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The fund aims to support projects that make a difference to life in, and seek improvement in, the local community. They are keen to support community and voluntary organisations that are charitable, educational, philanthropic or benevolent in purpose. You do not have to be a registered charity to apply for funding but you do have to be able to demonstrate real community impetus and benefits.Projects should benefit people living in Arbuthnott; Benholm and Johnshaven; Gourdon; Inverbervie; Mearns; St Cyrus.Please check the fund guidelines to check eligibility before applying.

Funds projects and initiatives that support the rural regeneration and sustainability of communities within the Solwaybank Windfarm area and enhance the lives of those living and working in the area will be supported.Applications are welcomed that fall into the following categories:- Enhance the quality of life for local residents;- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities;- Promote community spirit and encourage community activity.Priority will be given to projects which can demonstrate:- Local consultation – evidence that the local community has been consulted and is supportive of the project;- Strategic projects – with longer term impacts and benefits;- Partnership working – working with other organisations (e.g. voluntary, local, regional or national) to add value to a project.- Local procurement – using local suppliers and providers for goods and services, where possible.- Environmental considerations – consideration of the project’s carbon footprint and minimising the environmental impact.Match funding of at least 10% of the project cost will normally be required, but projects with more match funding to add to the value of the project and maximise the Community Benefit funding are preferred.

This charitable fund is provided by GDF Suez, Carscreugh Renewable Energy, Glenchamber Wind Farm, SSE, Greencoat and ScottishPower Renewables, owners of nearby wind farms, who channel their community benefit funds through this single Fund. The Fund primarily supports projects located within or directly benefiting the Old Luce Community Council area, including the communities of Glenluce, Dunragit and Auchenmalg. It will support charitable activities that: - enhance quality of life for local residents- contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities- promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Awards can support a wide range of costs and activities including. equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional worker costs, consultations, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities etc.Priority for awards can be given to projects that demonstrate the following additional criteria:- Match funding- Local procurement- Sustainable development- Local consultation- Partnership working

The Outer Hebrides Community Led Local Development Local Action Group (CLLD LAG) have launched their 2025-26 Fund, which offers capital funding to organisations working in and supporting our communities.Applicants must support the LAG’s overarching ambition of increasing collaboration and community empowerment through inclusion, equality and diversity, and demonstrate that their project has been developed with input from the community/ies they aim to support. Funded activity must closely align with at least one of the LAG’s main priorities for 2025-26, which are:- Community Wealth Building; - Dùthchas and Dualchas[1] with a focus on identifying new approaches that can lead to economic benefits; - Working towards Net Zero; and- Connectivity and efficient & sustainable transport.Funding requests must be for activity which:- has an immediate, demonstrable impact;- helps raise the profile of CLLD;- incorporates a collaborative approach, including projects which demonstrate inter-island or across-community working; - demonstrates community buy-in, alignment with community plans and/or that a significant community need is being addressed.

Halkirk District Benefit Fund provides community benefit to individuals residing in the Halkirk are (Altnabreac, Banniskirk, Calder, Georgemas, Harpsdale, Spittal, Mybster and Westerdale).The aim of this fund is to advance education and relieve poverty for the benefit of the public and: - to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure.- provision of facilities for meetings, education, and recreation- provision of facilities for the young and elderly- provision of facilities for those who have additional needs- provision of training, education, meetings, lectures, etc.- bringing together organisations for the benefit of the public of the environment - research, collation, and promotion of the history of the Halkirk area.Applicants should demonstrate local consultation and procurement, partnership working and sustainable development.

