New Rural Champion award unveiled

A new prize is now available for someone who has made a significant, lasting impact on their rural or island community in Scotland.

The Royal Countryside Fund is collaborating with Scottish Land & Estates in 2026 on the ‘Helping It Happen Awards’, which are now in their tenth year.

Run by Scottish Land & Estates the awards shine a light on the people, businesses and community projects powering rural Scotland.

The awards are open to all – from farms and estates to rural businesses, charities and community groups – with no requirement to be a member of Scottish Land & Estates.

To mark the landmark year, a major new Rural Champion Award has been unveiled – with a £10,000 prize awarded to the Rural Champion’s community organisation, courtesy of The Royal Countryside Fund.

• The individual, or their organisation, must be based in Scotland
• The individual, or their organisation, needs to have been nominated for one of the other 2026 Scottish Land & Estates ‘Helping it Happen’ award categories (and the nomination must have been accepted by Scottish Land & Estates). You can apply for the other Helping it Happen awards here.
• The nominee must be working with a rural community organisation that meets RCF’s funding criteria (please see this below)

Nominations for the Rural Champion award are now open, using the nomination form at: Rural Champion Award – The Royal Countryside Fund

• Who can be funded: Constituted voluntary or community organisations, charities, SCIOs, CICs, community benefit societies, cooperative societies, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee (with a not-for-profit asset lock clause).
• Who can’t be fund: Statutory bodies, schools, sole traders, organisations that look to make a profit and share these profits out privately.

Applications close on 30th June. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony this autumn.