Our new Social DSO Fund

Our Social DSO fund – or social distribution system operation fund – evolved from the powering our communities fund which we first established in 2018 as a way to ensure smaller community energy groups and businesses could purchase and embrace low-carbon technologies as a way of achieving a more sustainable energy future.

Powering our communities had tremendous success, helping to spark early‑stage ideas across the region and providing more than £500,000 to 45 community projects.

However, once we created our Social DSO strategy in 2025 which highlighted our ambition to be a DSO who not only enables the North West to decarbonise quicker, but also one that puts communities at the heart of every decision, it made sense to rename and release new funding too – and thus, the Social DSO fund was born!

So, what’s it all about?

Our aim is to help communities across the North West to step up and shape their own local energy future. That could be through creating climate‑resilient spaces, generating clean power by investing in sustainable energy systems or delivering energy‑efficiency support to residents.

Applicants can apply for up to £25,000 to support the delivery of practical, locally driven projects and at the heart of it is to ensure a just, fair and inclusive transition for everyone.

This means:

• proactively supporting communities who are most at risk of being left behind
• encouraging applications from under‑represented groups
• enabling public sector bodies as well as community organisations to apply
• focusing investment where it can deliver the greatest social value
• requiring measurable social and environmental value
• supporting low‑carbon and flexibility‑aligned energy assets
• encouraging innovative, collaborative approaches

These principles guide everything from how we assess projects to how we measure impact, and they sit at the core of our wider social DSO strategy.

How to apply

It’s easy to get started, so if want to find out more, you can contact us via the website at www.enwl.co.uk/social-dso

When can you apply

Our latest window to apply is now open and will remain open until Friday 27 March 2026 with decisions being shared in late April – so you still have plenty of time to contact us!

What has the fund delivered so far?

We’re delighted that several early projects are already underway, demonstrating the impact this approach can deliver.

As part of our early roll‑out, we’ve awarded more than £105,000 across five projects:

• Burneside Community Energy: Expanding local renewable generation with solar PV panels and battery storage to cut emissions, store clean power and increase community energy independence.
• EnergyCloud Foundation – A pilot that captures renewable energy and redirects it to vulnerable households offering an innovative route to affordable warmth.
• Solar for Schools – Enhancing on-site renewables at a local school with battery storage, reducing bills and providing hands‑on learning opportunities for students.
• NHS - Installing battery storage at a health facility to boost resilience, cut carbon and support essential services during peak demand.
• Culterham Hall: Transforming the village hall into a low‑carbon resilience hub, providing a warm, energy‑efficient and reliable community space during extreme weather or emergencies.

We also make sure that every pound we grant, delivers maximum social benefit, which we assess using our new Social Return on Investment Cost Benefit Analysis calculator.

This includes things like:

• improved health and wellbeing
• reduced carbon and better air quality
• strengthened resilience to extreme weather
• increased employment and skills
• lower energy bills and reduced fuel poverty

For every £1.00 invested, projects are expected to deliver £1.31 in wider social benefit which means, together these five projects are expected to generate £138,000 in wider societal benefits.

Speaking about the funding, Dick Trowler, chair of Burneside Community Energy, said:

“The form was no problem at all and dealing Katherine was a pleasure. We’re using it to fund the installation of solar panels and a battery stack at The Bryce Institute, our local village hall in Burneside.” 

So, don’t delay! Whether you’re a neighbourhood organisation, school, council, local climate group, or community group in the North West, we all have an essential role to play in the future of our energy system. The Social DSO Fund is here to help you turn your ideas into impact. Get in touch now by emailing SocialDSO@enwl.co.uk