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Q: Can you tell us more about the work you’re doing with community organisations to build climate resilience and why this is an important priority for you?
Dave: Locality is a membership network of over 2,000 place-based community organisations, many operating in disadvantaged areas. Our mission is two-fold: help those organisations become more resilient and shape a policy and funding environment that enables them to thrive. Climate resilience sits at the heart of both goals.
Ultimately, community work is climate work because the very organisations we support are on the frontline of both the impacts and the solutions
Our work on tackling the climate emergency includes a number of areas – we’ve just finished partnering with Groundwork and others on the £25 million Government VCSE Energy Efficiency Fund. This helped local community organisations audit their buildings, install insulation, swap to LED lighting and, where feasible, put solar on their roofs. On another level, we champion issues like community ownership and local procurement, recognising that asset-rich but excluded communities often bear the heaviest climate burdens: rising energy costs, extreme weather and pollution.
We’ve also worked with the Greater London Authority (GLA) on the Community Spaces at Risk Fund to preserve Black-led local spaces and community centres through a mix of grants and wider support. Many of these spaces become important resilience hubs during extreme weather events, so it’s vital that they’re protected and able to thrive. We know that disadvantaged communities are most affected by the climate crisis, but where you live also matters – weather patterns, the cost of energy and particularly air pollution are huge issues in London. Ultimately, community work is climate work because the very organisations we support are on the frontline of both the impacts and the solutions.
How do you use a place-based approach to tailor support for organisations to build climate resilience, create green business models and more?
Dave: One thing we do is help local community centres “get their own house in order”, so practical steps like energy audits of their own buildings and get capital funds to make their buildings more sustainable.
Beyond that, we worked with IPPR and Power to Change to map out viable community-business models - from community-owned wind turbines and paint recycling to urban food-growing co-ops and community car clubs. We scored each model on scalability, financial viability, people-power and climate impact. That framework enables groups to pick the right approach for their local area rather than chasing a one-size-fits-all solution.
We’ve also seen that building on local knowledge and community networks is key to this work – what works in Bristol, where some of our members are building community wind turbines, is not necessarily going to work in London, where there are particular concerns around air pollution, access to spaces (especially shaded spaces when we get extreme heat) and savings on energy costs. Organisations like Community Energy London are working to help community centres and schools install solar panels on their roofs, providing some excellent examples in the capital that build on communities' own knowledge to take action.
What have been some of the biggest lessons from this work?
Dave: So far, I think there are three main things that stand out. First is that language matters when it comes to climate action work. Terms like ‘net zero’ can feel abstract or even politically charged. We’ve learnt to lead with co-benefits when speaking to community organisations: energy savings, lower bills, improved health, better public spaces. Framing climate action around “making our places liveable” cuts through scepticism.
Second is that diversity of voices is essential. The professional climate sector can be dominated by technical jargon and a narrow demographic. Community organisations bring lived experience and local insight, which not only grounds projects in real needs but also helps funders reach people who’ve historically been excluded from environmental decision-making.
Finally, network effects multiply impact. One community hub swapping lightbulbs is great. But when 2,000 hubs also share lessons on procurement, business models and partnerships, the collective impact on emissions and on social outcomes can be transformative. Peer learning and mentoring are just as important as grant support.
By working through the lens of place, funders can ensure that climate action is not an add-on but an integral part of local community development
What would you recommend other funders think about if they want to use a place-based approach to help tackle some of those big, social and political challenges like the climate crisis?
Dave: I think we’re seeing increasing examples of climate-focused funding, which is great - GLA’s Green Roots Fund and the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund are two good examples. Others are also moving in the right direction, but there’s room for more, including:
- Raising awareness with community groups about how the climate crisis will affect their work and their area, as well as resourcing them to influence policy in their local area, is important. It’s key to understand that real change also happens when local organisations are funded to install solar panels, create more green spaces and sustainable businesses.
- There is an estimated £130 million of unused carbon offset funds in the London Borough (this is the Mayor of London’s carbon offset fund, which developers are required to pay into to mitigate emissions from new projects). There’s an opportunity here for the community sector to work with public and private funders on community climate action planning and joined-up work.
- Coordinate rather than duplicate. The climate funding space can feel overwhelming: dozens of funds, specialist bodies, and technical requirements. Just as funders joined up during COVID, pooling resources could drive more coherent, strategic investment in community climate resilience.
By working through the lens of place, funders can ensure that climate action is not an add-on but an integral part of local community development. The communities most at risk from climate impacts have the creativity, the networks and the will to lead - what they need is coordinated, flexible funding that meets them where they are.
We’re grateful to Dave and the Locality team for sharing their insights. If you’d like to explore partnership opportunities or learn more about their community-led climate work, visit https://locality.org.uk/news/helping-communities-climate-change