Community groups, cultural organisations and education initiatives are amongst the Scottish organisations who will be able to bid for support from a fund aimed at engaging people in tackling the climate emergency.
The £275,000 Climate Engagement Fund will support activities such as climate festivals, skills development and training, art exhibitions and showcasing clean technologies – all focused on increasing people’s understanding of the current and future impacts of climate change and encouraging climate action.
Since launching in 2023, the annual fund has supported 24 projects across Scotland – reaching a total of around 22,000 people with knowledge and skills relevant to tackling climate change.
In 2025-26, this has included action by Changeworks to encourage people living in park homes to improve the energy efficiency of their accommodation, and by the Forth Valley Sensory Centre to enable blind, partially sighted, deaf and hard of hearing people, to explore sustainability through their local communities.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “It is vital that everyone in our society understands the positive opportunities of climate action, and how it can improve their own lives.
“The Climate Engagement Fund will help increase awareness and empower people across Scotland to take action in their local communities whilst supporting Scotland in meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2045 and building our resilience to climate impacts.”
Changeworks’ Chief Executive Josiah Lockhart, said: “Climate Engaged Park Home Communities is a perfect example of how it’s possible – and necessary – to tackle climate change in ways that improve people’s lives at the same time.
“That means supporting and empowering communities to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes, especially those communities who have been under-served in the past.”
Applications for the Climate Engagement Fund will close at 23:59 on 1st March 2026.
Climate engagement programmes to protect our planet
Young people and people with sensory loss are among groups who will be supported by funding for projects aimed at increasing understanding of how climate change is relevant to them and how they can take action.
A total of £273,000 of Climate Engagement funding will be shared among eight organisations in 2025-26 to support activities including climate literacy classes, community workshops and participatory arts sessions.
Since it launched in 2023, more than 15,000 people in Scotland have engaged with the Scottish Government’s world-leading Climate Engagement Fund, with awards totalling more than £1 million to date.
The latest round of funding will support activities including:
A roadshow aimed at young people across Scotland demonstrating how sustainable construction can play a role in tackling climate change
A community arts programme using the voices of young people to mitigate climate anxiety by showing how others have converted their concerns into action
Actions to support people who are blind, partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing to explore sustainability through their local communities.
Climate literacy classes and green skills training to support people experiencing barriers to employment.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “To reduce emissions and protect our planet from the threat of climate change and nature loss, it is essential that people understand how they can engage with vital projects within their communities and take their own climate action.
“Scotland is now halfway to our 2045 climate change target. By supporting networks of people coming together to identify local action, the Climate Engagement Fund will help enable individuals and communities to directly contribute to a more sustainable and climate resilient Scotland.
“The projects being supported in this round of funding include a community arts programme using the voices of young people, and green skills training to support people into employment.
“These are vital projects which will build understanding of climate change, enable participation in policy development, and encourage climate action.”
Forth Valley Sensory Centre College Operations Manager Sandy Gillone, said: “I am delighted that our project has been selected for funding as we know we were up against stiff competition.
“It is fantastic to be partnering with FEL Scotland again and we’re looking forward to engaging with the public to find out which points of interest they would like included on our SustainAble for All Trail Maps.
“We’re committed to delivering the maps in engaging and inclusive formats and we believe the consultation and design process itself will lead to increased awareness and understanding of climate change. We’re not just seeking to raise awareness of the problem, we want to empower people to be part of the solution.”
More information on the Climate Engagement Fund: www.gov.scot/publications/climate-engagement-fund/
Details of all the projects receiving funding:
Organisation, Grant amount and Brief project description
Arran Eco Savvy – £29,991.00
To deliver climate-focused events centred on storytelling, practical skills, and community participation tailored for different ages and interests.
Glenkens Community and Arts Trust – £33,100.00
To use local voices to mitigate eco-anxiety in young people aged 18-30 by showing how other people have converted their concerns into action.
Built Environment Smarter Transformation – £46,172.00
To deliver a roadshow programme for young people throughout Scotland demonstrating how sustainable, low-carbon construction can play a crucial role in combating climate change.
Changeworks – £40,250.00
To build understanding among mobile homeowners of the climate emergency, how it relates to their lives and how they can take action while improving their own home environment.
Forth Valley Sensory Centre – £33,000.00
Creating an accessible way for people who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, or hard of hearing, to explore sustainability through their local communities.
