Dogger Bank Wind Farm launches community grants for 2026
- The Operator Fund community grants are available to community projects in South Tyneside, East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland.
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm provides £80,000 of funding to the Operator Fund each year.
- Each community grant will provide up to £1,000 of funding.
Community projects across South Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland, and the East Riding of Yorkshire are invited to apply for the 2026 round of the Dogger Bank Operator Fund.
At Dogger Bank Wind Farm, we’re dedicated to empowering our local coastal communities. This year, £80,000 has been allocated to support grassroots initiatives.
Community projects and local organisations can now apply for grants of up to £1,000 at doggerbank.com/about/community
Investing in our local communities
The funding decisions are guided by a panel of experts from joint venture partners Equinor and SSE Renewables, alongside independent representatives from NOF, the business development organisation behind the North East’s offshore wind cluster, Energi Coast.
The Operator Fund is a core pillar of Dogger Bank’s £25 million community fund, designed to support coastal communities throughout the wind farm’s operational lifespan. In addition to this, the fund is working to enhance STEM education and develop skills for a net-zero future throughout its operational lifespan.
“We are incredibly proud to continue our support for the local projects that make these regions thrive,” says Kay Doragh, Community Investment Manager. “From helping young people find their first career steps to installing solar lighting for village safety, these grants make a tangible difference. We look forward to seeing the innovative projects the 2026 applications will bring to the table.”
Neurokey, a community project from Redcar and Cleveland, said:
“We piloted the unique Specialist Community Navigator for neurodiverse young people in Redcar and with the help of Dogger Bank funding we were able to reach out to 20 parent carers who had been isolated and deemed not to fit access criteria for SEND support. We liaised with 5 schools to improve understanding of the range of neurodivergence and lobbied the NE Integrated Care System to explain how poor professional knowledge was driving a negative life impact.”
The Walkington Ukulele Festival
Gary and Hazel Hughes, organisers of the Walkington Ukulele Festival in The East Riding of Yorkshire, said:
“The Walkington Ukulele Festival (WUF) 2025 was a huge success with over two hundred ukulele enthusiasts and music lovers attending from the local community and from across the UK.
“After all our efforts to deliver a successful Ukulele Festival we were thrilled that the Walkington Ukulele Festival was recently nominated for the ‘Community Event of the Year’ in the national Ukies Awards, the equivalent of the Oscars of the ukulele world.
“Furthermore, another positive impact of the festival is that a new Ukulele Group has been established at the local Walkington Primary School and our charity The Stephen Hughes Foundation has funded a class set of ukuleles.
“The grant from the Dogger Bank Wind Farm Operator Fund was integral to delivering a successful festival and we are enormously thankful for the support provided.”
Bilton Hall Amateur Boxing Club
Marty Devlin from Bilton Hall Amateur Boxing Club in South Tyneside said:
“We are delighted with the new Ergo boxing gloves that we have purchased with the grant we received from the Dogger Bank Wind Farm Operator Fund.
“The gloves used in Amateur boxing have to be well padded and of very good quality for safety purposes and are expensive. A lot of our members find them unaffordable so when we heard about the fund we thought it may be a good idea to apply. When we later heard we had been successful in our application we let our young boxers know and it was like an early Xmas present for them, they could not wait to wear them.”
Key Funding Details
Local organisations with a formal constitution can apply for grants to support projects that enhance the quality of life for residents near the wind farm’s grid connections and its operations and maintenance base.
Community grants can be used to enhance quality of life for local residents; contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities; and/or promote community spirit and encourage community activity.
About Dogger Bank Wind Farm
Located over 130km off the Yorkshire coast, Dogger Bank is a joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Vårgrønn. Once fully completed, it will generate enough renewable energy to power around six million UK homes. SSE Renewables is leading on Dogger Bank construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. Vårgrønn brings specialist offshore wind expertise to the project.
How to Apply
Eligible community projects and local organizations can submit their applications via the official website here: doggerbank.com/about/community/