.

Applications will be scored against a range of criteria, including group size, project type, audience and potential impact of the project.

If you want to talk about a potential project or have questions about the fund, please contact Rebecca Wilson at Renewi on Rebecca.Wilson@renewi.com or on 07970 985669.

To apply online to the Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund please visit: https://forms.gle/fAbz5uVVMoityggcA

The form is available to download here: Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility Fund Application Form

Ensure that your application is completed by 23:59pm on Monday 31 January 2022.

Please return the completed forms to:

Email: Rebecca.Wilson@renewi.com

By post: Rebecca Wilson, BDR Waste Treatment Facility, Bolton Road, Rotherham, S63 7LL and ensure these arrive by the closing date.