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The Digital and Technology Adoption Capital Grant can provide organisations based in the Highlands and Islands region funding to support digital transformation ambitions. Introducing digital technology into your business has many advantages, including cutting costs, speeding up processes, improving customer insights, creating the ability to make faster business decisions, reduce carbon emissions and increase revenue.HIE recommend that organisations applying for this fund should have a digital action plan or feasibility study in place before making an enquiry.Community and Voluntary Organisations in the Highlands and Islands can apply for a capital grant based on their requirements.Digital technologies that may be supported with a capital grant include:- Robots / robotics / cobotics- Sensor technologies- Internet of Things- Data innovation- Artificial intelligence- Cyber security- Software development- Augmented reality / virtual reality / 3D visualisations- Additive manufacturing and laser machining- Cyber security solutionsProjects that have an element of ‘deep tech’ will also be considered, for example, blockchain, photonics, aerospace and space technologies, electronics, cyber threat intelligence and quantum computing.

Coach education subsidy funding aims to support Scottish Governing Bodies of sport (SGBs) in growing and developing their coaching workforce. sportscotland awards funding to SGBs, who then distribute financial subsidies to eligible individuals to support the cost of attaining recognised coaching qualifications. This funding also aims to encourage Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) approaches and access to sport in different communities throughout Scotland. Applications with an EDI focus are a priority for all subsidies.

The National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations aims to support organisations who seek funding to undertake creative activity such as a specific project or production, a programme of creative work, or a period of research and development. The fund can also support business change and development projects, such as those that make the organisation more financially sustainable or focus on broader organisational development.The fund is intended to support creative activity such as a specific project or production, a programme of creative work, or a period of research and development. Examples of the types of activity that can be supported are:- Development, curation, production, presentation of new work- Networking and collaborative opportunities- Research and development - Organisational development activity, where the activity is likely to contribute to greater organisational sustainability, public engagement, environmental sustainability or the development of knowledge/skills within the organisation- Professional development (training, mentoring, skills development)- Activity that supports artists and addresses inequalities- Audience development- Widening participation and engagement in creative activity.For full details, see the Fund guidelines available on the Creative Scotland website.

This option has two distinct aims.1) Provides support for new access infrastructure that will bring small scale, undermanaged woodlands or inaccessible woodlands back into active management with the following aims: - to improve the economic value of forest and woodland through timber production- to increase the area of woodland in Scotland that is in sustainable management - to improve the environmental and social benefits of woodland.2) To provide support for new access infrastructure to new woodlands as part of the Sheep and Trees initiative. This initiative is aimed at raising awareness of the many opportunities woodland can bring to land managers.

Funded by The Scottish Government, The Nature Restoration Fund encourages applicants with projects that restore wildlife and habitats on land and sea and address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. The primary focus of this fund is to increase the biodiversity value of land and sea with a focus on nature-based solutions to address the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change.The Fund will support a mix of urban and rural-focused projects, such as improving greenspace for outdoor learning, green active travel routes, planting of wildlife corridors and natural flood management.Funding is available to Helping Nature and Transforming Nature Delivery projects for single or multi-year projects. Transforming Nature Development projects should be for no longer than 12 months. The Nature Restoration Fund is largely a capital fund designed to deliver change on the ground.Project activities must be completed by 31 March 2028.

Funding for youth-led projects that work with young people experiencing inequality to engage with them on the climate emergency. Eligible costs include:- Work that is currently underway and will continue into the grant funding period- Running costs, including overheads and energy costs.- Staff costs.- Equipment necessary to deliver the work you’re requesting support for.- Training costs for staff, volunteers and children and young people.- Venue hire.- Travel costs.- Other costs associated with removing barriers to access for children and young people.- Volunteer expenses.- Budget for young people-led project development.- Small scale capital costs.

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund (CMHWF) for Adults was established in October 2021 and to date, it has distributed grants to community initiatives supporting mental health and wellbeing across Scotland. Local TSIs have their own version of this fund.The priorities are:- 1. Tackle mental health inequalities through supporting a range of ‘at risk’ groups.- 2. Address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention, poverty and inequality with a particular emphasis on responding to the cost-of-living crisis and support to those facing socio-economic disadvantage.  - 3. Support small ‘grass roots’ community groups and organisations to deliver such activities.  - 4. Provide opportunities for people to connect with each other, build trusted relationships and revitalise communities. New for this year is a particular focus on supporting the following six priority family groups identified under Best Start Bright Futures: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022 to 2026: Lone Parents; Disabled; 3+ Children; Minority Ethnic; Youngest Child Aged <1; Mothers Aged <25.

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme supports children and young people who are facing exceptionally difficult circumstances, and is delivered by Family Fund Business Services. The programme provides items that meet a child’s most basic needs such as a bed to sleep in, a cooker to provide a hot meal and other items or services critical to a child’s wellbeing.Eligible organisations can apply for a grant on behalf of the children they support. When applying on behalf of a child or young person, referrers must ensure that all possible statutory funding has been explored and exhausted before making an application to the Emergency Essentials Programme.The programme awards grants for critical household items, typically:- Cookers- Fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers- Washing machines and tumble dryers- Children’s beds and bedding- Kitchen equipment and small appliances- Furniture- Clothing- Baby equipment

The Strengthening Justice Fund aims to connect organisations using and shaping the law more closely with communities facing injustice and to create the space for these organisations to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges. You're likely a good fit if you:- are actively using the law to build power in communities- are challenging and reshaping the law and policy to promote social justice- are collaborating with sector partners in your influencing and campaigning workThey want to partner with organisations that are using the law creatively and collaboratively as part of a wider movement for justice. This could include a wide range of approaches, for example, using evidence from a Freedom of Information request to drive your policy, research or campaigning or using the public sector equality duty to challenge discrimination.The grants can be used to fund any costs including, but not limited to:- staff time (new or existing)- volunteer expenses- legal fees or consultancy- court expenses- event costs including participation expenses, venue hire and catering- governance costs- overheads

The Culture & Business Scotland Fund is designed to encourage collaboration between business and culture by enabling not-for-profit organisations to give their for-profit business sponsors additional rights or benefits, helping to enhance the impact and reach of the sponsorship and cultural activity.Not-for-profit organisations delivering cultural activity for the benefit of public audiences in Scotland can apply to the Fund for up to £1 for every £1 of business sponsorship. Organisations can apply up to two times in the financial year, provided the total Fund investment does not exceed £10,000.They welcome applications which relate to one or more of the following cultural forms:- Animation - Archaeology - Archives & Collections - Art & Health - Combined Arts - Community Heritage - Craft - Dance - Design - Fashion - Festival - Film & TV - Galleries - Historic Buildings & Monuments - Industrial, Maritime, Transport - Intangible Cultural Heritage - Land & Biodiversity - Libraries - Literature - Museums - Music - Street Arts - Theatre - Visual ArtsFunding must support cultural activities that directly engage a public audience, such as performances, exhibitions, productions, seasons of work, or public presentations.Fund investment cannot be used for capital projects (for example, building or renovation work). However, a business sponsor may contribute to those costs if the matched Fund investment is used for audience-facing cultural activity.