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£4.5 million has already been awarded to 181 projects across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray - now it’s your turn to make a difference.The Scottish Government’s Just Transition Participatory Budgeting (PB) Fund is back for a fifth year, giving communities across the North East and Moray a leading role in the journey to net zero.With £1 million available once again, the Fund supports bold, community-led ideas that make a real difference. Community groups and third sector organisations across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray can apply for up to £50,000 to deliver an eco-friendly project in their area.From installing solar panels and battery storage to introducing electric vehicles, improving energy efficiency in community buildings and protecting local environments, the Fund backs practical capital projects that reflect what matters most to local people. Residents will once again have the final say, voting for the projects they want to see funded.Delivered by ACVO TSI, AVA, tsiMORAY, NESCAN Hub and Money for Moray, the Fund brings partners together once again to support communities across the region. They will be engaging with communities to help you take part in the transition to net zero, sharing ideas and providing project development support and application assistance.Get involved, share your ideas, and help shape a greener future for the North East of Scotland.Bids need to demonstrate that projects are able to receive, and spend the total amount of the funding bid in the 2026 to 2027 financial year. Multi-year bids can be made, and may be considered, if capital funding for the Fund becomes available beyond 2026 to 2027. Additional weighting will be given to bids that would be delivered on a co-funded basis. Previous projects have included energy measures and retrofitting, green jobs, community gardens and food growing, sustainable travel, and creating and restoring greenspaces. More examples of projects funded through the first round can be found on the Fund website.

The Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) is here to support communities to engage with, participate in and benefit from the energy transition to net zero emissions. The Fund will help community organisations reduce their building energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Funding is available for many types of community buildings, including:- community cafes- community hubs- faith buildings- public halls- community halls and centresCARES supports communities to engage, participate and benefit in the energy transition to net zero. They will support projects that:- accelerate the uptake of community and locally owned renewable energy, to meet Scotland’s 2030 2GW ambition- support community involvement in local energy systems that lead to new installations of locally owned renewable energy generation- support shared ownership projects (where a community group invests in a commercial renewable energy project)- assist communities to maximise the impact from community benefit funds through community consultation, action planning and good governanceYou must install at least one of the following:- a heat pump (air source, ground source or water source)- a connection to heat network- solar photovoltaic (PV) panels- solar water heatingAll work related to this funding must be completed and all funding claimed by 28 February 2026.

The YMI Access to Music Making Fund supports individuals and organisations working in the youth music sector to create and deliver high-quality music making opportunities for children and young people across Scotland that address inequity.Activity will reach children and young people who are less likely to participate, this could include children and young people who:- reside in areas of social and economic deprivation, for more information visit the Scottish Government website- are experiencing or at risk of experiencing harm and neglect- are care experienced, for more information visit The Promise Scotland- are in the early years (0-5) of their life- are of the global majority and/or ethnic minorities- have disabilities/learning disabilities- are neurodivergent including autism, ADHD, Tourette's syndrome- are experiencing mental health illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD, eating disorders and addictive behaviours- have experience of the criminal justice system- are young carers (as defined by the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016) and/or young parents- are experiencing homelessness or who have been homeless.

A number of towns in Fife have a Common Good Fund which can be used for the benefit of the inhabitants of that town. The following Common Good Funds are administered by the Council: - Levenmouth Area: Buckhaven & Methil and Leven- Glenrothes Area: Leslie and Markinch- Kirkcaldy Area: Kirkcaldy including Dysart, Burntisland and Kinghorn- North East Fife Area: Anstruther, Crail, Cupar, Falkland, Newburgh, Pittenweem, St Andrews and St Monans- South and West Area: Consolidated Fund covering Dunfermline, Culross, Inverkeithing, Rosyth.The level of funds available varies significantly between the different Common Good Funds.

The Culture Collective Fund is a Scottish Government initiative which supports a network of creative practitioners, organisations and communities, working together to create a positive difference locally and nationally.The Fund will support activity developed collaboratively between artists, organisations, and communities. It aims to make a positive impact locally and nationally by funding community-engaged creative work, providing paid opportunities for creative practitioners, and actively engaging people in shaping the future cultural life of their community.The programme began as a COVID-19 response and now continues to address wider challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis, climate change, and social inequality. It encourages sustainable, creative community development, evolving in response to emerging community ideas and needs, and supports learning across a national network.The Culture Collective Fund supports the following goals:- Empower communities to shape their cultural life through creative collaboration. - Create paid roles for creative practitioners to work with communities. - Support skills development and build community capacity. - Establish a national network to share learning and explore models of community-engaged creative practice. - Evaluate impact to inform future cultural policy and funding. Projects can start in April 2026 and run for up to 18 months.

The Social Enterprise Just Transition Fund aims to finance organisations, businesses, communities and individuals to transition to net zero, creating jobs in low carbon industries and contributing to the region’s future prosperity.Applicants muse deliver again at least one of the following outcomes:- Decarbonisation and efficiencies: contribute to resource efficient and sustainable economic approaches that actively encourage decarbonisation, support low-carbon investment and infrastructure, and avoid carbon 'lock-in'- Citizens, communities and place: support affected regions by empowering and invigorating communities and strengthening local economies;- Jobs, skills and education: equip people with the skills, education and retraining required to support retention and creation of access to green, fair and high-value work- Fair distribution of costs and benefits: address existing economic and social inequality by sharing the benefits of climate action widely, while ensuring that the costs are distributed on the basis of ability to pay- Business and economy: support a strong, dynamic and productive economy which creates wealth and high quality employment across Scotland, upholds the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and continues to make Scotland a great place to do business- Adaptation and resilience: identify key risks from climate change and set out actions to build resilience to these risks, ensuring our economy is flexible, adaptable and responsive to the changing climate- Further equality and human rights: address fuel poverty and child poverty in a manner consistent with Scotland's statutory targets on each, while furthering wider equality and human rights across all protected characteristics- Environmental protection and restoration: commit to act within our planetary boundaries while protecting and restoring our natural environment.

Culture organisations in arts and heritage can now apply to the Culture & Business Scotland Fund (C&BS), designed to support innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships between culture and business organisations across Scotland, for up to £1 for every £2 invested by business organisations.Through the C&BS Fund since the launch of the programme in 2017, a total of just over £3.1 million has been invested with 169 C&BS Fund investments made across all 32 local authority areas. C&BS Fund is an investment programme which receives direct investment from the Scottish Government.

or projects, and it is AVA’s intention that new and unconstituted groups will be supported with governance