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The Local Employability Partnership (LEP), Employability Funding Midlothian is a Scottish Government fund delivered in partnership with Midlothian Council. It supports employability programmes that help Midlothian people overcome employment barriers.

The Community Buildings Fund, part of the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), provides grants to help community organisations reduce their building’s energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It does this by funding the installation of renewable technologies like heat pumps, battery storage, and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, as well as some energy efficiency measures.Grants up to £80,000 for 80% of eligible costs are available to eligible community groups to help you reduce energy costs and make your building more sustainable. The funding can be used towards the cost of installing renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. It can also be used for costs like building warrants, planning permission and grid connection applications which are essential to install some measures. What improvements will CARES fund?**1. Heating requirement**CARES funding is prioritised to buildings that have or will decarbonise their heating. Your building must have:- A heat pump (air source, ground source or water source).- A connection to a heat network.- Direct electric heating (including storage heating or electric boilers) biomass heating.Or as part of your CARES project you will be installing:- A heat pump; or- A connection to a heat network.**2. Core measures eligible for CARES funding.**You must install at least one core CARES measures:- A heat pump (air source, ground source or water source).- A connection to heat network.- Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.- Solar water heating.**3. Add-on measures**In addition to installing a core measure(s), you can also apply for funding to install one or more of the following:- Energy storage – heat/thermal or electrical.Insulation – any loft, underfloor or cavity wall insulation.- Secondary glazing.- Draught proofing.- Appropriate energy saving controls that are linked to new installations to ensure they operate efficiently.Eligible community buildings include, but are not limited to:- Village halls.- Community centres.- Community hubs.- Sports facilities.- Faith buildings.The building must be used by the local community or charitable organisation.

CivTech is a Scottish Government programme that brings people from the public, private and third sectors together to build things that make the world a better place.The Round 11 Challenges are focused across a wide range of areas including education, the natural environments (land and marine), the economy and health, core government functions, the Gaelic language, and more. Individuals, teams, pre-starts, start-ups, early stage or established SMEs, and large companies are all welcome to apply. For more details on the process and to view all of the current challenges, visit the CivTech website.

The Essentia Foundation is a charity that once operated Health and Social Welfare telephone counselling and information services supported by data processing and analysis in the field of public information. Their clients included HEBS, the Scottish Government, the Department of Health and the Central Office of Information as well as pharmaceutical companies. When the company was sold, the Essentia Foundation was established.The Foundation provides financial support to charities and community groups to help achieve the following objectives:- Improved health and social welfare of children and young people up to the age of 25 years old.- Increased opportunities for training, enhancing learning, upskilling, and developing career opportunities, and supporting young people up to the age of 25 years old to move towards employment.- To learn more about the Essentia Foundation, please visit their website (https://www.essentiafoundation.org.uk/)The fund is looking for projects that:- Support the participation in mainstream society for individuals with learning disabilities or long-term life limiting health conditions- Support young people who face long-term challenges living in poverty and inequality. - Support those who have been excluded from school to access or return to education or training opportunities- Provide skills and training to those who are furthest from the labour market- Aim to improve the health and welfare of children and young people (being those under 25) Please note the above are all in relation to supporting young people up to the age of 25 only.

Funding is intended to help to bring woodlands into management; promote the economic and sustainable production of timber and timber products; add value and jobs to local economies; and provide support to facilitate and enable diversification.It supports investments in three main areas:1. new specialised equipment which will increase the local small-scale harvesting and processing capacity2. new specialised equipment for forest tree nurseries, including tree seed supply businesses and equipment for afforestation ground preparation projects, including forestry fencing projects3. support for the mobile equipment to help forestry businesses or enterprises to adapt and recover from Covid-19

The National Lottery Film Festival and Screening Programme Fund supports organisations who are looking to produce film festivals and screening programmes in Scotland for a public audience.Activities supported by the fund should increase the reach, impact and diversity of film screenings and events for communities throughout Scotland and meet Screen Scotland’s Audience Development priorities:- Scotland has a diverse screen culture, showcasing the best contemporary and heritage films from Scotland and around the world, raising up new or unheard voices.- Communities across Scotland have access to shared spaces with meaningful, relevant, and enjoyable opportunities to engage in screen culture.- Scotland’s venues, festivals and platforms are sustainable - financially and environmentally - and are positive places to visit and to work within.This fund is project funding, not core organisational funding. However, they encourage using the fund to cover core costs that directly relate to the delivery of your project and development of your team and organisation during the project dates. They encourage you to secure additional funding from other sources, such as sponsors, partners, charities, private or other public funding, to help deliver and expand your programme. Applicants may apply for personal access costs for the project team in line with Creative Scotland’s guidelines.This fund will support activity happening between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026, and for up to 31 August for applications for Development Funding.

The Lived Experience Fund is to support organisations in capturing the lived experience of local residents to help inform community planning partnership service delivery and policy development. Engaging with local people in this way can help to ensure that:- There is equality and dignity for all- Services and activities are relevant to local needs- Communities can voice their opinions and identify what works and what doesn't- Everyone feels valued and included- Sense of community is improved- Sense of control and influence strengthened in local communities- Collective action is promoted- People are empowered to deliver effective interventions in their own lives and in that of their communitiesThis money can only be used to capture the views and experiences of people who live in South Lanarkshire and who experience poverty, inequalities and/or deprivation. Eligible activities include:- Cost of living support for community groups- Activities for youth- Food growing- Support for the elderly

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

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.