Tag: community initiatives

Ecosytem Fund: Kickstarting new community businesses

Community groups can bid for grants to develop entrepreneurial ideas

A fund to help inspire more entrepreneurs to start or scale up their businesses has been relaunched.

The Ecosystem Fund is being widened this year to include initiatives encouraging young people to consider entrepreneurship from an early age. Applications providing access to support services for under-represented groups including women or those from disadvantaged areas will also be considered.

Community groups, non-profit making organisations, industry bodies, colleges and universities are amongst organisations invited to bid for funding to help boost entrepreneurial activity across Scotland. Grants of up to £50,000 will be available.

Projects could include:

  • showcasing Scotland’s start-ups globally to attract talent, investment and strategic partners
  • networking events allowing founders, investors and partners to share expertise and foster connections
  • training, mentorship and identifying growth opportunities by providing funding for staff, equipment, meeting places or programmes for start ups
  • encouraging entrepreneurs who support fair work and environmental good practice to make a positive impact on communities
  • the promotion of learning and teaching in entrepreneurship
  • tackling barriers or discrimination preventing women and other social groups from accessing support

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said: “This expanded funding will build on Scotland’s international reputation as one of the best places in the UK to do business and help make an impact across the business community.

“Despite representing less than 1% of businesses, start-ups generate more than half the value of all small and medium-sized businesses. The fund will spark innovation while fulfilling our potential to nurture many more inventive new start-up companies and driving sustainable growth.

“We need to instil enthusiasm for business and entrepreneurship at all levels from an early age, which is why I encourage collaborative proposals from a wide range of sectors to enable connections and exchange of ideas. In so doing, we can help those who establish businesses to improve lives – such as advancing renewable energy technologies or creating apps that help tackle food waste.

“The Ecosystem Fund is an important step, but we must make further progress expanding entrepreneurial access and opportunity – ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, has the chance to fulfil their potential.

“Together we can remove barriers and open up access and opportunity to budding entrepreneurs across Scotland. By uniting the business community around this goal, we can create a wellbeing economy which is fair, green and growing.”

Chief Entrepreneur Mark Logan recommended measures to support new businesses in his August 2020 Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review.

Mr Logan said: “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem to raise a start-up.

“The Ecosystem Fund recognises and supports the vital enabling work of our ecosystem-building organisations. It will accelerate Scotland’s journey towards being an internationally recognised Start-up Nation.” 

www.scottish-enterprise.com/ecosystem-fund

£5M fund to boost sustainable travel in Scotland now open

A multi-million pound grant fund has opened to support people across Scotland to travel in more active and sustainable ways.

Community, public and third sector organisations can now apply to the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund which has £5 million worth of grants available this year alone – double the amount available previously.

Now in its fifth year, the fund has already awarded over £9.3million to hundreds of projects across Scotland that aim to get people out their cars and walk, wheel or cycle for short journeys or use public or sustainable travel for longer trips.

The launch of this year’s grant fund has been welcomed by Scotland’s Active Travel Minister Patrick Harvie MSP. He said: “I’m delighted we have been able to double this year’s Open Fund to £5 million – reflecting both the popularity of the fund and the effectiveness of giving community groups the flexibility to draw down funding and spend as they see fit to deliver initiatives that provide the best value for money in the communities they serve. 

“This increase is part of our record funding for active travel this year and another step in our commitment to make walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choice for our daily short journeys in Scotland, and I commend Paths for All for their excellent stewardship of the Open Fund.”

Managed by national walking charity Paths for All and supported by Transport Scotland, the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) Open Fund aims to encourage people to change their behaviour and to walk, wheel or cycle for short, everyday journeys.

It also encourages people to use sustainable travel choices, including buses, trams, trains for longer journeys to help cut Scotland’s carbon emissions and improve air quality.

Since 2018, the SCSP Open Fund has supported charities, colleges and universities, social enterprises, third sector organisations, community groups and health and social care partnerships to realise their active travel ambitions.

It’s funded dozens of new active travel jobs and has boosted hundreds of initiatives to get people moving as part of their daily journeys, funding everything from information apps to active travel hubs.

Kevin Lafferty, Chief Executive Officer at Paths for All said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to offer £5million in grants this year to support more people to travel in ways that benefit their health and wellbeing and that helps protect our environment too.

“It’s been incredible to see what has been achieved so far, and we are looking forward to this seeing more projects coming forward with new and creative ways to make walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport the natural choice when getting from A to B.

“I’d encourage anyone with an active travel idea to get in touch with us and find out how we can help get projects off the ground. Together we can work towards creating a happier, healthier and greener Scotland.”

