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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 W. G Edwards Charitable Foundation is an independent grant-making charity which assists with the provision of care for the over-65s. The Foundation makes small grants to improve the health and wellbeing of people over the age of 65 in the UK. This could be assistance towards a capital project such as refurbishment, furniture or equipment; or towards an innovative project such as fitness classes, lunch clubs, gardening projects, etc.The Foundation only supports items or projects where at least 90% of the beneficiaries are over the age of 65.

Funds work in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda which meets at least one of the following priorities, which are:1. Projects which support access to education for women and girls2. Projects which enable rural and/or displaced communities to become more self-sufficientYou will need to be able to demonstrate how your work empowers local people/communities to become more self-sufficient and less reliant on your organisation.

Supported by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), the SPT Community Path Fund supports communities to deliver small capital projects that improve local walking and wheeling networks and infrastructure.Funding is available to construct new paths to improve network connectivity as well as to upgrade existing paths to make them more accessible. This can include removing barriers on paths that are restrictive for people using adaptive equipment, installing seating along routes to provide rest points, installing directional signage, and planting wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs.They are especially looking to hear from community-led projects, and from groups who have not received funding from Walking Scotland (previously Paths for All) before.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Communities and Place Grant has been created to help communities deliver projects that will support local priorities and help them to thrive and grow.The objectives of the UKSPF Communities and Place Grant are to:- Strengthen our social fabric and foster a sense of local pride and belonging- Build resilient, healthy and safe neighbourhoodsFor full details about the fund, please visit the north Ayrshire Council website to view the guidelines.

Community-focused or charitable activities which:- Sustains and develops the local community- Represents value for money – evidence that the project has a high impact for the amount of grant- Shows community involvement – evidence that the community is engaged in the development and implementation of the project - Is financially viable – evidence that the project will be maintained beyond the period of grant funding (if applicable)Grant requests to support a wide range of costs and activities will be considered, for example equipment costs, consultations, maintenance, or refurbishment of community facilities etc.All 18 community councils are allocated funds from the Viking Community Fund on a share basis. The areas hosting the wind turbines are allocated 5 shares and all others are allocated a single share:The five-share areas are Delting, Nesting and Lunnasting, Sandsting and Aithsting and Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale. Single share areas are Bressay, Burra and Trondra, Dunrossness, Fetlar, Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh, Lerwick, Northmaven, Sandness and Walls, Sandwick, Scalloway, Skerries, Unst, Whalsay and Yell.Applicants applying to a specific community council area should complete a Tier 1 or Tier 2 application.For applicants whose projects cover more than three community council areas, complete a Tier 3 application.

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.

The Shetland CLLD Programme is a grant fund provided by the Scottish Government. The delivery of Shetland CLLD is overseen by the Shetland Islands Local Action Group (LAG) – a group of representatives from organisations with economic, social, environmental and community interests in Shetland. The CLLD grant fund is administered by Shetland Islands Council on behalf of the LAG. The principal focus for activity is to support sustainable projects which can be reflected within the programme’s four priority areas:- Helping families and services through the cost-of-living crises, including helping to address the drivers of child poverty- Increasing community capacity to address rural challenges- Transforming the economy to deliver net zero- Creating sustainable local servicesProjects that support one or more of the programme priorities will be considered for funding.

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.