Funding

Ten community ownership projects have been awarded funding from the Scottish Land Fund (SLF). 

The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. 

A Fife farmer is aiming to become Scotland's first producer of buffalo mozzarella with the help of a crowdfunding campaign.

Steve Mitchell from the Buffalo Farm, who has appeared on BBC's 'This Farming Life' has launched a 'Founders Club' crowdfunding campaign with an ambitious crowdfunding target of £800,000 to build a manufacturing facility, milking parlour and slurry store

The Rural Youth Project has been awarded funding from five LEADER Local Action Groups across Scotland.

Support of £191,170 has been awarded by LEADER in Angus, Lanarkshire, Outer Hebrides, Rural Perth and Kinross, and the Scottish Borders.

This Friday (6 September) will be a big day for Brechin’s Kaylagh Tough as she steps out on the hallowed turf at Murrayfield as Scotland’s mascot for their World Cup warm-up game against Georgia.

Kaylagh will be representing Angus LEADER-supported Brechin Rugby Football Club at the match in Edinburgh, which kicks-off at 7.30pm.

Not surprisingly, Kaylagh and her parents are excitedly over the moon at having this fantastic opportunity.

Funding is available to help develop and grow community-based youth work provision in rural areas of Scotland.

After a successful first year, the Youth Scotland Rural Action Fund is back for a second year, with support again from The Robertson Trust and joined this year by the Gannochy Trust.

Craighead Country Nursery, an Ayrshire LEADER funded project, has been nominated in the 'Diversification Innovator of the Year' category as a finalist in this year's Morrisons' British Farming Awards.

The Central Scotland Green Network Trust are celebrating the success of a second co-operation project (funded by 5 LEADER areas) which aims to further the impact the John Muir Way has had as a significant tourist attraction, bringing economic benefit to the communities along the route.

There is much excitement in Dumfries & Galloway this month, as the Dumfries & Galloway LEADER Programme recognise and prepare to celebrate the achievements of local projects funded by the 2014 - 2020 LEADER Programme Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

Six projects will benefit from £438,000 of investment to drive innovation in farming and food production.

Delivered through the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund, the new funding supports projects that introduce innovative approaches to enhancing competitiveness, promoting efficiency, and helping businesses shift to a low carbon climate resistant economy.

Announcing the funding while visiting Stravenhouse Farm near Carluke, one of the farms involved in the project, Rural Minister Mairi Gougeon said:

The European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) Contact Point is preparing a series of 'LEADER thematic labs'.

There will be up to four labs with 30 LEADER stakeholders in each. The thematic labs will be an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of ideas and will include keynote presentations, discussion of lessons learnt, including enabling factors and challenges, current achievements and future outlook.