A grant funding programme to help communities living within five miles of certain waste transfer stations or landfill sites take action for their local environment.
The Landfill Disposals Tax (LDT) Communities Scheme is a Welsh Government funding programme managed by WCVA. The scheme supports local community and environmental projects in areas affected by the disposal of waste to landfill.
How much funding is available?
Grants of between £5,000 and £49,999 will be available for projects that meet scheme criteria. The fund size is £1.4 million per annum.
The autumn round is currently open for main grants between £5,000 – £15,000, as well as Nationally Significant grants between £50,000 and £250,000.
Who and what will it fund?
The fund will be open to any organisation for projects focusing on one or more of the following themes:
Biodiversity – create resilient ecological networks for the benefit of a range of habitats and species:
- Improve conditions to help native species, pollinators and provide opportunities for new planting
- Restore, maintain and enhance natural habitats
- Engage and support participation and understanding to embed biodiversity
Waste minimisation and the diversion of waste from landfill – promote awareness and best practice to reduce the amount of waste produced:
- Encourage prevention, re-use, recovery and recycling of waste
- Reduce food waste and support initiatives such as composting
- Engage and support understanding to enable waste to be seen as a resource
Wider environmental enhancements – bring wider community benefit through improving quality of place:
- Create community green spaces and support green infrastructure
- Bring neglected and run-down areas back into community use
- Maintain or improve community facilities, for example community halls
Please use the eligibility area checker below to see whether your project is within five miles of an eligible waste transfer station or landfill site.
There= is further information on the how the fund will work and the application process.
Eligibility area checker
Please use the map to see if you are within five miles of an eligible waste transfer station or landfill site.
The Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme will fund projects within five miles of certain waste transfer stations or landfill sites. Eligible sites are those that reported sending in excess of 2000 tonnes to landfill in the reporting year, eligible sites are subject to change between funding rounds and so it is advisable that you check the map just before you begin your application. The map will be updated ahead of a funding round opening; and will show eligible sites for that round.
Once you have confirmed your project is within one or more of these eligible sites read the scheme guidance document to check whether your project fits with the themes of the funding and other eligibility criteria.
Biodiversity projects that extend outside of the five-mile boundary will be considered as the scheme appreciates that habitats (such as rivers) do not recognise boundaries and that benefits may be felt in areas other than, or in addition to, the site in which project activity takes place. Applications submitted that fall into this category will be considered on a case by case basis for full or partial funding.
If your project does not fall within an eligible area, or if you are unsure whether your project qualifies under the theme criteria, please contact ldtgrants@wcva.cyrmu or your local County Voluntary Council for further guidance.
You can move the map around by clicking and dragging with your mouse. To zoom into your area – hold down the CTRL button on your keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom. Areas which are eligible are covered by red with a pin in the centre of the eligible area.
How the fund will work
Main grants:
The Fund will offer grants of £5,000 to £49,999 for projects that meet one or more of the scheme’s three themes, with opportunities to apply twice a year, in Spring and Autumn. There will be a one-stage application process for these grants, with detailed guidance and sources of support published on the LDT Communities Scheme Fund webpage. Decisions will be announced approximately eight weeks after the grant submission deadline. Projects funded in 2019-2020 can run for a minimum of six months and have a completion date of no later than 30 September 2021.
Nationally significant grant:
The Fund will also award one larger grant each year for projects of national significance. This nationally significant grant will be from £50,000 up to £250,000 for a project that meets two or more of the scheme’s three themes.
Application process
Applications will be made through an online grant portal – eTenderWales. There is guidance and support [anchor link] to help walk you through this process below.
If you submit your application at least two weeks before the grant deadline, we will review the application for eligibility and let you know of any problems so that these can be addressed. We strongly encourage applicants to take advantage of this review service.
Please make note of the deadline for applications, the eTenderWales application form will close at 23:59 on the deadline date. We are unable to accept any applications which do not make the deadline.
Applications will be assessed on how closely they meet the priorities of the LDT Communities Scheme along with evidence of need for project activities, local community support, the anticipated impact, sustainability, viability and value for money. There is no requirement for match funding – i.e. grants can fund 100% of project costs – but any match funding that is secured will help demonstrate value for money. Volunteer time can be counted as a source of match funding. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via email.
