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£500,000 boost for community projects across Argyll and Bute
Nineteen community projects across Argyll and Bute have secured more than £500,000 to support local priorities, innovation and long-term resilience.
Communities across Argyll and Bute are set to benefit from a significant funding boost, with 19 projects awarded a share of £504,000 through Scotland’s Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) Fund.
The funding will support a diverse range of initiatives aimed at strengthening rural and island communities, tackling local challenges and creating opportunities for sustainable growth. Projects receiving support align with key priorities including eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency and improving public services.
The awards demonstrate the continued value of the Community-Led Local Development approach, which empowers local people to identify priorities and develop solutions that meet the specific needs of their communities. Through Local Action Groups, communities play a direct role in shaping investment decisions and supporting projects that deliver local benefits.
Successful projects span a wide range of sectors and locations across Argyll and Bute. They include childcare provision on Islay, antenatal and postnatal support services, support for unpaid carers, marine conservation initiatives and agricultural innovation projects.
Several awards will help communities explore future development opportunities through feasibility studies and design work. These include plans for a community-owned church on Ulva, investigations into new accommodation and community facilities on Coll, and proposals to transform a derelict boatyard in Tarbert into a valuable local asset.
Environmental and climate-focused initiatives also feature strongly, including projects supporting community woodland development, local nature recovery and efforts to improve resilience to future climate challenges. Other projects are focused on strengthening community wellbeing, recreation opportunities and access to essential local services.
Among the largest awards are funding for community regeneration projects in Tarbert, support for outdoor learning and wellbeing programmes on Bute, and investment in community facilities that will help strengthen local resilience and create opportunities for future growth.
The funding highlights the important role that community-led investment continues to play in rural and island areas. By supporting local organisations to develop ideas, test new approaches and strengthen local assets, the programme helps communities build the foundations for longer-term economic, social and environmental benefits.
Community-Led Local Development remains a key part of Scotland’s rural development landscape. Across the country, Local Action Groups bring together community representatives, businesses and local organisations to identify priorities and direct funding towards projects that can deliver meaningful local impact.
For Argyll and Bute, the latest investment represents an important opportunity to support community ambition, strengthen local capacity and help ensure rural and island communities remain vibrant places to live, work and thrive.
The nineteen projects awarded funding through the CLLD fund are:
| Project | Award (£) |
|---|---|
| Tarbert and Skipness Community Trust – INSPIRE Phase 1 | 40,480 |
| The GRAB Trust – LORI Renewals and Expansion | 40,000 |
| Live Argyll Community Learning – Bute Outdoor Learning & Wellbeing Partnership | 38,051 |
| Dochas Carers Centre – TimeforUs | 35,469 |
| North West Mull Community Woodland Company – Reviving Ulva Church | 35,000 |
| Rosneath Peninsula West Coast Development Trust – Craigrownie Park Recreation Hub | 35,000 |
| Marine Conservation Society – Oyster Supply Crisis Project | 29,745 |
| Animal Care Tiree – Worm Drench Resistance Project | 26,991 |
| Development Coll – Community Facilities Feasibility Study | 25,993 |
| Dalavich Improvement Group – Community Jetty Project | 25,152 |
| Home-Start Lorn – Early Beginnings Support Programme | 24,067 |
| Tarbert Harbour Authority – Boatyard Redevelopment Study | 24,014 |
| Helensburgh & Lomond Community Trust – Capacity Building Project | 23,872 |
| South Islay Development – Sonas Childcare | 19,978 |
| Deafblind Scotland – Touching More Lives | 18,021 |
| An Tobar and Mull Theatre – Staff Housing Study | 17,054 |
| Bendoran Watersports – Future Proofing Wellbeing & Watersports | 16,815 |
| Argyll & the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust – Echoes to Action | 15,000 |
| Development Coll – Community Transport Feasibility Study | 8,299 |
Together, these projects will support childcare, community wellbeing, transport, housing, environmental action, marine conservation, agricultural innovation, cultural facilities and community asset development across Argyll and Bute, helping to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of rural and island communities.
Find out more
Visit the Scottish Rural Network’s Community-Led Local Development pages to learn more about how CLLD supports locally led solutions and community innovation across rural Scotland.
