Gen Community Ventures & Energise Barnsley Creating a financial model that helped win a £1mn green energy grant. Gen Community Ventures (GCV) develops green energy schemes and manages solar assets. They deliver projects with partners to reduce fuel poverty and carbon emissions in local communities. Problem GCV partnered with Energise Barnsley for an ambitious project: providing solar panels to 1000 homes in Barnsley. Their goal was to help the most vulnerable community members in the local area by reducing fuel poverty. Recognising the need for a strong financial model but lacking the skills internally, they reached out to PBE's Data First Aid service for help. Solution We recruited Adewunmi Babayemi as the ideal volunteer for the task. The clear brief which PBE helped GCV and Energise Barnsley create gave Adewunmi "the freedom to deliver" an impressive financial model within just two months. Results The financial model Adewunmi created gave the project team the tools and the confidence to approach councils and housing associations with their idea. Bethan Wynton, Director, and Project Manager at GCV said that “Adewunmi has done more than we expected. He really helped us understand what was missing from our financial model.” Benefits The model Adewunmi created helped secure a £1 million grant from the Energy Savings Trust to take the project forwards. But the relationship didn’t end there. Adewunmi is continuing to contribute, and he has joined Energise Barnsley’s board to provide his expertise on a lasting basis. Bethan Wynton, noted, "He feels like part of the extended team now and it's great to have another perspective on the board, particularly from someone who has worked on large-scale strategic projects for central government." Manage Cookie Preferences