Tag: community projects

Foundation Scotland marks 25th anniversary

Scotland’s community foundation has distributed over £130 million to date 

Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, is marking the organisation’s silver anniversary this St Andrews Day – also aptly ‘Giving Tuesday’ this year. 

 Originally established in 1996 as ‘Scotland’s Community Foundation’, the major funder has distributed more than £130 million to charitable organisations, social enterprises, and community groups operating across Scotland since its launch 25 years ago. 

The foundation specialises in supporting charitable initiatives within local communities: from local food banks to counselling services, to youth groups and education and training funds.

Set up with an initial group of three staff, the Edinburgh-based foundation now has over 30, managing around 100 different national and local funding programmes each year.  

Earlier this year the foundation began offering investment for social enterprises following the integration with Resilient Scotland, further expanding the breadth of financial support offered to charitable groups and enterprises.   

Through the pandemic, Foundation Scotland awarded over £1.1 million in crisis support grants to 268 Edinburgh-based community projects. 

Supported groups included The Eric Liddell Centre, East Lothian Roots and Fruits, Sikh Sanjog, Bridgend Farmhouse and The Edinburgh Tool Library (above).  

Quite often, groups can be eligible for more than one source of funding from the foundation and some organisations have received ongoing support from Foundation Scotland for many years.

The team pride themselves in getting to know and understand funded groups, supporting them with essential funding and vital advice to help them to develop and sustain their services.  

Giles Ruck, Chief Executive at Foundation Scotland, said: “We are proud to be Scotland’s community foundation.  For 25 years, we’ve maintained the vision of supporting confident, thriving, resilient communities across Scotland.

“And for every community to thrive, it should be resourced to match its vision and powered by transformative funding. That’s where we come in. Over the last quarter of a century, we have connected the generosity of donors, corporates and individuals, to enable and empower vital projects and grassroot-led change.  

“As we look ahead, we will continue to work hard to reach and connect with new donors keen to distribute funds effectively at a local level so that together we can continue to deliver extraordinary support.” 

The generosity of local donors 

Foundation Scotland is an independent charity. The funds awarded to projects within Scotland’s communities are thanks to the generosity of donors who support the foundation’s work.  

The breadth of donors includes individuals, families, companies, community bodies and other charities who distribute funds. The foundation connects donors funds with community organisations working on the ground, ensuring their support stays relevant to local circumstances and delivers real impact.

Even throughout the pandemic, new donors have come on board, and new funds have opened to help support communities through the crisis and beyond. 

In the summer of 2020, Edinburgh-based investment company Martin Currie approached Foundation Scotland to design and brand a new fund to help them support charities and community groups in Edinburgh, with consideration for projects across Scotland.

Their priorities were to address inequality and support initiatives that improved social and environmental sustainability.  The Martin Currie Community Partnership Programme launched in September, and to date has awarded almost £44,000 between 8 organisations Recent grantees include Edinburgh Remakery, Venchie Children and Youth Project and the Salisbury Centre. 

Jennifer Mair, Chief Operating Officer for Martin Currie said: “The Martin Currie Community Partnership Programme (MCCPP) is delighted to partner with Foundation Scotland to support local charities that promote diversity and inclusion, or social and environmental sustainability.

“The MCCPP was established in 2020 and focusses on the communities where we live and work by partnering with and building deep and lasting relationships with organisations who are well placed to help us deliver Martin Currie’s goal to improve lives.” 

Case Study: The Melting Pot 

The Melting Pot is Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation. Based in Edinburgh’s city centre on Carlton Road, the organisation runs a large coworking hub, meeting venue and events programme for charities, social businesses, campaigners and freelancers.   

Foundation Scotland has supported The Melting Pot for over 15 years.  The organisation received its first award from the funder back in 2006 and has received £120,000 from a number of different funds to support their growth and development since 2006.  

