Search

North Ayrshire's Participatory Budgeting scheme is aimed to provide funding for a group or project to undertake activities that make a difference across three themes: Youth, Locality, and Community Wealth Building. The specific criteria vary for each theme, see Council website for details.Each year, a Participatory Budgeting Event is held in each locality:- Arran - Garnock Valley - Irvine - Kilwinning - North Coast and Cumbraes- Three TownsLocal residents are invited to decide which projects to fund from a short list of applications made by local individuals and groups. They vote for the projects that they believe will most benefit their community and support their local priorities.

The Green Community Grants Programme offers one-year flexible funding for not-for-profit groups in England, Scotland and Wales with an annual income between £10,000 and £1 million.Your organisation's main aims and objectives must fit with one of the two funding themes: - Contributing to nature recovery and responding to the climate emergency- Improving nature-rich spaces and access to themWhilst your organisational aims and objectives should fit one of these two themes, funding can also be used for a wider range of sustainable activities, including recycling, litter picking, beach cleans or sustainable transport.

Local Place Plans offer communities the chance to shape their local area.These are community-led plans that focus on the existing and future use of land and set out proposals for potential developments in the community.A Local Place Plan might consider:- improvements in town and local centres- local initiatives to promote active travel or community food-growing- conservation of the natural and built environments- sites or areas of land which could help - tackle climate-change (such as renewable energy, flood mitigation, or tree planting)- sites for housing development (including affordable housing and housing for particular needs or groups), local employment, or new tourism and community facilities- retaining, improving, and expanding open space, green and blue infrastructure (such as footpaths, water networks, and drainage or flooding measures), and play facilities.Once completed and registered by the planning authority, Local Place Plans will be considered when the Council is preparing a new Local Development Plan.Communities can prepare Local Place Plans at any time but must submit their plan by 31 March 2026 if you would like it to be considered in the preparation of Renfrewshire's new Local Development Plan.The fund can cover costs including:- research- community consultation- professional services, such as planning consultants or graphical support- website or document productionvenue hire.

Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative raises capital from the public to place solar panel installations on City of Edinburgh Council buildings (schools, leisure centres and other council owned buildings). As well as paying annual returns to investors, they allocate part of their profits to community causes that benefit the people of Edinburgh.Priorities are:a) Environment/sustainability educationb) Environmental improvements to buildings used by communitiesc) Health, well-being and inclusion (for example community gardens, healthy eating programmes, or improved access to facilities for people with additional mobility needs) d) Initiatives that address fuel povertyThey have a particular focus on:- Children and young people- Older people (55+)- The environment and sustainability- Outdoor education- Sports clubsVisit the Fund website for full details and guidelines.

Partick and Thornwood Ideas Fund is a Participatory Budgeting initiative funded by the Scottish Government Investing in Communities fund.The fund gives individuals and groups an opportunity to apply for grants to realise their ideas which will deliver a positive change for local people in the community. Everyone living or working in the Partick and Thornwood area will have the opportunity to vote and decide which projects are funded. Funds must be used to benefit the community of Partick and/or Thornwood. Funds can be used for a wide range of things from training, buying equipment, starting you own group, group running costs, activities, running events or trips.

The Fund is provided by Barrhill Community Interest Company using funds from the Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company and ScottishPower Renewables Mark Hill wind farm. The fund will support positive change by investing in a wide range of inspirational, community-led activity that is strategic, positive and creative and helps create a legacy of lasting impact. The fund will do this by making grants to support the costs of relevant projects, services and facilities.The Fund also makes bursaries to individuals for education and training.

The Inch Cape Construction Fund supports community projects that help tackle the effects of poverty and inequality while improving the environment and supporting sustainability for residents of the Prestonpans or Cockenzie & Port Seton community council areas.The Fund will support charitable activities that contribute to at least one of the following outcomes:- Improving physical and/or mental health and wellbeing.- Reducing isolation or loneliness within the community.- Increasing access to education, learning and employment.- Improving to the local environment.- Reducing food or fuel povertyGrants may support a wide range of costs, such as equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities.

The Charitable Foundation supports registered charities based in the UK where there is clear benefit to the recipients, particularly in areas near the Society's Principal Office or one of its branches. They prefer to support specific tangible items or activities rather than donating to general funds.Consideration will be given to charities whose objectives are to help people experiencing hardship and/or underserved groups to access a place to call home and/or improve financial wellbeing.If your charity's mission meets one or more of the target outcomes, the Foundation will consider funding core costs, project costs and small capital contributions, for example:- Staff salaries or hiring additional team members.- Overhead expenses such as rent or utilities.- Scaling up successful programmes or developing new ones.- Investing in infrastructure or technology to improve operations.- Daily essentials such as pots, pans and white goods for people who have secured a permanent place to call home.- Aids such as a ramp/stairlift in a community centre removing any barriers for local people.- Books or resources which support financial education.- Laptops or online systems used to deliver digital competence sessions.

The Auchrobert Wind Farm Community Fund supports community projects benefitting those living in Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill and Boghead. The fund is provided by Renantis, the owners of Auchrobert Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire. The fund provides grants to support a wide range of community activity and development that are broadly charitable. All projects must clearly be benefitting those who live within the area of benefit.Grants may support a wide range of costs, for example, the costs of equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities and more.

Grants are available for community and environmental projects which address carbon reduction and help progress towards “net zero”. All projects must be located in or be delivered to benefit communities within Keith and the wider Strathisla boundary. Examples of projects that could, therefore, be considered for grants include:- Energy efficiency audits of community buildings and facilities to identify and prioritise important capital improvement works- Costs associated with the above findings. This might include thermal insulation, solar panels and battery storage, ground source heating, double / triple glazing improvements, more efficient heating, micro wind turbines etc…- Educational activities that promote the net zero movement, i.e. costs of school trips to renewable facilities, school or community educational sessions / workshops / events- Training for voluntary / community groups to help reduce their own carbon footprint- Environmental and habitat species conservation which protects and / or enhances a public space (may include tree planting for example).- Electrical vehicle charging point installations, in public locations- Other projects that deliver energy efficiency upgrades such as lighting improvements (i.e. not necessarily in public / community buildings)