The second round of Scottish Government’s CARES Community Energy Generation Growth Fund is now open for applications.

Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) supports communities to engage with, participate in, and benefit from the energy transition to net zero. It is administered and managed by the Local Energy Scotland consortium.

The Community Energy Generation Growth Fund helps community organisations to develop their own renewable energy projects, including wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The fund can help community organisations with grant funding, advice, and loan funding to progress their renewable energy projects. Support can be at the feasibility, development or construction stages of a project.

This funding round will target projects that can deliver a specific, significant milestone by Tuesday 17 March 2026.

The fund will close to applications on Monday 8 September 2025.

Who Can Apply?

The following types of organisations are eligible to apply for support:

Scottish registered and incorporated non-profit distributing organisations
community groups interested in developing, owning, and operating renewable electricity generation projects
established and constituted community groups, for example Development Trusts and constituted Community Energy/Climate Action Groups
charities including Arms Length External Organisations (ALEOs)

Please note that all funding applications need to be completed by the organisation or group in question, not an installer or contractor acting on their behalf. If such an application is received, it will be rejected.

What Funding Is Available?

Feasibility and development support will be provided through grant funding, or support via CARES framework contractors. Later stage funding for installation and construction will be supported by grants and loans.

How to Apply

Applicants must read the full funding guidance to find out if their project is eligible before submitting an application.

For the full application guidance, and how to apply, please visit the Local Energy Scotland website.

CARES Project Portal

Organisations who have not had CARES funding before should go to the CARES project portal (linked for your convenience) and submit an expression of interest form with information about the organisation and project, so their eligibility can be checked before they submit a full application.

Those who already have a CARES portal account must apply for funding for their new project by submitting an expression of interest form in relation to that new project, via their existing portal account.