FAQ
Following are some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have any others, please contact us:
- What is the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF)?
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The landfill communities fund (LCF) provides funding for community and environmental groups around landfill sites. The aim is to put something positive back into these areas.
- I've heard that the LCF has funding 'objects' - what are these?
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Funding 'Objects' are guidelines on the types of projects that can be supported through the Landfill Communities Fund. SITA Trust supports the following:
Object D - improvements to community amenities
Object E - improvements to historic buildings and places of worship
Object DA - biodiversity projectsInstead of referring to these objects, SITA Trust has two main funding programmes, Enriching Nature and Enhancing Communities, as well as GreenPrints, our youth volunteering programme.
- Is the Landfill Communities Fund Compulsory for Landfill Operators?
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No, it is a voluntary scheme. Landfill Operators do not benefit financially from taking part.
- Who are ENTRUST?
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ENTRUST is the regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund. ENTRUST regulates the LCF on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs and audits organisations that distribute Landfill Communities funding.
- Why do LCF funders sometimes have different rules?
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All funders must comply with the rules of the Landfill Communities Fund. They can only fund projects that are eligible for funding through the Scheme. Please note, however, that funders may also have additional criteria. SITA Trust, for example, will only fund restoration or renovation of Grade 1 listed places of worship and other historic buildings / structures (with an appropriate designation)
- Do you fund recycling and waste management projects?
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Until 2003, SITA Trust and other distributors of LCF funding supported recycling, education and research into waste management. Funding for these types of projects is no longer possible through the LCF since the rules for funding were changed.
- Do we have to be a registered Environmental Body to be eligible for a grant?
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The term 'Environmental Body' is used by ENTRUST to describe organisations that can manage Landfill Communities funding. However, to receive Landfill Communities funding, organisations do not need to enrol as an Environmental Body. This is because SITA Trust will act as the Environmental Body on your project - ensuring that funding is spent in a compliant way.
- What's the Contributing Third Party Payment (CTP)?
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The CTP is a payment that must be made to SITA UK, before funding is released. The CTP payment essentially unlocks the funding.
- Should we include the Contributing Third Party Payment (CTP) when we prepare the project budget?
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Apply for the amount of funding you need from SITA Trust, do not add the value of the CTP to the amount you are requesting from SITA Trust. The CTP unlocks the funding and pays back SITA who can only receive a tax credit for 90% of the funding they donate through the Scheme. There's more information about this payment in the SITA Trust guidance notes.
- Does SITA UK make a profit from the CTP?
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No. SITA UK receives a tax credit of 90% of the money that it pays to HM Revenue and Customs. However, when SITA UK pays money to SITA Trust for onward distribution it has to add 10% of its own money onto the amount. So, the contributing third party payment, when it is returned to SITA UK pays back this money. It doesn't, however, cover the cost of interest losses incurred by SITA.
- Why is SITA Trust also referred to as a Distributive Environmental Body?
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It means that the Trust is a registered Environmental Body with ENTRUST (the Landfill Communities Fund regulator), that can distribute funding to eligible projects.
- Can I re-apply for funding if my project has been turned down?
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If your project has been turned down by the SITA Trust Board you will have to wait 12 months before you submit the same project to the Trust for consideration. In the mean time however, you can submit other projects for consideration.
- Does SITA UK run the Trust?
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No, the Trust is run by its own Board of Directors. The majority of Board members are non-executive, that is, independent people who are not employed by SITA UK.
- Does ENTRUST pay the money to our project?
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No, ENTRUST is the regulator for the Landfill Communities Fund. It does not distribute funding to projects.
- Is my project eligible if SITA collects my rubbish?
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Not neccessarily. Enhancing communities funding is availbable in designated areas around SITA UK waste treatment sites. Take a look at our locator page to see if there is a site near you.
- How long does it take for the funding to come through?
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Following the Board's decision to support a project, a funding agreement and project delivery plan need to be drawn up and agreed between the Trust and the applicant. We will also register the project with ENTRUST. All this can take as little time as 4-6 weeks from the project approval date.
- How much funding can I ask for?
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See the Apply for Funding section.
- How long can the funding last for?
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We fund both short and long-term projects although we won't usually commit funding to projects that last more than three years; we will also review the progress of the project each year. Once an offer of funding has been made, the grant must be taken up within six months of registration. If this is proving difficult for genuine reasons, the Trust may consider granting an extension.
- What does SITA stand for?
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Originally an acronym, with its origins in France, nowadays SITA is simply a brand name.