Claire Carpenter, Founder and CEO of The Melting Pot said: “Foundation Scotland have been an instrumental investor for me and The Melting Pot. They’ve been part of the birthing story – twice now!

“Back in the 00’s when “Coworking” wasn’t a thing you could Google, they saw the potential in my big, novel and very practical idea to better support our sector, in all its diversity. Then, due to Covid, the landscape changed once again – for good.

“We’ve been able to play to each other’s strengths to help #BuildBackBetter. I’m looking forward to seeing how together we co-create the conditions for social innovators to thrive in the years ahead.” 

More Info:

From grantmaking to social investment opportunities, legacies to bursaries, Foundation Scotland is continually developing innovative and effective ways for donors to help Scotland’s communities thrive.

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact:

development@foundationscotland.org.uk 

or call 0131 524 0300. 

For more details visit https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/ 

Register your defibrillator to help save lives across Scotland

The Circuit: Charities and health organisations urge people to register their defibrillators on database to help save lives  

A new campaign has been launched across Scotland to urge defibrillator owners to register their devices on a national database to help save more lives from cardiac arrests.

Leading charities and health organisations have come together calling for defibrillators to be registered on The Circuit – The national defibrillator network, which connects defibrillators to NHS ambulance services across the UK, so that in those crucial moments after a cardiac arrest they can be accessed quickly to help save lives.

  • There are around 3,200 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in Scotland, but only one in ten people survive.
  • Every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation reduces the chances of survival by up to 10 per cent in some instances, but immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.
  • It’s estimated that public-access defibrillators (PADs) are used in less than one in ten out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the UK – often because 999 call handlers aren’t always aware that a defibrillator is available nearby because the ambulance service hasn’t been told about it. If they don’t know it is there, they can’t direct someone at the scene to retrieve it while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. 

To help save more lives, The British Heart Foundation (BHF), Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) St John Ambulance and Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), are urging people who look after defibrillators in places such as offices, communities, shopping centres and leisure centres, as well as in public places, to register them on The Circuit.

James Jopling, Head of BHF Scotland, said: ““Every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest and, alongside CPR, prompt use of a defibrillator is critical in giving them the best chance of survival.

“To put it simply, knowing where the nearest defibrillator is could be the difference between life and death.

“The Circuit is pioneering technology which will help emergency services direct bystanders more quickly to a defibrillator when someone collapses with a cardiac arrest. But for The Circuit to save lives, it is vital that unregistered defibrillators are put on the system. If you, or somebody you know is a defibrillator guardian, then we urge you to register your device on The Circuit. You could help save a life.”

Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “When someone calls 999 to report a cardiac arrest, the call handlers in our control rooms are trained to provide the location of the nearest registered defibrillator within 500m of the call. 

“Studies show that using a defibrillator within three minutes of collapse, along with starting CPR, can greatly increase chances of survival.  

“This swift action can make a real difference, and The Circuit is a vital tool in helping increase bystander action to help someone in cardiac arrest. Over the last five years, the Save a Life for Scotland (SALFS) partnership which includes SAS, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has equipped over 640,000 people with CPR skills, and the survival rate after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has doubled to one in ten people. 

“However, there’s more we can do, and to help save even more lives, we would urge everyone to register the defibrillators that they are responsible for on The Circuit, so that they can be easily located and accessed when needed.”  

Dr James Cant, Chief Executive Officer at Resuscitation Council UK, said: “A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Not only is defibrillator use a crucial step in the Chain of Survival, the presence of defibrillators in public places can help raise awareness and stimulate people to think about what they would do in an emergency. 

“Survival depends on all links in the Chain of Survival being carried out quickly. This means early recognition and calling for help, early CPR, early defibrillation and post resuscitation care – and The Circuit plays a vital role in giving people their best chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest.”

While the 14 UK ambulance services have previously had their own regional databases, The Circuit will eventually replace these with a new national database that lets the ambulance services see defibrillators across the UK once it has been rolled out. This will allow them to direct people to the nearest defibrillator when somebody is having a cardiac arrest, wherever they are.

