Energy from waste operator Enfinium launches its 2026 community benefit fund, offering over £185,000 to local projects.
Key Takeaways
- Enfinium launches its 2026 Community Benefit Fund, offering over £185,000 for local projects in England and Wales.
- The programme supports initiatives with environmental benefits, health improvements, and community cohesion.
- Organisations eligible for funding include charities, schools, and community groups within a 10-mile radius of Enfinium’s sites.
- In 2025, funded projects included an electric minibus for schools and environmental education for children.
- Stakeholders emphasise the importance of supporting local initiatives to enhance community wellbeing and environmental stewardship.
Enfinium has announced the launch of its 2026 Community Benefit Funding programme. This programme makes over £185,000 available to support initiatives near its facilities in England and Wales. The launch follows the allocation of more than £175,000 through the programme in 2025.
Applications are now open for organisations and projects focusing on community development. The six Community Benefit Funds support communities located near the company’s operational sites.
Focus on Local Initiatives
The programme is designed to support projects that deliver environmental benefits, improve health and safety standards, or strengthen community cohesion. This includes the promotion of clean energy, waste reduction, recycling improvements, and educational development.
In 2025, supported projects included Cherry Tree Academy in West Yorkshire. The Ferrybridge Community Benefit Fund contributed over £4,000 towards a £45,000 investment in an electric minibus. This minibus is shared among schools within the Waterton Academy Trust.
Another initiative, Picker Pals, an environmental education charity, received a combined £13,200 from the Kemsley and Parc Adfer Community Benefit Funds. In addition, the funding supports environmental stewardship programmes for children in 20 schools across Kent and North Wales.
Statements from Stakeholders
Philip Curds, Head of ESG & Sustainability at Enfinium, said: “In 2025, more than £175,000 was invested in local communities, supporting grassroots projects that improved environmental outcomes and enhanced health, safety and wellbeing. We look forward to continuing this support in 2026, working alongside organisations in the communities closest to our facilities to help them thrive.”
Patrick Jackson, Founder of Picker Pals, stated: “Supporting the next generation in protecting the environment and giving them the confidence to do so is of paramount importance. With thanks to Enfinium’s funding, twenty additional schools across England and Wales will now be equipped with a programme that helps to achieve this.”
Application and Eligibility Criteria
The Enfinium community funding is available to community groups and organisations based within a 10-mile radius of Enfinium’s facilities in Kent, North Wales, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire. However, organisations located outside this catchment area are also eligible to apply for grants.
Eligible applicants include registered charities, schools, places of learning, not-for-profit companies, and community organisations. All applications must demonstrate a clear benefit to the environment, public health and wellbeing, or the wider community.
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