The National Lottery Community Fund has opened a £166 million funding stream that will support Scotland’s communities over the next 5 years.
Community groups can apply now for the two new programmes, Community Action and Fairer Life Chances, which are aimed at helping communities tackle poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination.
The National Lottery Community Fund says the programmes will award bigger and longer grants than previous funds to give community groups more security over a longer term. They will also fund organisations of different sizes and levels of experience.
Community Action will support projects that help communities of all shapes and sizes, including those who are geographically dispersed, to come together around activities that matters to them, or which help communities to be environmentally sustainable.
Fairer Life Chances is for projects providing services that support children, young people and families, or that help people to be healthier or have better access to support.
Applicants will be expected to show how their project fills a gap, how it will reach and support people and communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination and how it will involve their voices and makes use of their skills and experience. They must also show how their project makes a difference and how they will measure that impact.
Groups are encouraged to discuss their idea for funding before applying via email at advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or phone 0300 123 7110.
Further information about both programmes is available on the National Lottery Community Fund website.
Source: UK Fundraising