The Circuit, which is already live in 12 of the 14 ambulance service regions across the UK[1] and will become nationwide soon, could help to save thousands of lives – but it is vital that as many defibrillators as possible are registered on the database for it to work effectively. 

It’s free to register your defibrillator onto The Circuit, and you only have to do it once. You can also register multiple defibrillators if you are the guardian to more than one.

Visit TheCircuit.UK for more information or to register your defibrillator. 

MSP urges city projects to apply for Scotland Loves Local funding

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has urged projects across the capital to apply for the newly launched Scotland Loves Local Fund.

The scheme has been launched by the SNP Scottish Government to support local projects run by organisations like town centre partnerships, chambers of commerce or community and charity trusts. It will provide projects with match funding of between £5,000 and £25,000.

Eligible projects could include things like community shops, marketing and digital schemes, or enabling larger construction projects delivery.

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “The Scotland Loves Local Fund has been launched by the SNP Scottish Government as a way to help our town centres recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic.

“There are a number of fantastic local community projects across Edinburgh Pentlands, and the wider city, which have the potential to stimulate growth and footfall into the different areas and this funding will allow them to continue to make our town centres a more vibrant place and stimulate the local economy.

“Not only is the funding important but when people shop locally and support local businesses it also boosts the economy here and ensure that money spent in the local area stays in the local area.

“I would urge local projects to apply for the Scotland Loves Local Fund and encourage people in Edinburgh to continue to support local business at every opportunity.”

University of Edinburgh offers green micro-grants

In the run up to COP26, The University of Edinburgh is running ‘The Green Micro-grants’, a grants scheme for community projects with the natural environment and social impact at their heart.

Green handprints

In November 2021, Glasgow will be hosting the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). This conference brings together countries from all over the world in order to address the climate crisis.

Following Patrick Geddes (a Scottish biologist, philanthropist, pioneering town planner and lecturer at the University of Edinburgh), we want to encourage people to ‘think global, act local’ by funding grassroots projects that, in their own way, take action against the climate crisis.

And each of us has a part to play. That’s why,  in the run up to COP26, the University’s micro-grant scheme is going green!

  • We welcome applications for projects or activities that will involve and benefit people living and/or working in the Edinburgh City Region (The Region includes the City of Edinburgh, Fife, West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders).
  • Applications are welcome from not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises. 
  • The funding is available until Friday 19th August, but you can apply at an point up to that date, and all applications will be reviewed by a panel.  

If you would like to apply for a larger grant, please apply to our Community Grants Scheme, open twice a year for awards of up to £5,000.

The green microgrants

Through its micro-grant scheme, the University will support community organisations and charities based in the Edinburgh region to do their bit to tackle climate change and the biodiversity crisis, and improve the sustainability of our local spaces and communities.  

There is already lots of fantastic work happening across the city and wider region in relation to the climate crisis, and we hope that extra funding will enable some more great activities and projects to take place. 

Groups can apply for up to £1000 through our micro-grant scheme for small scale community activities. The purpose of the scheme is to provide micro-grants to community groups, charities or businesses for projects which aim to: 

  1. Improve their local natural environment and 
  2. Have a positive social impact for local communities 

What is meant by ‘supporting the local natural environment’? 

This is where projects will improve environmental sustainability, increase local biodiversity and/or contribute to tackling the climate crisis at a local level.  This might include seeking to reduce carbon emissions, reducing waste, teaching your community green behaviours, or other ways of improving your local natural environment. 

What is meant by ‘positive social impact’? 

This is the beneficial effect for local people and communities that you expect your project to create or contribute to. It could include improved wellbeing, access to better nutrition, improved educational opportunities, improved quality of life, greater sense of community, reduction in anxiety or improved financial circumstances.  You should set out as clearly as possible how your project will involve and/or benefit local communities living in the Edinburgh City region (the City of Edinburgh and/or East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, Scottish Borders, Fife). 

