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The Plugged in Communities Grant Fund supports community transport operators in Scotland to replace a community transport vehicle with a zero-emission alternative, to support community trips and services.Grants are available to cover the following zero-emission vehicles:- Cars- MPVs- Minibuses- VansFunding also covers any necessary accessibility adaptations and charging infrastructure

Years 5 & 6 of the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults offers financial support to local community projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of people living in the Western Isles.This money will be distributed to groups who provide community support and connections for people who have experienced distress, disadvantage, isolation, or whose mental health has been negatively impacted by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The overarching aim of the Fund is to promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing while mitigating the impact of distress and mental ill health within the adult population (aged 16 or over) with a particular focus on prevention and early intervention. Key priorities include:- Addressing mental health inequalities within ‘at risk’ groups.- Tackling social isolation, loneliness, suicide prevention, and poverty and inequality, with a focus on responding to the cost-of-living crisis.- Supporting small grassroots community groups and organisations in delivering activities.- Fostering connections, building trusted relationships, and revitalising communities.In previous years the fund has supported projects as diverse as arts, recreation, sporting memories, advocacy and counselling.For further information and advice, contact the relevant local TSI:- Third Sector Hebrides (Lewis): enquiries@tshebrides.org.uk- Outer Hebrides Social Economy Partnership: enquiries@tshebrides.org.uk- Volunteer Centre Western Isles: manager@volunteercentrewi.org- Harris Voluntary Service: manager@harrisvs.org.uk- Uist Council of Voluntary Organisations: info@ucvo.org.uk- Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay: eoin@vabv.org.uk

The Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund will help more people get online, drive economic growth and raise living standards. It aims to answer the question: How can technology help people overcome barriers to accessing key online services?Despite the success of programmes such as Connecting Scotland, many individuals still struggle to access essential services because of low digital skills, limited confidence, or a lack of access to devices and connectivity. This Challenge seeks innovative, user-centred solutions that focus on people who may have some access to devices or connectivity but face barriers in using digital services safely and effectively. Proposals should address varied user needs, helping individuals engage with services including financial tools, education and employment. Connectivity and devices matter - but skills and confidence are critical to unlocking meaningful digital inclusion.The impacts of this exclusion vary depending on the specific circumstances of individuals, but this challenge is focused on reducing the barriers for people identifying, accessing and engaging with essential digital services safely including;- Key public services such as access to online health services, benefits etc- Access to third-sector services such as Citizens advice - Access to banking services and financial services- Access to employment opportunities- Access to education and skills opportunities

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.

Scottish EDGE is a competition aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high-growth potential entrepreneurial talent. You should have an ambitious growth strategy and a commitment to deliver upon it. Competitions are:- Scottish EDGE: For early-stage companies/social enterprises across all sectors, offering funding on a split grant/loan basis.- Young EDGE: For companies where all directors are under the age of 30 offering a grant only award.Wild Card EDGE: For pre-trading companies, sole-traders and partnerships, offering a grant-only award. - Social Enterprise EDGE: For Social Enterprises who clearly demonstrate how their business enriches communities and makes a contribution to society, offering funding on a split grant/loan basis.

The fund welcomes applications from organisations that make a difference across a range of areas: - Community Buildings – projects which maintain and develop buildings being used and run by the community, especially projects which help ensure their sustainability for the future.- Community transport initiatives.- Conservation, wildlife and animal sanctuary projects – in particular those which improve communal land.- Education and skills development.- The elderly – projects focused on improving access to activities and services.- Energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.- Health and sport – projects that help provide access to services that aim to improve the health and well-being of the local community.- Heritage – projects that celebrate protect and promote local culture, history and heritage.- Regeneration – community projects that help to reduce crime levels, increase employment, housing or the physical environment.- Self-help groups – community groups that deliver basic services.- Vulnerable people – projects which enable increased access to services and facilities for people with disabilities, the homeless and those disadvantaged.- Young people – projects which focus on improving access to services where young people can play a key role in decision making.The community fund is open to applications from groups and projects which benefit the communities living in the following community council areas: Crathes, Drumoak and Durris; Newtonhill, Muchalls & Cammachmore; North Kincardine Rural; Portlethen and District; Stonehaven and District.

