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The Community Led Local Development Fund is an annual grant fund dedicated to improving life for people living in the Scottish Borders. The fund has been running for over 20 years. Themes funded vary each year but always include looking projects related to social and environmental issues.The fund offers grants for projects that are centred around tackling at least one of the following themes:- Net-Zero- Poverty Alleviation- Improved Public Services and Tackling ExclusionAll grants must be spent by 28 February 2027.The decision making panel (Local Action Group) is made up of local residents and organisations and membership is open to all.The LAG particularly encourages applications that advance Net Zero ambitions, support skills development and apprenticeships, strengthen leadership capability, foster partnership working, or deliver mentoring initiatives.

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.Grants are now available for community-focused organisations in Edinburgh that wish to:- install small-scale solar panels to their premises (strand 1)- purchase equipment (strand 2)- provide additional activities (strand 2)- provide education to reduce carbon (strand 2)- make environmental improvements to their buildings (strand 2)You can download the [guidance for applicants](https://www.edinburghsolar.coop/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ECSC-Communtiy-Benefit-2026-grants-text-for-ECSC-website-FINAL-VERSION.pdf) and an application form from their website.

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.

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.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.

The Community Grant is open to applications for projects which will benefit the community. Applications can be made from a local group or an individual, as long as the project is community based and within the WATIF area of Woolfords, Auchenbray and Tarbrax. Examples of applications that may be applicable include: - Environmental Projects e.g. a community garden, improvements to local greenspaces etc.- Community Activities/Events e.g. community get togethers, fayres etc. - Health & Wellbeing Activities/Events e.g. exercise or cooking classes etc.

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)

Dumfries and Galloway Council has established the Regionwide Community Fund, which is a source of funding open for applications from community groups and projects anywhere in the region.The Fund was launched in 2019 to distribute funding contributed at the discretion of windfarms in the region. It is a source of funding to support applications aimed at: -Fund priorities:-Skills Development-Community-Environment-Culture & Heritage-Community Led Tourism-Affordable Housing-Community Transport-Digital Connectivity-Poverty & Inequalities-Working Towards Net Zero (climate)- Cost of livingThe Fund encourages applicants to support fair work standards where applicable

The fund provides grants to support charitable activities in Moorfoot that:- Enhance quality of life for local residents.- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities.- Promote community spirit and encourage community activity.Grants 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, and so on.