The answer
What should your group check before applying?
If you are applying for your group, the organisation—not you personally—is named on the CARES application. Check its legal status, whether it owns or has a qualifying lease on the building, how the community uses the space and whether the proposed work fits the fund. Local Energy Scotland makes the final decision.
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Can your organisation apply?
The current fund is aimed at Scottish charities and companies that do not distribute profits. Other community groups may face extra conditions. Use your organisation's formal name in the application and check that it matches the records showing who owns or leases the building.
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Does your building meet the rules?
Village halls, community centres, sports facilities and faith buildings may qualify, but the building type alone is not enough. Check that it is an existing building, your group has the right to use it and the wider community can access it.
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Does your proposed work fit?
Your group may meet the organisation rules while the work you want does not. Check each proposed improvement against the current CARES list and explain how it will reduce your building's energy costs and emissions.
Why might a promising project still fall outside the rules?
There are three separate questions: can your organisation apply, does its building meet the rules, and is the work you want to do covered? A charity might use a building it does not own; a hall might not be used often enough; or a suitable building might be paired with work outside the current fund. One positive answer does not settle the other two.
Use your group's formal name consistently on its documents and the application. If you are unsure about a lease, community use or a proposed system, ask Local Energy Scotland directly. FLO can assess the building and technical options but cannot decide a grant application.
What to check next
Your next steps
Where we checked the facts
Check the original information.
These official pages back up the rules and technical details above. They can change, so check them again before spending money or starting work.
Apply this to your own property
Could your community building be suitable?
Tell FLO about your building and the work your group is considering. A free survey checks what may fit; Local Energy Scotland decides CARES eligibility and funding.