STIRLING, SCOTLAND – NOVEMBER 20: A Paths For All workplace walking project is pictured at Kintail House, on November 20, in Stirling, Scotland (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

For information on how to apply for a Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund grant of between £5000 and £50,000, visit Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund | Paths for All

To read inspiring examples of how our funding has been used to further active travel, visit https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/active-travel/at-success-stories

Community energy matchmaking platform launches in bid to tackle climate crisis

A new online ‘matchmaking platform’ for community energy called PowerPaired launched last week with over 100 assets on offer to community energy groups. Continue reading Community energy matchmaking platform launches in bid to tackle climate crisis

All change! Climate funding for Leith projects

£2.86 m to local communities to help tackle climate change

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Two Leith-based community projects are among thirty-three organisations from across the country to receive grants from the latest round of Climate Challenge Funding announced today.

The Fund has helped communities throughout Scotland reduce, reuse and recycle their waste, increase the energy efficiency of homes and community buildings, encourage active travel and the use of low-carbon transport, and promote and produce local food.

Leith Schools Food Project will receive almost £109,000 and The Himalayan Centre Climate Change Hub will receive over £70,500 from the fund.

Leith Schools Food Project, run by Leith Community Crops in Pots, will reduce food-related carbon emissions through the establishment of community growing space at three local primary schools and initiatives to encourage production and consumption of local, lower carbon produce.  Additional project activities include a programme to help reduce food waste and encourage composting. (£108,966)

The Himalayan Centre Climate Change Hub will operate from the Himalayan Centre for Arts & Culture in Leith, Edinburgh. Advice will be available to help the local community reduce home energy use and carbon emissions with the hub also providing a meeting space to learn more about climate change. A bike pool and cycle training will support lower carbon travel while swap shop events will re-use items that would have been destined for landfill. (£70,510).

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Announcing the awards, Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod said the awards will support local communities to take action on climate change and move to low-carbon living.

Dr McLeod said: “Climate change is one of the most serious challenges to global society and the natural environment both at home and abroad. We know that reducing greenhouse gas emissions isn’t easy, but the Scottish Government takes climate change extremely seriously. This is why we have set the most ambitious global targets to cut emissions.

“Some of the best initiatives to reduce carbon are devised and delivered at a local level. That is why I’m delighted to announce the latest round of grant awards. Beyond doubt, the Climate Challenge Fund is making a real difference in our transition to a low carbon future.

“To date we have invested £64.4 million in the Climate Challenge Fund and helped 527 community led organisations across the length and breadth of Scotland tackle climate change at a local level.”

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “We congratulate the latest projects to be awarded Climate Challenge Fund and Junior Climate Challenge Fund grants and look forward to working closely with them in the implementation of their projects.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is very proud to support community action on climate change through our management and development of the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government and see it as part of our work to help make Scotland clean and green, today and tomorrow.”

Other city projects to receive good news today are Community Alliance Trust’s Magdalene Community Food Growing Project (£119,251) and central Edinburgh student-led co-operative SHRUB (The Swap and Reuse Hub) who receive over £87,000.

For all full list of successful applicants see below: 

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/climatechange/ccf/projects/CCF20

Scottish Sailing Trust launches public appeal

New Trust formed to run the Sailing School at Port Edgar

A new trust is being set up to run a Sailing School at Port Edgar following the decision by Edinburgh Leisure to close the Watersports Centre there. The new trust, established by members of the community, plans to become a registered charity and buy the boating assets from Edinburgh Leisure to ensure the activities at Port Edgar can continue.

The trust aims to continue to provide a full range of courses and activities to children, adults, schools, sailing clubs and commercial businesses. It also plans to work closely with local authorities and RYA Scotland in developing its services, particularly for disadvantaged groups.

The trust will be called the Scottish Sailing Trust to demonstrate how convenient and accessible the location is for over 75% of the Scottish population and to demonstrate its aim to cover a wider area than just the local South Queensferry community.

The trustees have applied for a SportScotland grant to part-fund the acquisition of the Edinburgh Leisure assets but it also needs financial support from the public as well as local businesses and clubs to demonstrate the public support it has and to secure its future.

The appeal, which was formally launched yesterday (Tuesday 20 August), aims to raise a minimum of £5,000 and gain grant funding of £5 for every £1 raised.

Edinburgh Western MSP Colin Keir supports the community-led initative. He said: “This is local people taking charge of the situation in a bid to run the school alongside the successful sailing club. Many hundreds of people including youngsters will benefit from this.

“I congratulate the Scottish Sailing Trust for their efforts so far and offer them every assistance to get this great idea off the ground.”

Further details can be found at http://www.scottishsailingtrust.com

or email:  info@scottishsailingtrust.com

Port Edgar