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From a fund supporting projects restoring Scotland’s nature, to grants for projects raising awareness about smart meters among those in more vulnerable circumstances, here’s news of more funds now open for applications.

£12.5 million for projects that benefit nature in Scotland

Round 2 of Scotland’s Nature Restoration Fund is now open, offering grants to projects that help the country’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas onto the road to recovery, as well as improving the health and wellbeing of local communities, with at least £12.5 million available in 2022-23.

Habitat and species restoration, coastal and marine protection and eradication of invasive non-native species are among the types of projects that can apply for grants of up to £250,000.

Previous projects to have benefitted from the fund include the Forth Rivers Trust project on the River Almond in West Lothian. The project carries out a range of restoration work to improve historic issues and engages communities with their local rivers.

Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said:

“Scotland’s natural environment is already heavily degraded, and wildlife is in decline here just as it is across the world.

 

“In the face of this crisis, we are redoubling our efforts to protect species and restore nature across Scotland, and working with nations across the world to accelerate global action.

 

“The Nature Restoration Fund will play a big role in delivering these positive changes by supporting longer-term, larger scale projects across Scotland – on land and at sea – that address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Over this parliament we will invest at least £65 million through the fund, delivering real change that people and nature will benefit from across the whole country.

 

“It’s part of our wider £500 million investment in Scotland’s natural environment, with funding for the restoration of peatlands, woodlands, and other natural habitats.”

Francesca Osowska, NatureScot CEO, said:

“If we want to secure a ‘net zero, nature positive’ future for Scotland then we must act now to repair the damage done to our land and seas by decades of degradation.

 

“Through the Nature Restoration Fund, we can support vital work to address the biodiversity and climate crisis by putting Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery.

 

“This is Scotland’s largest ever fund for nature and a vital opportunity to take positive action now and halt nature loss.”

The first round of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund was announced in July 2021 with 54 projects awarded funding.

Grants of up to £25,000 for smart meter awareness projects

The government-backed Smart Energy GB in Communities fund is now open for applications from charities and voluntary organisations, offering grants of up to £25,000 to help people in vulnerable circumstances understand the personal and national benefits of smart meters.

Funding streams are available to help those who are over 65s, carers and people on a low income, and applications must be received by 12 noon Friday 11 February.

The Smart Energy GB in Communities programme works with expert local organisations from the voluntary and public sectors to ensure people who may need extra information and support can understand the benefits of smart meters and how to request an installation.

Caroline Mackinson, Project Coordinator at Citizens Advice Diss, Thetford and District, which received a grant to reach low-income households in 2021, said:

“The grant from Smart Energy GB enabled additional staffing and travel costs to attend a variety of outdoor and indoor events such as job fairs, food banks, lunch clubs, as well as market place events, to directly reach the target audience throughout Norfolk. These events have allowed us to reach large numbers of attendees as well as provide personalised face to face advice that has been limited at our offices since the start of the pandemic.  The grant has given us additional staff and volunteer resource to help an increasing number of people on low incomes coming to us for help with their energy. We have been able to proactively contact low-income households and offer information about smart meters.”

The bid fund is being coordinated by the charities National Energy Action (NEA) and supported by Energy Action Scotland (EAS).

Grants will be awarded to regionally-based organisations, with local networks, that have a trusted voice amongst people who are:

  1. aged over 65: The total amount requested should be between £15,000 and £25,000
  1. on a low income: defined as having an annual household income of less than £14,000 before tax. The total amount of grant requested should be between £7,500 and £10,000
  1. are carers: defined as someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, or who needs extra help as they grow older. The total amount of grant requested should be £5,000

Housing associations, registered charities and non-registered community groups are eligible to apply. Applications are also welcome from former applicants, both successful and unsuccessful.

£50,000 available for children’s charities in Kent

Applications are open now for a share of £50k funding from the Albert Burns Children’s Charitable Trust Fund administered by Kent Community Foundation.

The Fund supports smaller children’s charities working in the Thanet district, particularly Margate, which don’t have the resources of larger organisations and where a small amount of funding will make a huge difference.

Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation, said:

“The Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund awards grants of up to £5,000 to small organisations providing direct support to children and young people. Since 2015 the Foundation has administered grants totalling £223,778 from this Fund to support community groups and small charities in Thanet. We know that this funding makes a real difference to the district, and we currently have an amazing £50,000 available to support grassroots organisations in the Margate area.”

Groups that have previously received funding from The Albert Burns Children’s Charitable Trust Fund include St Nicholas at Wade Parent Teacher and Friends Association, Inclusive Sport CIC, Oasis Domestic Abuse Service, Thanet Iceberg Project, St Paul’s Church Cliftonville, Starlings Support CIC, Thanet Food Link and Millmead Children’s Centre.

If groups have not applied before, Kent Community Foundation has a questionnaire to help them find out if they are eligible for funding on its site.

Grants to fund activities helping people talk about death & dying

The Dying Matters Community Grants Programme is looking to fund new and creative ways to spark conversations about dying in communities across the UK.

The grants are aimed at community-led arts and culture projects, with a focus on equality and inclusion. Dying Matters is looking for activities that take place in communities, outside of formal healthcare settings, which help make it easier for people to talk about death and dying.

It welcomes applications from community arts and culture groups, as well as organisations that want to use arts or culture to engage their service users or audience. 

Applicants will need to:

  • Demonstrate that they reach defined groups who are less likely to be reached by hospice care and the Dying Matters campaign (see FAQs for more information)
  • Demonstrate how a proposed project will approach the subject of death in an innovative and culturally relevant way through arts and culture.
  • Be a registered charity, a Charitable Incorporate Organisation (CIO) or Community Interest Company (CIC)
  • Commit to providing a statement of use of funds, relevant monitoring and evaluation feedback, and communications and campaigns collateral (photos, video, etc)

Small workshop grants up to £999 and project grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 are available.

Applicants can apply for the amount needed for their project. Larger grants would enable larger scale community projects such as a theatre production, photography exhibition or community mural. Smaller grants would enable and encourage smaller organisations to apply to run smaller scale workshop activities, such as one-off workshops of poetry, singing or art.

The deadline for submissions is 21 February.

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