How to apply

The application process is simple and a member of the Edinburgh Local team will be on hand to support you if you have any questions, just contact local@ed.ac.uk.

You can apply for a  green  micro-grant at any time by filling in the application form below and sending it back to local@ed.ac.uk. Green micro-grant application form (83.83 KB Word)

Please read the Guidance notes below before completing your application form.

 Green Micro-grants Guidance Notes 2020-21 (79.06 KB Word)

You do not need to complete this form just yet, but please ensure you have read our Terms and Conditions before submitting your application:

 Community Grant Terms and Conditions (71.3 KB Word)

Accessibility

If you require the application form in another format, please email local@ed.ac.uk. 

Transforming the Old Town

COMMUNITY PROJECTS RECEIVE FUNDING TO BRIGHTEN UP DEVELOPMENT SITE

old-town

Seven community groups in Edinburgh are being allocated funding to enhance the New Waverley development in the Old Town while it is still under construction. Projects ranging from making Jacob’s Ladder steps more useable, lighting up the Arches during the winter festive period, art installations and a graveyard planting scheme will transform the area. Continue reading Transforming the Old Town

Meet the Funders event next Thursday

MEET the FUNDERS EVENT

Thursday 12 May – Public Drop in from 5 – 8pm

Waverley Court Courtyard Coffee Bar/Restaurant area

waverely court

‘Meet the Funders’ is a free marketplace event providing access to funding information for community projects. It is an opportunity for groups to discuss their ideas with potential funders and collect a range of information about possible sources of grant aid. The event also offers the groups an opportunity to meet and work together.

The following exhibitors have confirmed attendance with more expected:

Big Lottery
Edinburgh4Community
Community Grants Fund
PassIT On
Royal Bank of Scotland Foundation
Sportscotland
The Robertson Trust
Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage
Princes Trust Youth Business Scotland
Registered Tenants Grants
MyParkScotland – Greenspace Scotland
First Port
Edinburgh Business Gateway
Scotland’s Employment Recruitment Incentive Fund
Art and Business Scotland
MOD Covenant Fund
The Melting Pot
Edinburgh Community Food

Volunteering Matters

The Big Lunch Eden Project

Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland 

Home Energy Scotland

Scotrail Community Fund

In Kind Direct

Turn2Us & The Edinburgh Fund

Greenspace Scotland Tesco Bags of Help

Waste Aware

The Charity Bank

Unity Bank Trust

Macmillan Cancer Care

20mph Speed Limits

Pilotlight

For more information, or if you would like to attend as an exhibitor, please contact Maureen Thompson on 0131 469 3595.

 

Ring any bells?

nedac

Angus Hardie’s article in the latest issue of Local People Leading gives food for thought: 

Here’s a cautionary tale of two charities. Both deliver drug and alcohol services but that‘s where the similarity ends.  Lifeline is based in Manchester, delivers services across the UK, employs around 700 staff and generates a turnover in excess of £42m – 26% up on last year.  The Castle Project is based in the Craigmillar estate of Edinburgh, generates an income that just about covers costs, and for the past 27 years its only priority has been to serve the needs of that community by developing a complex network of support for its clients.

The DNA of these two charities could not be more different. Lifeline, driven by an insatiable appetite for growth, successfully tendered for the contract previously held by the Castle Project.  Having to compete for ‘market share’ is anathema to the Castle Project and so it will close its doors next week – 27 years of local knowledge and experience thrown out with the procurement bath water.

In our Vision paper (below) we call for a thorough reappraisal of how services are procured and for a new premium to be placed on services that are genuinely locally based. Local By Default isn’t just a slogan – it’s part of the solution.

Best wishes

Angus Hardie, Director

Email: angus@scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk


 Local People Leading -FINAL V