Valencia Communities Fund

Valencia Communities Fund, established in 2001 as Viridor Credits and renamed in 2022 following the transition of landfill operations from Viridor to Valencia Waste Management, was a charitable company dedicated to distributing Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) resources in England and Scottish LCF in Scotland. Its core mission focused on mitigating the impacts of landfill sites by funding community regeneration, environmental conservation, and public amenity enhancements near operational sites. Guided by values of sustainability, transparency, regulatory compliance (via ENTRUST and SEPA), and maximising long-term social-environmental impact, it awarded over £160 million in grants before permanently closing in 2024, ending all funding activities.

The fund supported capital projects advancing specific charitable objects: land remediation for community use, community recycling and waste prevention, public parks and amenities, biodiversity conservation through habitat/species enhancement, and restoration of public-access heritage, religious, historic, or archaeological sites. Beneficiaries included local communities, heritage organisations, conservation charities, and environmental groups near Valencia landfills, with funded initiatives like ecological restorations, community recycling hubs, village church repairs, and biodiversity reserves delivering measurable, lasting benefits.

Eligible applicants were UK-registered charities and constituted community groups without strict income thresholds, but projects had to be within 10 miles of active Valencia landfill sites or waste transfer stations (handling 2,500+ tonnes) in England and Scotland, often requiring a 10% third-party match. Typical grants ranged £15,000–£25,000 (up to 50% of costs, max £100,000 project), reviewed quarterly via a two-stage process: eligibility EOI followed by full applications, now ceased.

Exclusively capital funding excluded revenue, core costs, professional fees, or unrestricted support, distinguishing it as a regulated distributor of landfill tax credits with rigorous site monitoring and a legacy of targeted, proximity-based environmental-community investments. No new applications are accepted.