Tag: funding

“Sleepy trusts” could release millions of pounds for public benefit

Foundation Scotland and OSCR to work together to revive around 400 dormant trusts in Scotland

The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and Foundation Scotland have revealed they’re preparing to launch a brand new project which could unlock additional funding for charities and other community and voluntary groups across Scotland.

“The Revitalising Trusts” project aims to identify charitable trusts registered in Scotland that appear to be inactive and support them to reactivate by using funds that are lying dormant. 

Charitable trusts typically provide public benefit by making grants or donations to other charities, voluntary groups or individuals. So-called ‘sleepy trusts’ are identified as charities that have either had no income or expenditure over the last 5 years or have donated less than 30% of their total income over the last 5 years to help good causes.

The project will also look at charitable trusts that have failed to submit annual accounts and reports to OSCR within the last 5 years.

Whilst the full value of Scotland’s ‘sleepy trusts’ has yet to be established, a similar programme was launched by the Charity Commission in England in 2018 which has so far ‘revitalised’ £32 million.

With support from local community foundations, this is now providing targeted and local support for the voluntary community sector thanks to the creation of new local funds.

There are over 3,400 charitable trusts on the Scottish Charity Register and OSCR’s initial findings have identified around 400 that may not be using their funds to full effect.

OSCR’s vision is for a trusted and respected Scottish charity sector which positively contributes to society.

Chief Executive Maureen Mallon said: “The public expects charities to use their funds to fulfil their charitable purposes and deliver public benefit, but sometimes charity trustees need a little help or encouragement to do so.

“If trusts are underperforming, we want to find out why and, through our partnership with Foundation Scotland, to offer assistance or a wake-up call where necessary.”

As the community foundation for Scotland, Foundation Scotland will be delivering this project in partnership with OSCR. The Foundation has the experience and expertise of building local funds which provide long-term benefit for communities.

Chief Executive for Foundation Scotland Giles Ruck said “This is an exciting opportunity to modernise many historic trusts, and revitalise others, and enable them to invest in our communities once again.

“We work with registered and unregistered voluntary and community groups all over Scotland. We will ensure revitalised funds can also provide support to the smaller, lesser-known community groups working on the frontline across Scotland’s communities.”

The Revitalising Trusts project is expected to launch in April following the appointment of a Project Advisor. The role of the Advisor will involve working closely with Foundation Scotland and OSCR to identify inactive trusts, and support these trusts to reactive or reorganise to deliver public benefit once again.

The post is initially a 2-year contract up to 3 days per week working from home. Previous experience working with charitable trusts, expertise in charity finance and governance and strong analytical and interpersonal skills are essential. 

Full details of the vacancy and how to apply can be found on the Foundation Scotland website.

New funds for drugs services

Applications for additional support open this week

Two funds, worth £1 million each, will open this week to support grassroots, community and residential organisations to improve drugs services. 

 A £1 million Grassroots Fund will provide resources to third sector organisations to enable them to increase capacity and provide further reach into the community. Eligible organisations must have an annual income under £1 million and can apply for grants up to £50,000.

A £1 million Improvement Fund will support service development and increases to capacity across residential and community services. It will consider applications for grants up to £100,000.

The funding is part of the £5 million support package announced by the First Minister last month to ensure immediate action on addressing Scotland’s drug deaths emergency before the end of this financial year.

Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “I am delighted to support grassroots and third sector organisations to extend their services.

“The Grassroots Fund will help organisations working on the frontline that do vital and invaluable work. They often exist on shoestring budgets and this extra funding can help provide more security so they can stabilise or increase capacity and extend services to provide further reach into the community for people who experience problem drug use and their families.

“The Improvement Fund will help us get more people into treatment. We know the number of individuals who drop out of support and treatment services is too high. This funding will support activities which lead to quick access to treatment and support for families. It can also be used for residential rehabilitation and collaborative approaches which help people address all the underlying challenges that they face.

“A national mission is needed – those whose life is blighted by drugs are our relatives, our friends, our neighbours. Our vision is for a culture of change: a culture of compassion devoid of stigma in which people are given a real chance of recovery.”

The Corra Foundation will administer both funds. Both will open to bids on 18 February 2021. All allocations will be made before 31 March 2021. 

https://www.corra.scot/about/

Council looks to balance the books

City councillors will next week consider a report outlining proposals for a balanced overall budget for 2021/22 as uncertainty persists around future changes and financial pressures brought about by the ongoing Covid19 crisis.

