More than 260 projects across Cumbria and Lincolnshire have received financial support from Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).
The community projects have received millions of pounds worth of funding from NWS in the last three years.
The communities in which NWS operates have been supported by funding that aims to benefit people and projects.
Over the last three years, more than £10 million has been awarded to over 260 initiatives across Cumbria and Lincolnshire ranging from youth schemes, mental health initiatives, and mountain rescue.
This funding, a total of £11.86m, is made available to support community projects.
In recognition of the fact that the main benefits that come from hosting a GDF will not materialise for many years, up to £1m a year of taxpayer funding is available to those areas that have formed a GDF Community Partnership.
In addition, the Low Level Waste Repository’s Socio-economic Fund awards £85,000 every year to support community groups and projects.
Additionally, the Copeland Community Fund (CCF) recognises the service Copeland provides the nation by hosting the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) close to the village of Drigg.
Copeland Community Fund is funded by NWS to the level of £1.6 million per year, in addition to an initial endowment of £10m.
The Fund provides grants to a range of non-profit organisations which aim to benefit the community in line with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) Social Impact and Communities Strategy 2024.
Mike Brophy, head of social impact at NWS, said: "At NWS, our vision is to make nuclear waste permanently safe, sooner and we never lose sight of supporting the communities we operate in.
"Our work in these areas is vital.
"The GDF programme is a huge environmental protection project and at the Repository, we aim to make the biggest socio-economic impact we can, locally.
"We’re thrilled that this funding is making such an impact and look forward to making a difference to more local organisations and the people they benefit in the coming year."
Rachel Holliday, chief executive of Time To Change (West Cumbria) Project CIC, said: "We pride ourselves in West Cumbria on the way we look after our most vulnerable.
"Everyone who finds themselves homeless should have a safe place to live, somewhere they can feel safe and get the right help they need."
Andy Pratt, Mid Copeland Partnership chair, said: "It’s brilliant to see all of these local projects receiving funding, coming to fruition and making a huge difference to so many people across our communities.
"There’s such a wide range of projects which shows the versatility of the funding and all of the different ways it can be used to provide new and enhanced facilities."
Three GDF Community Partnerships are currently engaging in the GDF siting process across Cumbria and Lincolnshire and the available funding can increase to £2.5m a year if a site is selected for drilling deep boreholes.
The CIF recipients are doing work spanning a range of community projects.
In Mid Copeland, funding has now been spent in many areas, including £75,000 for a new emergency vehicle for Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team.
In Allerdale Always Another Way was awarded £40,000 with the aim of supporting children, young people, and adults with issues around mental health.
In South Copeland Friends of Eskdale School received £37,000 for the installation of Cumbria’s first school biodome at St Bega’s, as well as planters, soil, seeds, seedlings, and nutrients; and Millom Bowling Club were awarded £16,000 for a new greens mower.
The Community Partnerships in Mid Copeland, South Copeland, and Theddlethorpe are keen to hear from groups with projects that could be eligible for Community Investment Funding.
