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The Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust is an independent charitable trust. The Trust offers help to customers faced with high charges for an electricity connection within the Scottish Hydro-Electric (now SSE) distribution area. The Trust was established in 1998 with independent Trustees appointed to award grants to offset high connection costs in deserving individual domestic cases and for special community projects.

GreenPower agreed to put in place a community benefit fund that would be available to the communities surrounding the wind farm. GreenPower makes contributions to the fund twice yearly in April and October currently totalling £72,200 per annum which is index linked.The Carraig Gheal Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund Steering Group meets at least twice a year to decide which of the main grant applications will be funded.

Kingairloch is one of SSE's smaller hydro electric schemes. It provides grants to community and charitable projects in the Ardgour, Sunart and Morvern Community Council areas. The community fund can support projects which support charitable, educational and environmental purposes.

The principles of sustainability and responding to the climate emergency are at the centre of the Trust’s Funding Strategy. The main aim is to utilise contributions from Landfill Operators in order to maximise benefits for communities through environmental projects with a specific emphasis on:- Helping Fife communities rise to the challenge of climate change by supporting projects, which:cut or store greenhouse gas emissions; increase resilience to climate change impacts; and ensure that vulnerable people are not further disadvantaged by climate change and which provide opportunities for all.- Improving the quality of the natural environment within Fife by supporting projects which support biodiversity and a healthy natural environment, and in so doing, recognising that nature-based solutions have multiple benefits.- Improving quality of life for communities by safeguarding and supporting improvements to the built and natural environment, including local generation of sustainable heat and power.- Supporting community led urban and rural regeneration schemes that encompass social inclusion, and which foster community capacity building and involvement in local decision making.

There are seven Local Partnerships which local organisations can apply to which are: Renfrew, Erskine, Inchinnan, Bishopton and Langbank, The Villages, Johnstone and Linwood, Paisley North, West and Central, Paisley East, and Gleniffer. Local Partnerships can award funding to local groups and projects which bring communities together.Each Local Partnership has its own priorities. The partnership will prioritise the awarding of funding based on these priorities and projects they feel will have the most impact for people in their local area. Full details can be found on the Council website.Some examples of projects funded previously include:- improving community facilities such as a building or land to make them better and more accessible for community use- enhancing or creating community gardens to provide attractive spaces for the community- community events that provide opportunities for local people to gather together- projects that help people get out and meet together so they are socially connected in the community and do not feel isolated.

The fund supports capital projects that create or improve places that people take part in sport and physical activity. Awards are available for sports facility projects within club & communities, school & education or performance sport environments. In clubs and communities they will support: - new, upgraded or extended sports facilities; Inclusive changing facilities- facilities that provide or improve access for outdoor sport and adventure activities- floodlights that increase capacity at appropriate sports facilities- major items of sports equipment. They will provide enhanced support to projects within or serving the most deprived communities, according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). They focus participation and progression and prioritise projects where there is a commitment to equalities & inclusion, people development, collaboration & impact.Greater prioritisation will be given to projects and applications supporting Return to Sport objectives and outcomes following the Coronavirus Pandemic. As well as those that can clearly demonstrate an embedded inclusive approach such as Changing Lives Through Sport and Physical Activity and target participants in/from SIMD areas or Disability, BAME or other protected characteristic groups.

The developers of the Lochelbank Wind Farm, RWE Innogy UK provide this Fund for the benefit of residents in the geographic areas represented by the Community Councils of Glenfarg and Bridge of Earn. Money from the Fund will be used to support community projects and activities in these areas.The Fund will provide grants to support charitable activities that: - Enhance quality of life for local residents- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities- Promote community spirit and encourage community activity.Community groups can access funding through two available grant programmes:- Main Grants: open to constituted groups and charities with a focus on community cohesion, sustainable communities and enhancing the quality of life for residents. - Microgrants: can be applied for at any time to fund new and small-scale activity.