The report was published yesterday, a day ahead of today’s planned announcement by the Scottish Government of the 2021/22 Local Government Financial Settlement. 

Financial flexibilities already agreed with the Scottish Government have contributed to the balanced budget position for 2021/22, with an acknowledgement that more fundamental service reform, improvement and prioritisation will be required in future years.

At their meeting on 2 February the Finance and Resources Committee will also consider the Council’s new three-year Business Plan, titled ‘Our Future Council, Our Future City‘, which brings together the Council’s strategic priorities in a single plan responding to the need for change and seeks to shape a fair and green post-pandemic recovery for the Capital over the years ahead.

The Business Plan aims to deliver a sustainable, fair and thriving future for Edinburgh, responding directly to the aspirations tens of thousands of residents have shared for their home city as part of the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision process and guided by the Council’s three key priorities of tackling poverty and inequality, boosting sustainability and enhancing wellbeing.

As well as reporting a balanced budget position for 2021/22, the Revenue Budget report sets out a budget framework for the following four years.

During this time, due to a combination of rising demand, inflationary pressures, legislative reform and a level of funding that is not expected to keep pace, the Council will be required to save more than £100m whilst maintaining an appropriate level of reserves.

Difficult decisions on where to prioritise investment will therefore be unavoidable. 

Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Rob Munn said: “Like all Scottish local authorities, we find ourselves in a difficult situation, both in terms of how long Covid restrictions will be in place and what further pressures the pandemic will place on our budgets in the months to come. We’ve already faced budget pressures of around £85m through increased expenditure and lost income.

“That’s why it’s entirely pragmatic to set a balanced one-year budget for the next financial year while preparing for broader reforms from 2022 onwards.

“Our recent Best Value audit by the Accounts Commission found that we’re managing our finances well but recommended that we set out longer-term financial plans and that we pull together our ambitious strategies into a single plan.

“Both the Business Plan and the five-year budget framework we’re proposing respond directly to this recommendation and, taken together, they will help us reprioritise and, where required, redesign services to address budget gaps and progress our core priorities over the coming years.”

Vice Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “In setting out a balanced budget position for 2021/22, I am particularly pleased to note that, through careful financial management, we’re able to sustain vital frontline services; the services our communities have so depended upon during the incredibly difficult and challenging situation we’ve all faced since the pandemic began. 

“We remain fully committed to our established priorities of tackling poverty and inequality, boosting sustainability and promoting wellbeing – all of which were set based on direct public feedback on what is most important to the people of Edinburgh.

There’s no doubt some very challenging times lie ahead but we’re determined to maintain our focus on investing in attractive, safe and sustainable places to live, building thousands more affordable homes and high-quality modern schools and early years settings to give our children the best possible start in life. The residents of Edinburgh deserve nothing less.”

The Business Plan sets out three core priorities for the city:

(i) ending poverty and preventing adverse outcomes such as homelessness and unemployment;
(ii) becoming a net-zero city; and
(iii) ensuring wellbeing and equalities are enhanced for all.

These will be aligned with the priorities set out in the Edinburgh Partnership Community Plan which were developed based on feedback from communities.

The priorities, shared by all members of the Edinburgh Partnership, are to ensure all citizens have: 

  • Enough money to live on
  • Access to work, learning and training
  • A good place to live.

An update to the budget proposals will be reported to councillors once the implications for Edinburgh of the Scottish Government’s LGFS are known. 

Covid placing real strain on council budgets,says COSLA

Communities across Scotland will face unavoidable and damaging consequences if Local Government does not receive a fair funding settlement in this year’s Budget, COSLA has warned.

COSLA said that the trend of recent settlements for Local Government needs to change because on top of existing pressures, the COVID pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on the finances of Scotland’s Councils this year.

The organisation has produced a comprehensive 14-page briefing document, ‘Respect Our Communities: Protect Our Funding’, which covers three areas:

  • the costs of COVID-19 to Local Government and the need for these to be met,
  • flexibility on how the budget allocated to Councils is spent and
  • an increased budget allocation to address the reduction in funding to Councils over recent settlements.

Speaking as she launched the document yesterday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “This year, across every community in Scotland, Local Government’s essential role has been magnified and once again we have delivered for our communities.

“Nobody in Scotland has been unaffected by this pandemic and the financial impacts of COVID-19 are severe. Individuals, families and businesses have all felt the effects and continue to look to Councils for support every day.

“Sustaining this lifeline support is placing extreme pressure on already strained budgets and without fair funding for Local Government this year, the consequences for the most vulnerable in our communities would be unacceptable.

