Search

The Royal Countryside Fund provides grants for projects from across the UK which are working to create resilient rural communities. This fund will support community-led projects that are pursuing innovative and strategic solutions to the challenges facing their rural area and improving the long-term viability and resilience of their community. Successful applicants will deliver projects along the themes of:- Keeping young people in the countryside- Powering up rural communities- Increasing environmental sustainability- Building emergency resilience in rural areasSuccessful projects will demonstrate how they are addressing one of more of the following objectives:- Working towards a long-term vision- Facilitating connectedness and collaboration - Demonstrating innovationThe fund has paused the current grant programme and won’t be accepting applications in the coming months. They are planning to launch a new, reshaped grant programme in the autumn.The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF) provides grants for projects across the UK which are working to create resilient rural communities. The fund supports community-led projects that are pursuing innovative and strategic solutions to the challenges facing their rural area and improving the long-term viability and resilience of their community. To stay informed, sign up to the RCF newsletter on their [website](https://www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/rural-champion-award/) or follow on social media: [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/countrysidefund/); Instagram; [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/theroyalcountrysidefund/).

The Renewable Energy Fund is a fund set up and administered by East Ayrshire Council to distribute developer contributions from Wind Farm developments within East Ayrshire.There are currently four operational wind farms making a contribution to the Renewable Energy Fund:- Afton wind farm- Galawhistle wind farm- Hare Hill wind farm extensions- Whitelee wind farmThe grants are intended to offer support 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 the community or the environment.

The Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Programme funding helps support locations across the National Park to welcome visitors, as well as addressing potential impacts of visitors on communities and popular sites.The Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Fund is available to help plan and install appropriate visitor infrastructure in the National Park. Projects must deliver one or more of the following objectives: - Reduce potential conflicts between residents and visitors and / or between different recreational activities.- Promote collaboration across land management and organisational boundaries.- Help provide better opportunities for everyone to enjoy the National Park so the visitor profile is more diverse, especially with regards to people who are disabled.- Deliver improvements at identified sites across all areas of the National Park, or improvements that address specific issues that are identified in the Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Plan or Active Cairngorms Action Plan.All projects must be completed, and the grant claimed by 31 March 2027.

The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, which is the organiser of the annual Enchanted Forest and light show in Pitlochry, supports a wide range of community projects in Highland Perthshire.This year the are actively seeking applicants who can use the funds to:1. Help the people in need with the cost of living crisis in the Highland Perthshire area.2. Help with battling child poverty and focus on child welfare.3. Increase inclusion, enablement, independence, mental health and wellbeing.4. Increase access to employment, volunteering, learning, culture, sport, and leisure opportunities.5. Improve infrastructure that benefits the community.6. Promote sustainability through best practices.

The Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) supports communities to engage with, participate in and benefit from the energy transition to net zero emissions. CARES can support a wide range of projects including installing renewable technologies in community buildings, community benefits and shared ownership. The CARES Development Fund is designed to help communities take that first step on their community energy journey. First steps include:- Raising awareness of your energy project idea.- Completing an options appraisal to understand the types of projects you might carry out.- Completing a first step feasibility study to see if your idea might work.- Funding for some staff time to progress your idea.To be eligible for this fund you should be at an early stage in developing your own community energy project or have an opportunity to investigate shared ownership of a commercially owned renewable energy project. This fund is all about getting started for either community-owned renewable energy projects or investigating shared ownership (where community groups make an investment in a commercially owned renewable energy project).

The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a UK Government funding initiative delivered by local authorities. The fund should be used to target areas in need, with the aim of building strong, resilient, prosperous, and inclusive communities. Applications are invited for projects that will focus on one or both of the following two themes:Environmental projects that are:- Community-led- In collaboration with a local Housing Association(s)- Focussed on, or connected to, a Transformational Regeneration Area (although applications for other areas will also be considered)ORFood system projects that:- Demonstrably improve the development of sustainable provision of healthy and locally sourced food; and/or- Focus on town centres and identified food desertsInformation can be found on the webpage https://surf.scot/pride-in-place-impact-fund-2026-27-call-for-applications-from-glasgow-cc/

The Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund is open to communities living closest to the windfarm development through a community and environmental grants scheme. The Fund provides funding through three different grant schemes: a community grant scheme, a small grants programme and main grants scheme.Community grants aims are:- Provide or improve a public green space- Encourage positive use in public green spaces- Remove litter and waste from public green spaces- Provide or improve biodiversity in public spaces- Encourage environmental education and engagementSmall grants aims are:- Provide or improve a park or other public amenity for leisure or recreational purposes- Conserve biodiversity at a specific site- Maintain, repair or restore a place of worship or building of historical or architectural significance- Improve energy efficiency- Reduce fuel povertyMain grants aims are:- Remediate contaminated land or water- Reduce or mitigate the effects of pollution- Provide or improve a park or other public amenity for leisure or recreational purposes- Conserve biodiversity at a specific site- Maintain, repair or restore a place of worship or building of historical or architectural significance

The Community Intervention Fund is a capital grant scheme that aims to support community groups/organisations throughout East Lothian with a grant towards the cost of a capital project. They want to give capital grants to projects that continue to support the delivery of the Council Plan which aims to:- Grow our Economy- Grow our People- Grow our Communities- Grow our CapacityEligible expenditure must meet the definition of qualifying capital expenditure, and be demonstrated to enhance the asset value. Examples of eligible capital expenditure include:- improving the fabric of a building- improving access to a building- extensions to a building- removing hazardous materials as part of a set of works- structural repairs- putting in fixed items of equipment (e.g. floodlights)- carrying out improvements to a public space.

The priorities for the Dumfries and Galloway CLLD grant funding for 2026-27 are:- Supporting community facilities and eligible organisations to contribute to the achievement of net zero.- Sustaining, improving and adding initiatives in rural communities that are most isolated, most disconnected, most in need of investment or most likely to experience inequalities.- Helping communities to address the cost-of-living crisis and eradicate poverty for individuals and families.- Enabling communities to carry out research, community needs assessments and feasibility studies as part of local place plan development.Organisations can make one application per project and there is no limit to the number of applications they can make. Applications can be made for 100% of the eligible project costs.Projects must take place between August 2026 and March 2027.