Grants to successful applicants will be paid 80% upfront and the remaining 20% on completion of the project and submission of a final report. Applicants will be not be able to reapply to the fund during the time that their project is running unless it is to fund a different project in another location or with a different set of activities. Monitoring reports will be required every six months. Successful projects will receive support and guidance as part of their grant offer.
Main grants application process
- Fund opens for applications
- You submit an application form by post or email
- Two weeks before the application deadline – last chance for pre-closing date eligibility check
- Application deadline
- Approximately eight weeks after deadline – notification of outcome
eTender Wales information
To apply for the LDTCS you will need to register with eTender Wales, Welsh Government’s online application portal. If you have previously registered with eTenderWales, you can log in by entering your username and password on the home screen. Organisations can register by visiting the website.
eTenderWales may look a little unfriendly but please do not let this put you off as there is support service available via bravosolution.
Once you have an account set up with eTenderWales you will be able to access other funding opportunities advertised in Wales along with the LDT Community Scheme.
Using eTenderWales enables you to submit your online application in a secure environment.
Applications will be assessed on how closely they meet the priorities of the LDT Communities Scheme along with evidence of need for project activities, local community support, the anticipated impact, sustainability, viability and value for money.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome via email.
Applications are welcomed in Welsh. The Welsh application is available on eTenderWales. Any applications submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favourably than applications submitted in English.
When you have accessed the application form via eTender Wales you will also need to download the project to fill in your budget and targets. For a step by step guide on how to access the application via eTender Wales, please download the document named ‘Accessing the Application Form on eTender Wales’ below.
Downloads
LDTCS – FAQs May 2018 [LINK TO DOC]
LDTCS Guidance for Applicants April 2019 [LINK TO DOC]
LDTCS-Accessing the Application Form on eTender Wales [LINK TO DOC]
The following resources can help you build on your project ideas for one of the scheme themes
Biodiversity
The biodiversity theme is all about the ‘conservation and promotion of a specific species or a specific habitat where it naturally occurs’. Several key resources help explain the current poor state of our biodiversity and the threats that this brings to the ‘ecosystem services’ that we depend on the natural environment for.
- Natural Resources Wales’ ‘The State of Natural Resources Report 2016’
- Millennium Ecosystem Assessment ‘Ecosystems and Human Well-being’ [LINK TO DOC]
- WWF’s ‘Living Planet Report’ 2016
For information on species in your local area and the best actions you can take to support them you can check out your Local Biodiversity Action Plan, contact your Local Environmental Records Centre (North, South, West, and Mid Wales), find your local Wildlife Trust or take a look at the Invest in Nature Cymru resources.
Waste minimisation and the diversion of waste from landfill
This theme aims to ‘promote awareness and best practice to reduce the amount of waste produced’. This will help reduce the environmental and monetary costs associated with wasted resources and help bring about a circular economy where waste is viewed as a resource. For more information on the circular economy and what this means, you can visit the WRAP Cymru website.
For further information and inspiration visit:
- Love Food Hate Waste and Love Your Clothes –of waste minimisation projects
- Fareshare Cymru and Repair Café – examples of circular economy ideas
- Keep Wales Tidy – waste research and policy information and examples of inspiring community action to tackle waste and litter at a local community level
- Fly Tipping Action Wales – resources and campaign ideas to tackle nuisance litter
- Marine Conservation Society – advice around beach cleans and marine litter and runs BeachWatch across the UK
- Wales Coop Centre – provides support for social enterprises in Wales looking to trial reuse or upcycling initiatives
Wider environmental enhancements
This theme is a great opportunity to fund activities which bring wider community benefits through improving the quality of community facilities and green spaces. If you are thinking of putting together a project to promote or enhance green space or to improve your community building the following may be useful resources for ideas and research data:
- Wildlife Trusts Wales ‘Green Infrastructure: A Catalyst for Well-Being’ report [LINK TO DOC]
- The Land Trust ‘The Hidden Value of our Green Spaces’ [LINK TO DOC]
- Carbon Trust webinar on Energy Efficiency
- Mind Cymru ‘ Go Green to Beat the Blues’ research
- Invest in Nature Cymru resources
Organisations like Keep Wales Tidy, Canal and River Trust, Groundwork Wales and Groundwork North Wales also have information and case studies providing ideas and inspiration.
Please contact ldtgrants@wc001.ddtestsite.co.uk or your local County Voluntary Council for further enquiries.