RIG Arts – £25,290.00
To improve climate literacy and increase climate positive behaviour change in SIMD communities via arts-based interventions.
Jhankar Beats – £30,000.00
To empower communities to reflect, respond, and act using the emotional and connective power of South Asian dance, music, and participatory arts.
Greener Kirkcaldy- £35,942.00
To provide climate literacy and green skills training tailored for employability organisations and the people with barriers to employment
First Minister announces funding at award winning Eco-School
First Minister John Swinney has announced new funding to support groups and schools across Scotland to learn more about climate change and nature loss, and take climate action where they can.
The Scottish Government supports the Eco-Schools programme to help embed climate environmental and outdoor learning as a meaningful part of daily learning and teaching. The programme is set to benefit from £425,000 funding in 2025-26.
The Government is also investing a further £275,000 in the Climate Engagement Fund to support grassroots organisations to champion their own local initiatives and build understanding of climate change – such as workshops, podcasts and festivals.
First Minister John Swinney announced the funding ahead of a visit to the Royal School of Dunkeld to mark the celebration of their 11th consistent Eco-Schools Green Flag Award.
The First Minister said: “Children and young people have been leading the charge for urgent action to address climate change and nature loss. That is right, since they will be the ones who will face the greatest impacts of climate change over their lifetimes.
“However, the responsibility to become climate resilient and reduce emissions cannot just be up to the next generation. This Government has committed to Scotland reaching net-zero by 2045 – five years ahead of the rest of the UK – and we are introducing bold measures, like ending peak rail fares for good, to reduce our emissions. I am proud that we are also pushing forward with embedding climate education in our schools.
“The Scottish Government has supported the Eco-Schools Scotland programme for over two decades, and pupils and teachers at the Royal School of Dunkeld have collectively achieved a remarkable feat. Over 800 schools in Scotland now have a Green Flag and I hope that others will be inspired to follow suit.
“It is vital that everyone in our society understands the positive opportunities of climate action, and how that can improve their own lives. The Climate Engagement Fund will help to increase awareness and empower people of all ages to take action in their local communities in the best way they can.”
CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful Barry Fisher commented: “We are delighted to once again to receive funding from the Scottish Government to support our Climate Action Schools Programme, ensuring that our fantastic work with local authorities, schools, educators, and children and young people across Scotland grows and develops further, and helps to deliver our national ambitions on Target 2030 and public engagement on climate change.
“This year we mark 30 years of environmental education in schools through the international Eco-Schools Programme and we’ve been visiting schools across the country to celebrate their participation and success in its activities over the years, highlighting just how important the framework has been, and will continue to be, for Scotland’s young people.”
Eco-schools is an international programme that gives pupils the opportunity to tackle issues like climate change and to consider environmental changes that they can make in their school to make it more sustainable.
In Scotland, Eco-Schools is delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful as part of the Climate Action Schools framework. Eco-Schools was launched in the UK, Denmark and Germany in 1994 with Scotland awarding the first Green Flag in 1995.
Continued support for climate action in communities
Organisations across Scotland, including community, cultural and education groups, will be able to bid for support from a fund aimed at engaging people in tackling the climate emergency.
The £250,000 Climate Engagement Fund will support activities such as climate festivals, skills workshops, art exhibitions and youth development programmes – all aimed at increasing people’s understanding of climate change and encouraging climate action.
The annual fund has already supported eight projects with funding totalling £550,000. These include the Building Futures Galloway project which has equipped people in the region with the skills to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings and apply techniques in their own homes.
Net Zero Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Scotland is fully committed to meeting our target of net zero emissions by 2045 and, as part of this, it is important that people understand the nature and the scale of the climate emergency, the actions they can take to help and the support available to them to do so.
“By supporting grassroots action, the Climate Engagement Fund will help enable individuals and communities to directly contribute to tackling climate change.”
Chairman of the Board of Building Futures Galloway Graeme Davies said: “This fund has previously supported a range of activity to address energy efficiency issues in historic homes and buildings, including a film project with young people from Whithorn Primary School.
“The pupils interviewed our charity’s young trainees and visited some of the heritage restoration projects they are working on. They also produced a film to share what they had learned with others which was screened at an assembly and was broadcast online to other schools in Scotland.”
Applications for the Climate Engagement Fund will close on 7 May 2024.
