Article for Breadalbane Quair – September 2026
Heartland Community Wind invites interest in community benefit fund
Heartland Community Wind, a small cooperative that generates green energy with two medium sized turbines in the hills above Kenmore, is looking for interest from local organisations in our community benefit fund. Organisations can apply for a grant of £6,850 per year over 3 years (approx £20k total) or a smaller grant of £650per year over 3 years (approx £2k total).
In the past, Heartland Community Wind funded a three-year programme offering scholarships for students from the Aberfeldy and Kenmore area (PH15 postcode) attending Perth College, and we are in the final year of a three-year grant to Healthiest Town Aberfeldy. Both grants have been very successful with a positive impact in the community.
We are now exploring ideas to offer the community benefit fund to local organisations or groups working to tackle climate and nature emergencies or to help alleviate fuel poverty in the Kenmore and Aberfeldy areas.
Heartland Community Wind’s two turbines are 100% owned by its members – including locals and members from further afield. Elizabeth Leighton, Heartland Community Wind director said, “We are excited to consider expressions of interest in the community fund which address the climate and nature crisis and those that help provide affordable warmth for families and individuals. The fund is based on the proceeds of generating green energy, helping to reduce our carbon emissions and tackle climate change.”
The project or service must meet the following criteria:
- Benefits the area and residents of the PH15 postcode area.
- The service or project aims to tackle the climate and nature emergencies and/or alleviate fuel poverty. Where possible it should also seek to provide wider social and economic benefits to the community – for example, energy efficiency and renewables in buildings, sustainable transport, zero waste, sustainable food, natural solutions to climate impacts.
- The group(s) would administer the spending of their grant each year over a 3-year period and provide an annual report of progress to Heartland Community Wind directors.
Please contact Elizabeth Leighton at elizabeth@thinkingtrees.co.uk by 20 October 2026 if you are interested, with a short paper (no more than 4 pages) with information about your group, how you would spend the grant and what you hope to achieve over the three year period. You can find out more about Heartland Community Wind on our website heartlandwind.org.uk.