Search

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’.

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.

National Lottery Awards for All offers funding to support what matters to people and communities. The programme is a partnership between the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, sportscotland and Creative Scotland. It can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things:- bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities- improve the places and spaces that matter to communities- help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage- support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.If you are applying for a project involving the arts, they will prioritise projects that: engage people from areas of high deprivation; remove financial barriers to access creative activities; address rural isolation and encourage activity in rural areas; engage older people, people in care homes and carers; engage care leavers; support integration of refugees and asylum seekers. If you are applying for a project focused on sport, they will prioritise projects that: engage young people from our most deprived areas; engage girls and young women; engage disabled young people.They are looking for projects that are connected to local people and their communities, and use their existing skills and experience. It is important to involve your community from the start - in the design, development and delivery of the activities you’re planning.Announced on 25th March 2026, there is also an additional £2.2 million of National Lottery funding to support community, arts, and sports activity inspired by Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, bringing the excitement of the Games to towns and neighbourhoods across Scotland.This summer, organisations delivering Glasgow 2026-inspired activities can apply for up to £10,000 of National Lottery funding for projects lasting up to 12 months that will:- increase access and remove barriers so more people can take part in arts or sports activities- bring people together and strengthen connections within and across communities- support health and wellbeing through physical activity and shared community experiences- celebrate cultural diversity and international connections- create a lasting legacy that communities can enjoy beyond the Games

The broad aim of the Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust is to assist charities and community groups (constituted & not for profit with charitable aims) working to improve the quality of life and life chances in the Stratherrick and Foyers areas, especially in circumstances where funding is particularly hard to find and where a grant can achieve significant impact in enabling groups to fulfill their own objectives. Grants are made to groups across a wide spectrum of social, welfare, heritage, educational and community development activity. The majority of funding is directed at locally based work involving, and often initiated by, members of that local community. They also make small sporting grants and educational grants available to individuals.There are several grant types:- Large Group grant (for over £25,000)- Constituted Groups for Community Benefit grant (up to £25,000)- Non-Constituted Group/Individual for Community Benefit grant (up to £1,000)- Student Grants (available to residents undertaking a further or higher education course or training)- Sporting and Excellence Grants (for individuals competing at a national or international event or participating in a recognised training camp as a trainee)- The Knockie Fund (available to anyone in the area who is currently suffering fuel poverty or who require food vouchers)

The Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation has two focus areas through which it aims to drive social impact.Helping people experiencing hardship and/or underserved groups to:- access a place to call home.- and improve financial wellbeing.1. A Place to Call Home The target outcomes include:- People have access and support into a safe and secure permanent place to call home. They want to support charities that enable people most in need to live independently.- People have access and support into a safe and secure temporary home in times of crisis. Enabling people into temporary accommodation in emergency situations such as homelessness, palliative or end of life, or for those experiencing domestic abuse.2. Financial WellbeingThe target outcomes include:- People have the support needed to prevent and/or address financial difficulty. They want to support charities who provide help and guidance on how to manage money and improve financial wellbeing.- People have access to financial education. They are looking to support charities whose work will support financial independence and education.If your charity's mission meets one or more of the target outcomes, the Foundation will consider funding core costs, project costs and small capital contributions, for example:- Salary requests for personnel delivering the proposed project should be structured to ensure they are longer-term and sustainable. Applicants must provide evidence that funding has been secured to cover the full cost of these salaries.- Overhead expenses such as rent or utilities.- Scaling up successful programmes or developing new ones.- Investing in infrastructure or technology to improve operations.- Daily essentials such as pots, pans and white goods for people who have secured a permanent place to call home.- Aids such as a ramp/stairlift in a community centre in order to remove any physical barriers to access for local people.- Books or resources which support financial education.Laptops or online systems used to deliver digital competence sessions.

The Rhododendron Trust is a grant-making charity focused mainly on the welfare of the disadvantaged in the UK and overseas, but also supporting arts and wildlife charities.The general aim is of course to select charities which will make good use of a donation from the trust, i.e. where the charity’s goals align with the trust’s aims and where the charity is effective in achieving its goals. An important further consideration is that a donation from the trust should make a significant contribution to the charity’s work – which leads the trust to favour smaller charities over charities which already have a large income.Priority themes are:for UK Charities:- Carers and Breaks- Disability and Mental Health- Deprivation- Prisoners and Refugees- ArtsDeveloping world charities:- Children and Education- Development- Disability and Medical- Women and Justice- Nature

Crossdykes Community Benefit Fund can support a wide range of charitable activities providing benefit to the five community council areas of Langholm Ewes & Westerkirk, Lockerbie and District, Middlebie & Waterbeck, Eskdalemuir, and North Milk. In particular, priority will be given to applications that align with the findings of the East Dumfriesshire Community Consultation (2020). Funded activities must align with the charitable purposes laid down in Crossdykes Community Benefits Limited’s own Articles and Memorandum of Association. These purposes are focused principally on the fund area and include community development, rural regeneration, the prevention and/or relief of poverty, the advancement of education, health, arts, heritage, culture and science, public participation in sport, the provision of recreational facilities, projects which improve the quality of life or wellbeing of residents, environmental projects, specifically those relating to climate change, the relief of those in need due to age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage and animal welfare.