Funding

The community-led Lanarkshire LEADER Local Development Strategy has been launched.

The strategy sets out the priorities and objectives against which applications for funding will be assessed by the Lanarkshire LEADER Programme until 2020. A new development is the inclusion of part of the North Lanarkshire rural area to the south of Cumbernauld and east of Airdrie and Wishaw.

South Lanarkshire Council Provost, Councillor Eileen Logan unveiled the new strategy at Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) in Lanark recently.

The Tyne Esk LEADER Programme was formally launched at twin events -  the Haddington Show on the 2 July and the Dalkeith Show on 9 July 2016.

Both events were well attended by, primarily, famers and families and the Tyne Esk LEADER stall was kept busy answering questions and entertaining children.  LEADER LAG members as well as the staff team were on hand at the stall throughout the two days.

A fund to help organisations develop ideas for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Low Carbon Travel and Transport (LCTT) Challenge Fund is open for applications.

The Big Lottery Fund has launched a new multi-million pound programme to support community-led projects to develop or build assets for community use.

Through the new Community Assets fund, groups can apply for grants from £10,000 to £1 million to buy, build or develop buildings and land. Between now and 2020, up to £45 million is available through the fund in Scotland.

The communities of Woolfords, Auchengray and Tarbrax in South Lanarkshire are set to benefit from two major community benefit packages.

Almost £550,000 of LEADER funding has been awarded to projects following the first round of decision making meetings with the Dumfries & Galloway LEADER Local Action Group.

Funding of £549,901.35 has been awarded to projects with a total value of £1,250,258.26. Supported projects were varied and include both The Whithorn Trust’s Iron Age Roundhouse which explores the history and heritage of the region, as well as farm diversification funding to provide an alpaca trekking experience!

The Big Lottery Fund's new Celebrate programme is now open for applications, with £575,000 funding for projects in Scotland.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to groups to hold one-off events or activities which celebrate their local community.

According to research carried out for the Big Lottery Fund, six out of ten people cannot remember ever coming together to celebrate with their community.

Do you have an idea for a transnational cooperation project?

Scotland will be represented at the LEADER Fair for Transnational Cooperation in Estonia on 24 – 26 August 2016 by the Cairngorm and Angus Local Action Groups (LAGs), as well as the Scottish Rural Network.