Demonstrator Fund

£1.2 million has been made available for the Demonstrator Fund to support SMEs, sole traders, partnerships and charities who can demonstrate they have a sound investment plan which will lead to local low-carbon or alternative energy projects/interventions. To ensure innovation and a genuine vision for the future are supported, the parameters of this strand are designed to encourage solutions beyond the mainstream of current thinking.

The Demonstrator Fund will support projects which seek to develop local energy sources and/or low-carbon initiatives for communities and businesses, whilst also supporting the manufacture and development of equipment required to provide alternative/low-carbon energy and reskilling opportunities.

The GEP Demonstrator fund has now closed.  

Application requirements

Projects will need to be located in Derbyshire for the benefit of Derbyshire communities (excluding Derby City Council boundaries) and these projects could be up to three years in duration.

All projects will need to demonstrate that this funding support will help them achieve:

• Measurable reductions in carbon emissions, within the project delivery timescale
• An increase in the scope, resilience and/or scale of their activity
• An improvement in organisational performance and demonstrate a positive impact towards low carbon, energy efficiency and/or alternative energy initiatives

Subject to public subsidy control rules, funding is available for up to £200,000 per project. There is an up to 40% grant intervention rate (a higher-level intervention rate could be considered if an applicant demonstrates innovative proposals delivering high-level outcomes). The investment must produce a minimum of one green energy scheme.

Applicants must be able to provide match funding for the grant and this funding must be in place before contracts can be issued. This will need to come from private sector sources such as bank loans, asset finance, company funds or director’s loans and/or from other public funding sources (where permitted). Where planning permission is required, evidence of early-stage discussions with planning authorities must be in place, and full funding will be dependent on planning permission being approved.

Additionally:

• The project to be delivered through this fund must not have commenced and will not be achievable in the timescales proposed without Green Entrepreneurs Programme support
• Community proposals must demonstrate wider community engagement and support
• Graduate placements as part of the project are encouraged. Where placements are not possible support for unpaid placements as part of undergraduate courses would be encouraged

Eligible costs

Capital costs including:

• Plant and machinery costs
• Equipment costs
• Product development costs
• Refurbishment, fit out and/or adaptation of land and buildings

 Revenue costs including:

• Rent and office costs – for new start businesses and community/social enterprises only – up to three months
• New staff or Consultants to deliver the project – up to three months
• IP costs, Patents, legal fees
• Marketing

All project costs (capital and revenue) must be exclusive of VAT where applicable.

Ineligible costs

The programme does not support:

• The purchase of vehicles or single site Electric Vehicle charging points
• Mainstream LED and solar panels, some costs may be considered as part of a wider package of support
• Stock or significant ongoing operating costs
• Retrospective funding: costs incurred and/or expenditures committed before a grant is offered
• Contingency costs
• Costs that contravene state aid/subsidy control rules

Location requirements

Applicants will be required to be located within the administrative boundary of Derbyshire County Council which includes the Districts and Boroughs of Amber Valley; Bolsover; Chesterfield; Derbyshire Dales; Erewash; High Peak; North East Derbyshire and South Derbyshire. Organisations based in Derby City Council administrative boundaries are not eligible.

Timescales/Deadlines

You cannot start your project before you apply to the programme. An in-principle offer must be issued before work or expenditure on your project can begin. If work on your project has started (i.e. orders for equipment, offers on a property, recruitment of a new starter) before this date, it is potentially ineligible for financial support.

The Demonstrator Fund has now closed for applications.