“That is why we need fair funding for 2021/22 that respects our communities. Without this, there will be further cuts to services, reductions in spending locally, increases in the inequalities exposed by the pandemic and a much slower recovery.”

Echoing these concerns, COSLA President, Councillor Alison Evison, said:  “Local Government’s role on behalf of our communities cannot be underestimated anymore. The COVID pandemic has shown exactly how much the public rely on us as leaders and as providers of vital services.

“The reality is that in recent budgets, the Scottish Government has chosen not to provide enough funding for the essential services that communities rely on day in day out.

“On top of this, this year we have had to contend with COVID-19 which has seen the inequality in our society grow.

“Our ability to recover from this and continue to deliver for Scotland’s communities depends on a change of emphasis from Scottish Government that provides fair funding for Council services.

“If we are to truly recover from this pandemic then Local Authorities must receive a fair settlement.”

Download the full document, ‘Respect Our Communities: Protect Our Funding’
(PDF, 579.11 KB)

Community Climate Asset funding for Edinburgh organisations

Delivering Scotland’s green recovery

Communities across the country are to benefit from fast-tracked funding to help tackle climate change and deliver Scotland’s green recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A total of 279 projects will be funded through the Community Climate Asset Fund, helping to deliver electric bikes, food growing equipment and glazing to improve energy efficiency.

Successful recipients of the Fund based in the capital include Freh Start, Stockbridge Parish Church, ELREC and Granton Parish Church.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Communities across the country are playing a vital role in responding to the pandemic crisis and in maintaining our resilience, our sense of spirit and our local support network.

“In what remains an exceptionally difficult time for us all, this funding is providing fast, tangible support to deliver long-lasting benefits to community based organisations while also helping them tackle climate change as we accelerate our just transition to a net zero society.

“I am particularly pleased that the successful recipients of the Community Climate Asset Fund come from right across the country, meaning many thousands of people will benefit from the projects and help play their part in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change.”

Chief Executive Officer of Keep Scotland Beautiful Barry Fisher said: “We congratulate all the community-based organisations across Scotland awarded Community Climate Asset Fund grants.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful are committed to making Scotland clean, green and sustainable, and through the Community Climate Asset Fund, we are delighted to support communities to tackle climate change and contribute to a green and just recovery from COVID-19.”

A total of 279 organisations are being funded through the Community Climate Asset Fund. Edinburgh projects to receive funding are:

Action Porty. For community building energy efficiency improvements. £3,777.60.

Blood Bikes Scotland. For an electric motorcycle and charging station to help to reduce carbon emissions within the Lothian region by transporting urgent items for the NHS more sustainably. £24,896.70

Craigmillar Now. For community building energy efficiency improvements. £9,770.00.

Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council. For an electric vehicle to help the BAME communities of Edinburgh to reduce local carbon emissions by empowering their club users to drive more sustainably. £12,150.00

Edinburgh Community Food. For an electric van and charging point to help reduce carbon emissions in Edinburgh by delivering food parcels to families and local community organisations more sustainably. £28,607.16

Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre. For insulation and low-energy lighting to help the Hindu community of Edinburgh to reduce local carbon emissions by making the community hall more energy efficient. £24,660.00

Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association. For food growing equipment. £2,660.00.

Fresh Start. For an electric van to help reduce carbon emissions in Edinburgh by distributing donations and running their PAT testing service more sustainably. £13,986.00

Friends of Seaview. For food growing and food waste equipment. £2,036.32.

Inverleith Allotments Association. For garden waste reduction equipment. £3,474.00.

Stockbridge Parish Church. For community building energy efficiency improvements. £3,790.80.

Swap and Re-use Hub Co-operative (Edinburgh) Ltd. For an electric cargo bike, fridge and freezer to help the Food Sharing Edinburgh Network to reduce local carbon emissions by reducing emissions for collections and deliveries and diverting more surplus food from landfill. £7,703.00.

The Broomhouse Centre. For an electric van to help communities in South West Edinburgh to reduce carbon emissions by distributing food donations, other deliveries, and activities more sustainably. £18,601.92

The Edinburgh Remakery Ltd. For textile repair equipment as part of the Covid-19 response. £1,000.00.

The Friends of Duddingston Charitable Trust. For food growing equipment. £2,956.83.

The Welcoming Association. For food growing and food waste equipment. £3,100.00.

Water of Leith Conservation Trust. For an electric cargo bike and community building energy efficiency improvements. £4,496.78.

