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The SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration are organised and delivered by SURF in partnership with the Scottish Government.The purpose of the SURF Awards process is:- To recognise and reward best practice in communityregeneration;- To promote and disseminate best practice acrossScotland as means of sharing knowledge and experience, and thereby enhancing future policy and practice;- To highlight the important role that regeneration projects have in improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities.There are five categories of entry in the2026 SURF Awards:- Improving Scotland’s Places- Housing and Regeneration- Creative Regeneration- Removing Barriers to Employability- Community Led Regeneration

The Foundation was established by the family of Sir Robert McAlpine and gives grants to support small charities situated throughout the UK that fall within specific categories:- Children- Social- Elderly- Youth- Medical ResearchThey particularly like to support projects where funding can make a real difference.

The Youth Scotland Rural Action Fund is a Micro Grant fund being supported by The Gannochy Trust. This fund has been created in response to the challenges which rural youth groups are facing in funding the delivery of community based universal youth work. It will make small awards to enable youth groups operating in rural communities to provide more and/or better youth work opportunities for young people.The priority for this fund is to support/enable typical youth work activities that directly benefit young people in rural youth groups.Not to be confused with the [Youth Scotland - Rural Activate Fund](https://funding.scot/funds/a0RP1000008hNXpMAM/youth-scotland-rural-activate-fund).

The Vattenfall Unlock Our Future Fund supports projects in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire contributing towards a climate smart future. For an application to be ‘climate smart’ the project should directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly CO2 either through saving energy and/ or renewable generation.The overall purpose of the fund is to support charitable activity that addresses at least three of the following criteria:- contribute to a climate smarter world with sustainability at its core- invest in community facilities and activities that are fit for the future and are environmentally sustainable, especially community spaces and transport- support creative solutions- ensure a legacy and lasting impact, which clearly brings benefit to the local community

The "Our Local Nature" Grants are available to fund innovative projects, designed and led by young people in the UK. It aims to empower young people across the UK to take the lead on projects that involve their local nature and natural spaces.The grant is purposefully broad and welcomes novel ideas. Examples of possible proposals include:- running a school festival about nature- painting community murals showcasing biodiversity in the area- building a community garden- creating a nature walk- hiring a speaker to come and talk about local foraging.Adult applicants should develop their proposal alongside young people and the projects should seek to affect change or empower local young people and their surrounding communities to increase access to natural spaces and improve understanding of the local biodiversity.

The Trust awards grants to organisations based in the West of Scotland working to improve recreational facilities for young people, older people and those who are unemployed. The trustees prefer to give towards specific items of equipment or projects and to organised clubs, groups and teams where many will benefit.Previous grantees include Riding for the Disabled, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Girlguiding Renfrewshire and Salvation Army.

East Ayrshire Council offers a wide range of grants to voluntary organisations. Grants are intended to provide or maintain cultural, social, welfare, recreational or sporting facilities or to promote these activities. The grants are also provided to assist community-based projects that are in the interests of local areas or the environment.

Funds are given for a variety of projects which benefit residents within the Stirling Council area and help to develop vibrant, resilient communities. The Community Grant Scheme supports projects which benefit residents within Stirling Council area, whether within a single community or widely across Stirling Council area, or which benefit communities of interest (including hobby/sports groups). Projects must meet Stirling Council priorities, a list of which can be found in the fund guidance notes.The funds must be spent within 12 months of award and will pay for a wide range of projects including:- Start up costs (including first year running costs)- One off capital or equipment costs- Community events, activities or performances- Provision of training courses- Advertising an event or work- Environmental improvements

The Standard Innovation Voucher scheme encourages new collaborations between a Scottish organisation and a university or college.It aims to make collaborative work accessible to all Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), sole traders, social enterprises and third sector organisations and is open to applications from all industry sectors.There are two types of Standard Innovation Voucher:- Product/Process/Service Innovation Voucher: to support the development of a new product, process, or service for their company.- Workplace Innovation Voucher: to develop the company’s internal workforce, including new or enhanced workplace processes, innovative workplace practices, or innovative business expertise. This does not include staff CPD or to finance any external training courses.

The fund covers several communities including Crathes, Durris, Drumoak, Banchory, Finzean, Strachan, Torphins, Lumphanan and Inchmarlo. Priorities include:- supporting participation in sport and arts- promoting the provision of educational activities for people with physical and learning disabilities- encouraging social inclusion, integration and equal opportunities across the community- helping promote sustainable developments within the community.