Community development

The 2016 Scottish Charity Awards are now open for entries in seven categories.

Has your organisation achieved something special this year? Does your charity have an exceptional employee? Do you know somebody who has made an outstanding contribution to a charity or cause? 

The annual Scottish Charity Awards are run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and celebrate the achievements of the third sector. 

The latest edition of the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) newsletter is now available online.

The February newsletter includes information on an ENRD conference on unlocking the potential of Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) as well as links to summaries of RDPs from across Europe.

You can also find out about new information platforms in Spain, a workshop on using simplified cost option in LEADER and Community-Led Local Development, upcoming rural development events taking place in Europe and much more.

Over 40 community organisations will receive a share of £2.5 million from the Scottish Government's Strengthening Communities Programme.

The Strengthening Communities Programme (SCP) will provide investment to community organisations from the Highlands to the Scottish Borders that are transforming disused properties and setting up enterprises in their areas.

Paths for All is offering grants of up to £1,500 to help community groups improve, maintain and promote their local community paths.

If your group has a great paths project idea but doesn't have the finances to carry out the work, then Paths for All can help.

Their Community Path Grants can be used to: 

Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead has encouraged more applications to the European and Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

Eight Scottish Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) from Shetland to Dumfries & Galloway have won a share of the EMFF worth £6.5 million.

The EMFF is the fund for the EU's maritime and fisheries policies for 2014-2020. The fund:

The new Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER programme launched on Friday 29 January, with £2.78 million of funding to be invested in rural communities across the region.

The event took place at the Callander Youth Project, which was voted Scotland’s top youth project in 2015. Peter Sunderland, Local Action Group Chair, highlighted examples of good practice, including one which inspired a participant to become an international expert on project continuity. 

The Climate Challenge Fund is now open for applications.

Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod has confirmed the fund will continue for another year, after it was allocated £10.3 million in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2016-17.

Community groups across Scotland are now being invited to apply for a share of over £10 million to promote action against climate change.

Dr McLeod said:

WAT IF? (Woolfords, Auchengray and Tarbrax Improvement Foundation) has extended its community minibus trial, changing the timetable to better reflect the needs of the local community.

The initial trial ran on alternate Thursdays and Saturdays from September to December but Thursdays didn’t prove as popular and feedback showed that residents would rather have a service every Saturday – so the new trial runs two trips every Saturday!

More volunteers are needed to deliver the next LEADER and Fisheries programmes in Moray.

Over 100 people from across rural Perthshire braved the snow and ice to attend the launch of the Rural Perth & Kinross LEADER programme on 14 January. 

After a spot of networking at the various stands the meeting commenced with the Local Action Group Chair, with Jackie Brierton speaking passionately about the opportunities that the Local Development Strategy offers in terms of stronger networking, collaboration, a well connected sustainable local economy with communities coming together.