Launched in April 2009, Foundation is an innovative climate fund for the Northwest of England that gathers up donations from individuals, businesses and other organisations and uses them to support a variety of community-based carbon reduction projects.

The projects that Foundation supports include domestic energy efficiency improvements like wall and loft insulation, renewable energy schemes like the installation of solar panels, behaviour change initiatives like encouraging people to switch from driving to cycling, and carbon capture projects like tree planting. The carbon reductions delivered through these projects are subject to close scrutiny and independent validation and verification.

All these local projects make a big collective impact, and together will help meet local, regional and UK targets for carbon reduction and climate change. Alongside the environmental benefits, Foundation is actively supporting families struggling to pay their fuel bills, investing in "green collar" jobs and developing the low carbon economy.

Foundation funding is provided when other government grants or support from private business can't help.

All donations are kept in the Northwest to support projects that help to reduce the region’s carbon footprint and help to develop a green economy.