The Community Use Building (CUB) Honiton spent its money on upgrading its insulation
After a successful seventh round of ECOE’s Community Fund, it is now open for applications again. The fund is available for local community projects to apply for financing that help to address the climate emergency and promote social justice. This time, for 2025/2026 we have at least £7,700 available. This is £5,000 from ECOE’s surplus income, plus £2,700 of member donations.
Since 2017, the Exeter Community Energy (ECOE) Community Fund has played a crucial role in supporting local groups working on clean energy initiatives and addressing fuel poverty in Exeter and surrounding areas. The fund has consistently provided financial aid to organisations that align with ECOE’s mission of promoting sustainability, reducing carbon footprints, and enhancing social welfare. Drawing on the income generated from our ten solar power sites, along with donations from ECOE members and surplus income from our Healthy Homes for Wellbeing project, we have been able to make a significant impact in our community.
How to apply
For applications for 2025/2026, the details regarding who can apply, for what and our criteria for the allocation of the grants can be found in the guidance notes on our community fund page. The deadline for applications is February 6, 2026. We will check all applications to see if they meet our criteria. A group made up of ECOE members, directors and partners from rooftop solar sites, local community groups and local statutory organisations will judge the proposals. If you would like to be a part of that group, please volunteer at info@ecoe.org.uk. We will announce the winners by the end of March 2026.
If you have any queries email info@ecoe.org.uk.
Summary of Funding Achievements
Since the Community Fund’s inception in 2017, ECOE has distributed a total of £41,881 in grants to 33 local organisations. These funds have been used to support a wide range of projects, from improving energy efficiency in community buildings to running educational workshops on renewable energy.
2024/2025 Community Fund Recipients
In 2025, the ECOE Community Fund awarded £5,500 to four local groups: St Sidwell’s Community Centre, Community Use Building Honiton, The Oak Room and People’s Parkfield CIC.
These grants have enabled a diverse range of projects to help them deliver lower-carbon, lower-cost heating in their buildings.
Community Use Building Honiton
Community Use Building Honiton is a vital community hub, serving around 200 to 250 people weekly. It is inclusive to all ages, from babies to the elderly. It received a grant to install solar panels and battery storage, upgrade to double glazing, and replace its gas boiler. This requires replacing an old spiral staircase and fire protection and creating a new floor area, which was previously unfunded. ECOE awarded Community Use Building Honiton £1,675 towards the cost.
St Sidwell’s Community Centre
St Sidwell’s Community Centre’s community bakery provides an average of 35 volunteering opportunities each week. It supports people to learn baking/kitchen skills as well as develop customer service, timekeeping, teamwork and other skills, meet new people and more. ECOE has awarded St Sidwell’s £1,000 to help install an air-to-air source heat pump in this space. This will allow more people to attend cookery classes in the space, generating minimal emissions in the process.
The Oak Room
Oak Room Tiverton CIC is about providing a unique space to deliver activities from exercise classes to dance, art workshops to live music, vibrant space for regular meets. In 2024 around 500 people came to this space. ECOE has granted Oak Room £1800.00 to deliver Phase 1 of its ‘Heat to Meet’ project. This will increase the viability of Oak Room by heating its spaces. There’s currently no heating in the building as the previous antiquated gas boiler was condemned. The Heat to Meet project will in Phase 1 install radiant panels to run on Octopus renewable electricity supply. The Oak Room in Phase 2 hopes to install its own battery and solar system and include other electrical consumption.
People’s Parkfield CIC
14 community organisations currently occupy Parkfield House in Paignton and its outbuildings. Hundreds of people living and working in Paignton and Torbay attend community or one-to-one meetings or take part in social and community activities there. It’s located in an area of high deprivation and contributes directly to social equity and justice by supporting disempowered people. ECOE awarded People’s Parkfield £1020.62 to purchase five electric tankless water heaters, one each for the Parkfield House kitchen and its toilets, supplying hot water to taps. This enables it to disconnect an expensive and carbon-intensive gas fired water heater currently. This will increase the financial sustainability of the CIC, enabling it to become a more robust landlord, safeguarding its provision to those organisations.
These awards demonstrate ECOE’s commitment to not only reducing energy consumption but also to empowering local organisations with the resources they need to make sustainable choices that benefit the wider community.
