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The Fund aims to support businesses in the tourism, creative industries and food and drink processing sectors, and social enterprises in any sector, across the Highlands and Islands to reduce or green their energy usage. Projects can include anything that helps businesses or social enterprises to reduce or green their energy usage and make progress towards achieving net zero carbon emissions, for example energy efficiency measures, renewables, or waste management. HIE will prioritise projects based in remote and rural areas where applicants may be eligible for up to 50% funding.

The Keystone Fund aims to enable locally and regionally-focused charities working towards social equity to become more agile in their support for their communities.The Fund will award unrestricted grants, intended to enable charitable organisations in the UK to adapt ways of working, strengthen capacity or build resilience, according to identified needs. In addition, all grant holders will gain access to webinars, toolkits, and networking opportunities to accelerate their impact. Priorities of the fund are supporting organisations to:- Adapt their ways of working (e.g. digital capability, staff and volunteer training, operational challenges)- Bolster their core building blocks (e.g. governance, strategic planning, capacity building)

The Regional Creatives Fund offers grants to UK charities that develop creative industry career pathways. The Regional Creatives Fund aligns with the Government’s recently announced Creative Places Growth Fund and aims to increase access to careers in the creative industries for people from underserved communities.Projects that focus on:- Upskilling or professional development in creative fields- Building on existing programmes, pilots, or structures that show promise- Creating sustainable pathways into creative careers- Innovative or scalable approaches to creative learning- Collaboration and regional sharing of knowledge/resources- Serving communities or people from government-designated underserved areasIt is essential that you seek to expand or continue an existing creative programme (rather than develop a new one). Projects must operate within the following creative industries: Digital and physical publishing, such as books and podcasts; Film, TV and Performance;Music; Advertising; Fashion; or Gaming.While this fund provides short-term financial support, they are especially keen to build long-term relationships with charity partners. They are more likely to prioritise projects from organisations who are open to ongoing collaboration beyond this round of funding. Funds can also be used for equipment, software, and wages, provided they meaningfully contribute to the project.

The Community Empowerment Fund (part of the broader UK Shared Prosperity Fund or UKSPF) is a community capacity building initiative that aims to boost local community projects across the Falkirk area.There are two programmes:- Capital Facilities Improvement Grant: Up to £15,000 capital funding towards projects that result in the creation or significant improvement of a building/facility owned or controlled by a non-profit, community benefit organisation. - Small and Start-Up Grants: Funding to deliver new or expanded services within our communities, including activities, events and volunteering opportunities (up to £5,000).The UK Government have introduced a revised set of outcomes for the SPF programme. The 25/26 Outcomes for the Community Empowerment are listed below:- Number of amenities/facilities created or improved - Number of local events or activities supported - Number of people reached - Number of volunteering opportunities supported - Improved engagement numbers - Number of volunteering opportunities created as a result of support For projects aiming to be completed by 31 January 2026.

The YMI Access to Music Making Fund supports individuals and organisations working in the youth music sector to create and deliver high-quality music making opportunities for children and young people across Scotland that address inequity.Activity will reach children and young people who are less likely to participate, this could include children and young people who:- reside in areas of social and economic deprivation, for more information visit the Scottish Government website- are experiencing or at risk of experiencing harm and neglect- are care experienced, for more information visit The Promise Scotland- are in the early years (0-5) of their life- are of the global majority and/or ethnic minorities- have disabilities/learning disabilities- are neurodivergent including autism, ADHD, Tourette's syndrome- are experiencing mental health illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD, eating disorders and addictive behaviours- have experience of the criminal justice system- are young carers (as defined by the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016) and/or young parents- are experiencing homelessness or who have been homeless.

The YMI Strengthening Youth Music Fund supports freelance individuals and organisations working in the youth music sector to deliver activities that will improve, develop and strengthen the sector, and the services offered to benefit children and young people across the country. It does not support music making activity directly with children and young people – this support is offered through the [Access to Music Making Fund](https://funding.scot/funds/a0Rb0000007YdkVEAS/).This fund can support applications that propose any type of activity intended to strengthen, improve and develop Scotland’s youth music sector and services for children and young people, which meet the purpose and criteria of the fund are welcomed. This activity could include, for example: - Partnership working between formal and non-formal sectors supporting networking at local or national level - Conferences, seminars or events sharing good practice or exploring issues pertinent to the youth music sector in Scotland - Development and/or pooling of resources that will widen access to music for children and young people - Delivery of action research projects that develop new approaches or methods of working - Activity that explores ways of creating progression opportunities for children and young people through partnerships between formal and non-formal sectors - Development of technology that will widen access to music for children and young people.

The Public Engagement Grant Scheme (PEGS) aims to support the IOP Limit Less campaign by improving the relationship with physics of young people and their influencers, including their parents and carers. This could be by showcasing relatable role models of those doing physics, actively challenging stereotypes and preconceptions, sharing positive messages about physics, and more!The grant looks to prioritise projects that reach families with young people under the age of 16 who identify with one or more of the following groups currently underrepresented in the physics community:- Girls and young women- Disabled young people- LGBT+ young people- Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds- Black Caribbean young people

The SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration are organised and delivered by SURF in partnership with the Scottish Government.The purpose of the SURF Awards process is:- To recognise and reward best practice in communityregeneration;- To promote and disseminate best practice acrossScotland as means of sharing knowledge and experience, and thereby enhancing future policy and practice;- To highlight the important role that regeneration projects have in improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities.There are five categories of entry in the2026 SURF Awards:- Improving Scotland’s Places- Housing and Regeneration- Creative Regeneration- Removing Barriers to Employability- Community Led Regeneration

The Voluntary Sector Development Fund (VSDF) contributes to the costs associated with meeting required registration qualification criteria set by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and to help employers in achieving a qualified workforce.The fund contributes to costs associated with staff meeting the required registration qualification criteria set by the SSSC. They would particularly like small and medium-sized organisations to apply. Workers eligible for support this year are: social care workers at the level of support worker, practitioner and supervisor, providing care at home service, housing support service or care home service for adults.Funding is available for SVQ Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 6 or 7. For 2026-2027, the SSSC and Scottish Government would encourage level 7 applications to support supervisors who have had an extension to their qualification condition and still have to gain their practice qualification.

The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a UK Government funding initiative delivered by local authorities. The fund should be used to target areas in need, with the aim of building strong, resilient, prosperous, and inclusive communities. Applications are invited for projects that will focus on one or both of the following two themes:Environmental projects that are:- Community-led- In collaboration with a local Housing Association(s)- Focussed on, or connected to, a Transformational Regeneration Area (although applications for other areas will also be considered)ORFood system projects that:- Demonstrably improve the development of sustainable provision of healthy and locally sourced food; and/or- Focus on town centres and identified food deserts