The Early Years Parenting Fund will support organisations that improve the development of children most at risk of poor early childhood outcomes, by investing in effective, culturally grounded parenting support.The Fund aims to improve the development of children most at risk of poor Early Childhood Development (ECD) outcomes, by investing in effective parenting support. In this round they want to fund work that can clearly demonstrate its contribution to improving early childhood development for children aged newborn to five.The Early Years Parenting Fund is part of the Getting Started funding priority, which supports families to give young children a strong start in life. In this fund, ‘parents’ includes any caregiver.Starting where ECD outcome gaps are largest to support charitable organisations that do the strongest work in this space. There is significant evidence from UK Governments and What Works centres that shows that specific communities experience multiple barriers, including discrimination, lack of cultural sensitivity of services and limited outreach, in accessing and benefitting from mainstream early childhood services. Early years services and programmes have often focused on the widest audiences and change at scale rather than a targeted, community appropriate approach. This contributes to the high risk of poor early child outcomes that has persisted for specific groups over the past two decades. The Foundation aims to support improved outcomes for two groups: - Children from Black (Caribbean or African, Any Other Black), Pakistani, and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.- Children growing up in high levels of poverty, i.e. live in areas ranked within the most deprived 20% nationally. This is year one of a five year programme focussing on improving children’s outcomes via parenting support. They expect to adapt this fund during the next five years, for example, the next round in 2027 will focus on organisations with the same strong community connections but with developing evidence bases. Future rounds might focus on different parent groups.

This fund supports professional theatre and dance productions of varying scales to tour across Scotland. It aims to bring high quality performances to more places and people across Scotland, supporting a mix of artists, producers, venues and companies to develop audiences for Theatre and Dance. This includes outdoor, circus, interdisciplinary and site-specific work. It also aims to reduce risk for producers of tours by providing sufficient funding to cover all touring costs, and to reduce risk for venues and presenters by offering tours on a no-fee basis with a favourable box office income split. The fund supports the touring of brand-new productions and shows in development as well as providing an opportunity for work that has already been produced to be seen by a wider audience or to tour again. Funded work must be offered to venues at no cost, helping reduce risk and increase access.

The Glasgow Wellbeing Fund provides small grants for projects that improve mental wellbeing for adults in the city. The fund aims to support small to medium sized community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises to deliver mental wellbeing projects across the city’s diverse communities. It is resourced by the Scottish Government, and part of the national Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.The fund’s primary focus is to support projects that help and support mental health and wellbeing. Counselling or therapy can be included, but priority will be given to more community-focused activities.Projects funded through the Glasgow Wellbeing Fund will need to demonstrate how they build one or more of seven wellbeing drivers: emotional resilience, strength and mindfulness; connection to others within the community; a sense of security, trust and being included; mobility and physical activity; a sense of purpose and being valued through volunteering, helping others, or paid work; support for people who are in distress; access to learning opportunities and the development of new skills and knowledge.Applicants should consider how their proposal contributes to promoting people’s human rights. Priority will be given to projects demonstrating that they work with groups of people who are routinely disadvantaged or excluded in society or have been particularly affected by the cost of living crisis. Community is the key word for applicants. Bringing people together to connect with and support each other is an absolute priority for the fund. Activity funded by the grant must last at least six months and be completed within 18 months from the award date.

Young people across the Scottish Borders are full of inspiring ideas to help tackle the climate crisis and promote community climate action– and SBCAN is here to help bring those ideas to life. They're inviting youth groups, schools, clubs and voluntary groups to apply for grants to run a project that makes a difference in your community. This fund will support projects or activities that include: - Community Action which benefits our planet- Developing Sustainable practices- Encouraging Climate Resilience and Adaptations- Learning new skills and discovering natureThey are particularly keen to support projects which show:- Youth-led projects where young people are involved in taking ownership and deciding what they want;- Collaborative working between groups;- Inter-generational working;- Groups that promote inclusive activity with under-represented groups;- Projects which support the young people to achieve recognition for their achievements- for example Dynamic Youth Award Climate Action Challenge/ John Muir Award/ Saltire Awards- A long-term vision for Climate Action within your school/ group.