Start with renewable energy
Examples include a heat pump, a heat-network connection, solar PV or solar water heating. Solar on its own is only an option when the building already meets the heating requirement.
CARES Community Buildings Fund
Could CARES fund your community building?
CARES may help pay for heat pumps, solar and eligible energy-saving measures. Check whether your group and building fit, then ask FLO for a free survey and quote.
The fund at a glance
What does your group need to know first?
The grant can help reduce a community building's energy costs and emissions. Your group applies to Local Energy Scotland; FLO can help assess and price the proposed work.
Up to £80,000CARES may fund up to 80% of eligible costs. Your group needs at least 20% match funding.
Your buildingIt must be an existing, regularly used community building that your group owns or holds on a qualifying lease.
Your heatingThe project must meet the fund's low-carbon heating rule, with at least one eligible core measure.
Local Energy Scotland controls eligibility, available budget and grant decisions. Read its current fund rules.
Quick CARES check
Could your project meet the main CARES rules?
01
Is your group a Scottish charity or a company that does not distribute profits?
Your group, not the installer, would apply for the grant.
02
Do you own the building or hold a qualifying long lease?
The current official rule asks for ownership or at least five years remaining after project completion.
03
Is it an existing, regularly used community building?
You may need to show how often it is used and who can use it.
04
Will the project meet the fund's heating requirement?
For example, existing eligible low-carbon heat or installing a heat pump / heat-network connection.
05
Will you install an eligible core measure?
This could be a heat pump, heat-network connection, solar PV or solar water heating.
06
Can your group cover at least 20% of the eligible project cost?
CARES may cover up to 80%, capped at £80,000. Your group must plan for its share and any costs outside the grant.
What the fund can cover
Which improvements could go into a CARES project?
The building must meet the heating requirement and the project must include a core measure. Add-ons can then support that project where the fund's rules allow them.
Improve how the building uses it
Battery or heat storage, some insulation, secondary glazing, draught proofing and suitable controls may be included alongside a core measure. Add-on costs must be lower than core-measure costs.
Not sure what your building needs? A free FLO survey checks its heating, electricity use and practical installation options before you settle on equipment.
Ask FLO to assess our buildingFrom idea to application
What are the CARES funding steps?
Apply through Local Energy Scotland. FLO helps with the building survey, technical design and installer quote.
- 01
Check your organisation and building
Read the current CARES rules. Start an expression of interest and complete the organisation eligibility check with Local Energy Scotland.
- 02
Choose and price the right work
Get a survey of the building, decide which measures fit, and obtain the installer quote or quotes needed for your application.
- 03
Submit the evidence
Upload the lease or ownership record, building-use details, photos, a year of energy bills and the proposed quote through the CARES portal.
- 04
Wait for the funding decision
Answer any questions from Local Energy Scotland. Only a formal grant offer confirms funding; follow its conditions before starting the work.
Prepare your application
What information will your group need?
Gather these while the project is being planned. Local Energy Scotland may ask for more detail before it treats the application as complete.
Get a free survey and project quote Ownership or a qualifying lease and permission for the work How the community uses the building Photos showing its condition A year of energy bills or usage data Installer quote or quotes showing design and cost The source of your 20% match funding
Help at each stage
What could FLO help your group with?
You can use this page to understand CARES. If one part of your project needs a closer look, these pages explain FLO's specific help.
Check whether your building might fitReview your group, building and proposed work against the published CARES starting rules.See eligibility help →Work out what to installUse a building survey to plan heating and electricity improvements around how the space is used.See project design →Prepare a useful quoteUnderstand the scope, assumptions and costs that need to be clear in a funding application.See quotation help →
Need the detailed rules?
Read the full CARES funding guide.
The guide covers the finer eligibility points, quote requirements, common questions and links to Local Energy Scotland's official guidance.
Talk to FLO
Just have a question?
Ask FLO about your community building, a CARES requirement or what the survey would check. You do not need to book a survey just to ask.