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Creative Lives Awards celebrate the creative groups that enhance people's lives in villages, towns, and cities across the UK and Ireland. The Awards recognise engagement, partnership, innovation and creative development across voluntary and community-led projects and groups.They cover the period from 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024 and groups might take part in singing, dancing, painting, crafting, performing, playing music, or any other creative activity.

The Youth Arts Open Fund supports artists or organisations to deliver arts activity for children and young people – primarily those who have traditionally found it hardest to access such opportunities.Funded projects are expected to engage children and young people in high-quality and accessible arts activity that empowers them through self-expression, enhances their health, wellbeing and personal development, and builds their confidence and skills.For full details on the outcomes and key target groups, please see the fund guidelines available on the YouthLink website.

Climate Emergency and Resilience Grants are available to community groups and organisations who need funding to pursue environmental, sustainability or climate change projects.The fund can be used for community projects which embrace the council’s climate change, sustainability, and climate adaptation objectives: - Improved air quality- Increased climate resilience- Improved resource efficiency -Increased active travel opportunities- Increased/enhanced urban greenspace- Improved outdoor access- Reduction in the reliance of fossil fuels- Improved energy efficiency- The use of renewable technology- Increased renewable energy generation- Reduction in waste- Supporting the circular economy- Adapting to climate change e.g. flood protection

The National Fund for Acquisitions Special Funding Scheme helps museums which are struggling to raise match funding for acquisitions. It helps to raise match funding to make an application to the National Fund for Aquisitions.The scheme operates alongside NFA’s normal funding programme which will continue to consider applications for up to 50% of total purchase price for applicants who can raise match funding from their own or other funding sources.

The Just Transition Fund (JTF) is a £500 million ten-year commitment that will support projects in the North East and Moray which contribute towards the region’s transition to net zero.This bidding round will focus on projects that deliver against the Just Transition Outcome on Jobs, Skills and Economic Opportunities, responding to identified needs in the region. This will ensure the fund is responsive to identified regional needs. It will also ensure fund investment maximises impacts delivering benefits for businesses, workers and communities as we transition to a net zero future.The project/programme must:- contribute to the transition to net zero in Aberdeen, Aberdeen City or Moray- help to diversify the regional economy away from carbon-intensive industries- capitalise on the opportunities, including jobs and prosperity, that the transition to net zero will bringdemonstrate delivery against the mandatory Just Transition Outcome on Jobs, Skills and Economic Opportunities.Whilst not mandatory, you may wish to outline other just transition outcomes that your project will deliver impact against within your application. Bids need to demonstrate that projects are able to receive, and spend the total amount of the funding bid in the 2025 to 2026 financial year. Multi-year bids can be made, and may be considered, if capital funding for the Fund becomes available beyond 2025 to 2026. 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 Community Empowerment Fund (part of the broader UK Shared Prosperity Fund or UKSPF) is a community capacity building initiative that aims to boost local community projects across the Falkirk area.There are two programmes:- Capital Facilities Improvement Grant: Up to £15,000 capital funding towards projects that result in the creation or significant improvement of a building/facility owned or controlled by a non-profit, community benefit organisation. - Small and Start-Up Grants: Funding to deliver new or expanded services within our communities, including activities, events and volunteering opportunities (up to £5,000).The UK Government have introduced a revised set of outcomes for the SPF programme. The 25/26 Outcomes for the Community Empowerment are listed below:- Number of amenities/facilities created or improved - Number of local events or activities supported - Number of people reached - Number of volunteering opportunities supported - Improved engagement numbers - Number of volunteering opportunities created as a result of support For projects aiming to be completed by 31 January 2026.

This scheme encourages Village and Community Hall Committees to introduce and develop a fundraising programme to generate funds for planned annual projects, e.g. equipment purchase and small to medium improvements to their rural hall.For every £1 fundraised (not donated), Fife Council will match £2, up to a maximum of £780.Applications will only be considered where pieces of work can be identified, e.g. small to medium improvements to the hall, purchase of kitchen equipment, etc. (see list below):- flooring work- tiling work to kitchen and toilet areas- sound system including speakers- protection covers for lights in main hall- heating/ventilation system/de-humidification upgrading- insulation work- purchase of cooker/oven- purchase of crockery and kitchen utensils- replacement toilet units- installation of a new water heater

The Cinema Equipment Fund is for cinemas and venues to upgrade or install cinema screening equipment and aims to increase access to cinema and encourage resilience for film exhibitors based in Scotland. This fund will support existing cinemas to upgrade first generation Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) compliant equipment, and support venues with advanced plans for film exhibition to install new equipment. The fund will also support community venues to upgrade or install film screening equipment (such as projector, screen, sound system and media player).

The Lived Experience Fund is to support organisations in capturing the lived experience of local residents to help inform community planning partnership service delivery and policy development. Engaging with local people in this way can help to ensure that:- There is equality and dignity for all- Services and activities are relevant to local needs- Communities can voice their opinions and identify what works and what doesn't- Everyone feels valued and included- Sense of community is improved- Sense of control and influence strengthened in local communities- Collective action is promoted- People are empowered to deliver effective interventions in their own lives and in that of their communitiesThis money can only be used to capture the views and experiences of people who live in South Lanarkshire and who experience poverty, inequalities and/or deprivation. Eligible activities include:- Cost of living support for community groups- Activities for youth- Food growing- Support for the elderly

Scotland’s Heat Network Fund (SHNF) offers capital grants to businesses and organisations in the public, private and third sectors to develop heat network projects.It aims to support the roll-out of zero emission district heat networks and communal heating systems.SHNF supports:- new low or zero direct emissions district heat networks or communal heating systems- the expansion of existing district or communal heating systems where the heat demand of the extension as a minimum is supplied by a low or zero direct emissions heat source - the decarbonisation of existing district heat networks or communal heating systems where a zero direct emissions heat source replaces an existing polluting heat source