£80,000 Community Buildings Fund Grant

CARES Community Buildings Fund

Get Up to £80,000 for Your Scottish Community Building

If your village hall, sports pavilion, church or community centre is expensive to heat and costing your group a fortune, there has never been a better time to act. The CARES Community Buildings Fund offers eligible Scottish community organisations grants of up to £80,000 to install renewable technology covering up to 80% of eligible costs. With the funding window closing at the end of October 2026, now is the moment to get your project moving.

At Boxergy, one of Scotland’s leading renewable energy installers, we help community groups turn this opportunity into warmer, cheaper, greener buildings. Here is everything you can get, and how we make the whole process simple.

What Is the CARES Community Buildings Fund?

The CARES Community Buildings Fund is part of the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), delivered by Local Energy Scotland. It was created to help community organisations cut their energy bills and carbon emissions by switching to renewable, low-carbon technology.

For many community buildings, energy is one of the single biggest running costs. Old electric heating, draughty halls and rising bills eat into funds that should be supporting your members and your local area. This grant exists to break that cycle, and because it covers up to 80% of eligible costs, the cost barrier that has stopped so many groups from upgrading is largely removed.

CARES Community Buildings Fund: How Much Funding Can You Get?

Through the CARES Community Buildings Fund, eligible organisations can receive:

• A grant of up to £80,000 per project
• Coverage of up to 80% of eligible costs, with your group providing at least 20% in match funding

Crucially, the fund does not only pay for the kit. Eligible costs can also include the building warrants, planning permission and grid connection applications that are sometimes needed to install your system. That means more of your project is covered, and fewer hidden costs land on your committee.

What Technology Does the Grant Cover?

The CARES Community Buildings Fund is designed to fund exactly the kind of renewable systems that slash a building’s running costs. Eligible technologies include:

• Air source heat pumps: efficient, low-carbon heating to replace expensive electric or oil systems
• Solar PV panels: generate your own electricity and cut your bills
• Battery storage: store the power you generate and use it when you need it most

These are all systems Boxergy installs in-house every week, so we can design a package that fits your building and your budget.

CARES Community Buildings Fund: Who Can Apply?

The fund is aimed at constituted, non-profit-distributing community organisations across Scotland, including registered charities, community trusts, faith groups, sports clubs and voluntary organisations that serve a defined local community. Eligible buildings typically include:

• Village and community halls
• Community centres and hubs
• Sports and recreation facilities
• Faith buildings such as churches, mosques and temples
• Men’s Sheds, Scout and Guide halls, and other community-run spaces

To qualify, your organisation must own the building or hold a lease with at least five years remaining, and the building should be used regularly by the local community. The fund is particularly focused on buildings with electric heating, or those installing heat pumps, that are committed to decarbonising their heat. New builds are not eligible.

If you are not sure whether your group qualifies, that is exactly the kind of question we can help you answer in a quick, no-obligation conversation.

Why the Deadline Matters. Act Before October 2026

Here is the part every community group needs to understand: the CARES Community Buildings Fund closes to applications at the end of October 2026, and funding is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. That means it can run out before the deadline if the pot is fully allocated.

There is also a practical catch. Before you can apply, you need a detailed quotation from a qualified installer setting out the proposed technology, the cost and the installation timeline. Sourcing that quote, gathering your paperwork and securing your match funding all take time. The groups most likely to secure a grant are the ones that start now — not the ones that wait until the autumn.

In short: the earlier you begin, the stronger your position.

How Boxergy Helps You Secure CARES Funding

Most community committees are run by volunteers who are short on time and have never managed a renewable energy project, and that is completely understandable. The good news is that you do not have to become an energy expert. Boxergy guides you through the CARES Community Buildings Fund journey from the very first conversation to long after your system is switched on.

Here is how we help:

• Free, no-obligation site survey: we assess your building and recommend only what genuinely works for your space and usage
• A detailed, grant-ready quotation: the technical and cost evidence your CARES application needs
• Application support: we help you pull together the information, so the process feels manageable
• Professional installation: our qualified engineers handle the install and commissioning to recognised standards
• Ongoing service and aftercare: service plans to keep your system running efficiently for years to come

As a Scottish, RECC-registered and Scottish EDGE award-winning installer of heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage, we are a partner your committee can trust to deliver.

Make Your Building Warmer, Cheaper and Greener

The CARES Community Buildings Fund is a rare opportunity to transform how your community building uses energy cutting bills for decades, reducing your carbon footprint and protecting the building at the heart of your community. With up to £80,000 on offer and a deadline at the end of October 2026, the time to act is now.

Contact Boxergy Today. Before the Funding Runs Out

Do not let this funding pass your community by. Get in touch with Boxergy  for no-obligation chat. Call us free on 0800 048 7425, or request your free quote online. Let’s get your community building warmer, cheaper and greener together. Visit Boxergy LinkedIn profile.

Funding details are accurate at the time of writing (2026). Community organisations should confirm current eligibility and deadlines directly with Local Energy Scotland before applying.