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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)

SafeDeposits Scotland, the country’s leading tenancy deposit protection scheme, has introduced a Community Fund designed to provide small grants to projects enhancing communities across Scotland.The SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund will award grants to organisations who commit to deliver a project that meets at least one of five criteria, namely:- Sustainability and the environment- Employability and career skills- Social inclusion- Technology and digital inclusion- Improving the local communityThey can support a wide range of projects from enhancing play areas to planting trees, and from providing isolated individuals with social opportunities and helping young people prepare for work.

This fund is intended to fund projects, or aspects of a project, which will re-use a historic building but are hard to fund from other sources. Typically, this can be used in situations where an unexpected cost arises or emergency repairs are required. It may also be usedto support meanwhile uses, or other physical enabling works that help sustain the development of a larger project. The funder is particularly keen to hear from projects that might be aiming to create something unique and exceptional; or which involve innovativeapproaches with potential for replication and wider learning.Examples of situations they would welcome a discussion about potentially supportinginclude:- emergency repairs/urgent capital works/mothballing- to prevent deterioration whilst developing longer term plans for a building- to enable a ‘meanwhile use’ or testing of proposed longer-term use(s)- other costs involved in enabling meanwhile uses- uplifts needed to existing funding due to unexpected situations/increased costs- projects involving unlisted buildings that are highly valued by local communities for their historic interest- assisting in building the capacity of a community to deliver a project- any other areas where their other grant funding programmes cannot currently assist

The Youth Local Action Group (YLAG) Fund is designed by young people for young people, supporting projects that work with and support people under the age of 30 in the Outer Hebrides.In order to be eligible, projects must demonstrate that they:- significantly benefit young people in their area; - are achievable within the given timescale; - have a legacy/ long-term impact; - provide good value for money; and - align with at least one of the following YLAG priorities: empowering young people; dùthchas & dualchas; entrepreneurship; mental health; personal & professional development.Applications which demonstrate a particular benefit to young people who are care-experienced, disabled, affected by poverty or part of a marginalised group will be regarded preferentially, as will projects supporting Gaelic language and culture.

The Greencoat Kildrummy, Lumsden & Towie Community Fund is a charitable Fund set up to benefit residents of these communities within the area covered by Donside Community Council. The Fund is owned by Greencoat UK Wind and managed by Foundation Scotland.The Fund will provide grants to support charitable activities that reflect the ambitions and activity of the Kildrummy, Lumsden and Towie Community Action Plan. The aim of the Action Plan is to encourage and enable the economic, social and environmental development to support sustainability and help the area to continue to develop.Grant requests are expected to support one or more of the themes of the Action Plan. These themes are: 1. Supporting Community Services & Facilities2. Enhancing Adult Learning, Employment & Training3. Developing Tourism4. Improving Access & Environment5. Supporting Children & Young People 6. Improving Community Communication7. Improving Local Transport8. HousingOROne or more of the themes of the Glenkindie & Towie Community Action Plan:1. Getting Around2. Getting Connected3. Activities & Facilities