Search

This fund supports not-for-profit groups providing charitable activities that benefit people living in the community council area of Strathpeffer. Specifically, it will support projects that:- Enhance quality of life for local residents- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities- Promote community spirit and encourage community activity.Applicants should demonstrate how their project relates to the themes of:- sharing and connecting- visitors staying longer and - an even better place to live.

Grants are being invited from community groups, charities and cooperatives throughout Aberdeenshire (excluding the Cairngorms area) and can fund specific activities aimed at benefitting rural communities in the region.   There are two types of grants available:Capital grants for new projects to support expenditure on assets which will last longer than one year, for expenditure such as:- The purchase of equipment over £6,000- Improvement to buildings and property- Construction of paths- Retrofit upgrades to propertiesRevenue grants to support new projects, which are not capital and not part of the core running costs of the organisation, such as:- Feasibility studies- Alleviation of poverty measures- Access to services- Supporting children to gain new skillsApplications will be assessed and approved by the Aberdeenshire Local Action Group (LAG), a cross-sector partnership which represents rural communities throughout Aberdeenshire.Grants will be targeted towards capital expenditure which can be delivered before 28th February 2027 and supports one or more of the following priorities:- An inclusive and connected Aberdeenshire – Enabling better connections within and across rural Aberdeenshire Communities - Accountable and Fair Aberdeenshire – Ensuring no one community is left behind or exposed to the devastating effects of inequality and poverty. - Sustainability of Places and Planet - Achieving a just transition to net zero through reducing emissions and regenerating the local environment 

The Aviva Foundation's Communities Fund will support organisations and projects that focus on either: - Financial wellbeing - helping people feel more secure and in control of their money. This could include budgeting support, debt advice, financial education, or money management. - Climate action - helping communities prevent, prepare for, and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This might involve restoring nature, improving access to green spaces, or providing education and skills for a sustainable future. Funding depends on how your mission aligns with their focus areas: - If your core mission is aligned with either financial wellbeing or climate action, you can apply for core running costs. - If your core mission is not directly aligned, but you’re planning a project that clearly addresses one of these areas and connects meaningfully to your wider work, you can apply for project-specific funding.

The fund provides grants that preserve and develop the area of Larbert, Stenhousemuir & Torwood as a great, friendly place to live, supporting activity that improves the look and feel of the area, brings people together and enhances the community for future generations. The fund’s priorities are to support charitable activity that:- Improves the physical appearance of the community (including the town centre) and makes better use of our public spaces;- Develops community services, events and facilities to better meet the diverse needs of local people; - Preserves and enhances the natural environment for the benefit of those who live in the area;- Builds the skills, capacity and sustainability of community organisations serving the area.Grants may support a wide range of costs, for example, the costs of equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities, and so on.The Panel is particularly keen to receive applications from:- Groups that haven’t applied to the fund before;- Groups that are providing services or activity that benefits the elderly;- Groups that are planning projects which will increase provision currently available;- Groups planning activity that will increase participation in community activity.Applicants are also required to consider some cross-cutting issues appropriately and proportionately relative to their project; see fund website for full details.

The A’Chruach Wind Farm Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in one or more of the following community council areas: West Loch Fyne, Dunadd and Lochgilphead. The fund is provided by Nadara, the developer and owner of the A’Chruach Wind Farm in Argyll & Bute. Applications are expected to address one or more of the following outcomes (or changes for the community):- Advance rural regeneration though increasing opportunities for enterprise and vocational training. - Enhance infrastructure including affordable housing, transport, broadband, community-owned property and access routes. - Establish new community services and seek to improve or expand existing services, particularly with regard to young people and the elderly. - Develop and improve community facilities. - Enhance leisure facilities and to develop and expand tourism and leisure opportunities. - Capacity building for new and existing community organisations to help achieve the other priorities.Under the Multi Year Flexible Funding schemes, applications are invited for strategic multi-year grants for up to three years. This funding is flexible and can be spent by organisations on broad areas of activity, including costs that are traditionally hard to raise funding for such as staff costs and organisation overheads.

Large Grants focuses on work that addresses the impacts of poverty and trauma under one or more of the following themes: - Financial security- Education pathways- Work pathways- Relationships (this pathway will launch later in the year).They seek to fund work that: meets people's immediate needs, provides earlier help, tests new approaches or does more of what work, and is universal or targeted. See website for details of target groups.

Local Community Groups are able to apply for funding to support the group and to develop a new or ongoing project in partnership with their local store. Successful applicants will receive an initial grant and begin a partnership with their local One Stop store.This programme is designed to support community groups or organisations operating within two miles of a One Stop store and which are;- Tackling food poverty- Supporting the vulnerable- Supporting the elderly- Supporting low-income families- Supporting local sports teams- Improving the local environment- Reducing waste in the communityIn addition to a grant, tailored support from the store teams will help community causes to increase or improve their service by assisting in areas such as but not limited to; volunteering support, fundraising and awareness-raising.

Community groups, charities and projects working in Dumfries can apply for grants.The support is being provided by the University of Glasgow as the anchor academic institution through their Dumfries Campus.They are looking for project proposals from a broad range of ideas that can lead to tangible social, civic, sustainable skill development or community benefit to those in Dumfries. Examples of projects eligible for funding may cover:- Equality, diversity and inclusion focused initiatives- Health, wellbeing and fitness/sport- Sustainability and climate change- Food poverty- Arts, heritage, and culture- Education, and outreach- Finance/debt advice- Any group set up to represent underrepresented groups in society or special interest groups- Community spacesThese projects may be new ideas, or opportunities to expand existing community projects – in this case funds may be sought to increase the scope, coverage, duration, and impact of already existing initiatives.They will consider being a part-funder alongside other organisations. However, the University of Glasgow will require to see evidence of other parties’ funding being in place before issuing their funding award and may withdraw a funding offer should this evidence not be provided. Whilst such collaborations are welcomed, the University would only transfer a grant to one organisation. The organisation receiving the grant would then be responsible for passing on money to any project partner organisation.Applicants can only apply for (and be in receipt of) one Civic Fund award at a time. However, organisations or individuals (only if they are applying on behalf of a wider community group or organisation) are welcome to apply more than once. That is, you can reapply if you have an unsuccessful application or when a Civic Fund funded project is complete.

Within the Alyth and Mount Blair areas, the Fund aims to promote community spirit and bring people together; enhance quality of life and promote people’s well-being; and foster vibrant sustainable communities. It seeks to do this by awarding grants that:- foster social networks & activities that support older people in the community - assist young people to maximise their potential and improve their life chances - promote better relationships between different generations - encourage healthy lifestyles and good mental health - support the acquisition, development and use of new community assets, and maintain and enhance existing ones - address the effects of rural isolation, improving access to services and improving transport- support skills development and non-profit making initiatives that will nurture a thriving and diverse local economy- protect the environment and advance the area’s heritage; including involving local people in the sensitive and sustainable stewardship of the natural environment and participation in activities that promote sustainable development - strengthen the ability of local people and groups to continue to meet their own needs and make a difference within their communities.Priority for grants will be given to projects that can demonstrate they also meet the following criteria: - That other possible sources of funding for the project have been explored. - For local community groups applying to the Fund: that reasonable efforts have been made to raise money through their own local fundraising activity. - That local suppliers will be used for the provision of goods and services, where appropriate. - That consideration has been given to minimising the environmental impact of projects and reducing your organisation’s ‘carbon footprint’.