Innovation

A plan to combat the impact of population decline in parts of East Ayrshire is being developed by East Ayrshire Council with £60,000 Scottish Government support.

The local authority is one of six which will benefit from funding through the Addressing Depopulation Fund, which has been doubled to £360,000 to enable a broader range of local authority areas to take action.

Over £55,000 has been awarded to create opportunities to increase motorhome provisions in Angus.

Funded by Scottish Government’s Rural Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) Fund 2023/24, part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP), enhanced motorhome holiday opportunities are being enabled across the region.

Up to £8 million of Scottish Government funding is being made available to help start-up businesses and entrepreneurs solve public sector challenges.

The latest round of the Scottish Government CivTech programme invites companies and individuals to come up with innovations and products that will improve lives and practices across a wide range of public sector areas.

A fund to help businesses, charities and other organisations adopt fair work practices has opened for applications.

Grants are available to implement changes such as the delivery of workplace training and processes that support flexible working and help to create and sustain a more diverse workforce.

Helping turn old churches into language centres, disused mills into workspaces, and former police stations into affordable housing: the historic buildings at the heart of communities are full of potential to help drive locally-led positive regeneration.

The Scottish Land Matching Service (SLMS) has received its 1000th enquiry.

Highlands Rewilding (HRL) are inviting all interested consultancies, practices and qualified freelancers to tender to collaborate with them on the next phase of their FIRNS funded project. They are now looking for a legal consultancy to support the development of their five community joint ventures (CJV).

The Rural Exchange provides a platform for people living and working across Scotland's rural and island communities to have their voices heard in both research and policy-making and to access pertinent research reports and data.

The platform is funded through ‘Theme E – Rural Futures’ of Scottish Government's 2022-2027 Strategic Research Programme for the environment, natural resources and agriculture and is hosted and delivered through SRUC.

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has launched a series of new courses to help local businesses in the Highlands and Islands meet Net Zero and other environmental standards.