The fund will provide grants to not-for profit groups to support charitable activities in Marybank, Scatwell & Strathconon that:- Enhance quality of life for local residents- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities- Promote community spirit and encourage community activityPriorities for the fund are projects that:- Enhance community facilities and physical assets- Address the cost of living crisis- Build skills, knowledge and understanding among groups delivering projects and people benefiting from projects- Address issues of rural isolation- Can evidence widespread support from the local community- Take a creative approach to meeting the needs of the local community- Create opportunities for all to get involved- Source goods and services locally where appropriate- Both revenue items (e.g. running costs), and capital items (e.g. to buy equipment) can be funded. The Panel prefer that awards result in additional activity, i.e. are not used primarily to maintain existing activity.The Panel will revisit the fund aims and priorities periodically, and may make changes to these taking into account any changes in local needs and aspirations.

Zero Waste Scotland is Scotland’s Circular Economy Body. Their strategic aim is to rewire Scotland’s economic system, increasing the uptake in business adopting or applying circular economy practices and, in turn, driving a reduction of our consumption of natural resources through increased circularity. As part of their ongoing programme, finance is available to support projects offering or exploring transformational approaches or innovative new technologies capable of delivering at scale. Projects must be able to demonstrate impact beyond an individual business or organisation and show clearly how anticipated outcomes will lead to positive impact across a sector, industry or region.Projects must also align with one or more of the following objectives:1. Help people care by advocating for change and demonstrating how we can do it. Projects will deliver activity to increase society’s demand for circular practices through stimulating the development and uptake of technologies, products and services to support a circular economy in Scotland.   2. Make circularity easier and do more where it matters most by identifying and addressing the conditions supporting circularity in Scotland. Through encouraging the collaboration of organisations across value chains, including enterprises and academia, projects will implement circular economy strategies, principles and practices in high impact sectors1 3. Improve the infrastructure needed to accelerate adoption of circular economy practices by keeping materials in use in Scotland’s economy through using less, using for longer, using again, and / or switching to regenerative material use. Projects will support the creation of valuable markets to optimise materials management and processing in Scotland.

The fund supports projects located within or directly benefiting Ballantrae, South Ayrshire. Applications must benefit the community, which is geographically defined by the community council boundaries. Priority will be given to applications that fit with the Ballantrae Community Action Plan 2024 - 2029 Priorities: Theme 1, Working and LearningDevelop a local economy, including a visitor economy, underpinned by upskilling the workforce.Theme 2, Good Local InfrastructurePrioritise protecting and enhancing local facilities and spaces.Theme 3, Affordable Housing for All AgesEnsure that there is accessible and affordable housing for people at all stages of their lives. Theme 4, Getting About EasilyTraffic and road safety will be a focus to create a safer place. Invest in walks and cycle paths and better transport to enhance connectivity within the community and across the region.Theme 5, Care and WellbeingWork towards being a place that looks after its own and has good health and care for older people.Theme 6, Things to DoCreate events and leisure activities to make Ballantrae a vibrant place to live.Awards can support a wide range of costs and activities including equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional worker costs, consultations, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities etc.

The Kinross-shire Fund supports community groups and organisations within the 73 square miles of Kinross-shire, and is dedicated to helping make Kinross-shire a better place to live. Funds are raised from individuals, companies and groups which are then used to make grants to local projects and voluntary organisations making a real difference to life in Kinross-shire. The Kinross-shire Fund aims to support activities that will develop the vibrant life of the Kinross-shire community and ensure the area is an attractive place to live, work, and visit.Applications must contribute to at least one of the following themes:- Community events- Community information- Community transport- Community welfare or healthcare support- Physical amenities- Recreational facilities- Support for the care of older people- Support for existing voluntary organisations. Priority will be given to funding applications which:- strengthen existing local organisations by helping them to purchase equipment and resources- improve or develop local community facilities- encourage community activity and promote community spirit- support services for the elderly and persons with a disability- improve information about local community issuesHigher priority will be given to capital projects which make a lasting difference. Grants must be spent within one year of the award.

The purpose of the University of Edinburgh Community Grants Scheme is to:- Bring value to new or existing partnerships between the University and local communities.- Have a positive social impact by contributing to one or more of these United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): - 1 No Poverty- 3 Good Health and Wellbeing- 4 Quality Education- 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth- 10 Reduced Inequalities- 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.