£400 million of new funding to support Scotland through Covid-19

New funding of £800 million is being guaranteed for the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to support people, businesses and public services with the ongoing impact of Covid-19.

Yesterday’s announcement increases the UK Government’s unprecedented upfront guarantee this year to at least £16.8 billion on top of funding outlined in Spring Budget 2020.

This funding can be spent on priorities such as the NHS and business support.

This means a further £400 million for the Scottish Government, £200 million for the Welsh Government and £200 million for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Any changes to devolved funding are normally confirmed towards the end of the financial year – but in July the UK Government introduced an unprecedented guarantee to provide them with funding certainty to respond to Covid-19.

Wednesday’s announcement ensures that all parts of the UK can continue their response to Covid-19 through the winter months.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay MP said: “We’ve already committed unprecedented levels of support to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“This extra funding will provide the nations with the certainty they need to plan through these difficult months.

“We remain committed to an economic recovery for the whole of the United Kingdom and will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations to support people and businesses.”

Scottish Secretary, Alister Jack said: The UK Government is committed to supporting people in all parts of the UK during this difficult time which is why today we have given £400 million extra to the Scottish Government for their Covid-19 response. This brings our total additional Covid-19 support to Scotland to £8.6 billion since Spring Budget 2020.

“This is on top of direct UK Government Covid-19 support to people and businesses in Scotland, including the furlough and self-employment schemes, business loans, VAT cuts for the hardest hit sectors and investing billions in our Plan for Jobs and our welfare safety net.

“The UK Government is also providing the bulk of Covid-19 testing in Scotland and we invested £6 billion to ensure we were the first country in the world to roll out the first vaccine.

“The strength of the Union and support offered by the UK Treasury has never been more important. Together, we will continue to get through these challenging times.”

People and businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also continue to benefit from the UK Government’s unprecedented £280 billion UK-wide economic response package.

This includes schemes such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme providing billions in support to businesses across the three regions.

Alongside this, millions of jobs in the three regions continue to be supported through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

£104 million lifeline for tourism and hospitality sector

Targeted support package for key sectors

Tourism and hospitality businesses across Scotland are to benefit from a £104.3 million package of support in the New Year.

The funding is part of the short term response to the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce recommendations and follows lengthy discussions with industry to target support specifically where it is needed the most. 

It is part of the £185 million package previously announced by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes. Further work will be urgently undertaken to establish what additional support is needed in light of the announcement to move mainland Scotland to level 4 and the Scottish islands to level 3 from Boxing Day.

Businesses required to close by law are currently able to claim up to £3,000 every four weeks through the Strategic Framework Business Fund.

Areas set to benefit include:

  • £19.2 million to provide one-off grants for hospitality businesses
  • £50.8 million for businesses with a rateable value of more than £51,000 that have not received support from the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund or Hotel Support Programme and some additional support to smaller businesses impacted by restrictions
  • £11.8 million for international inbound, coach tourism and domestic tour operators
  • £7 million for self-catering
  • £5 million for visitor attractions
  • £2.5 million for outdoor tourism
  • £2.3 million for hostels
  • £2 million for ski centres
  • £1.5 million for travelling show people ineligible for other support
  • £1.2 million for Destination Management Organisations
  • £1 million for B&Bs and guest houses excluded from the latest Non Domestic Rates scheme

Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “It’s been a particularly bruising year for our tourism and hospitality sectors. The COVID-19 crisis has shattered previously successful businesses and we are committed to doing everything possible to get them back on their feet. These funding streams seek to throw a lifeline to some sectors that we know are particularly vulnerable and may not have access to help from other sources.

“We’ve already invested well over £2.3 billion to support businesses across Scotland, including 100% rates relief for pubs and restaurants but we know this is not enough. The restrictions, as necessary as they are, continue to have a profound effect and it is fair to say that tourism and hospitality businesses are feeling it more than most. This funding will provide a vital lifeline in the build up to what should be much of the industry’s busiest time of the year.

“The funding aligns in the short term with many of the tourism taskforce’s recommendations and I am grateful to it for its work on this.

“Clearly, in light of the enhanced restrictions announced at the weekend to control the spread of the virus, we will be undertaking further work on what additional support is needed by businesses, including for the longer term. There is a need to move quickly to ensure the sector is adequately supported and ready to go again, when the time is right.” 

An early Merry Christmas for local community projects

As a difficult year draws to a close, 20 community groups in Edinburgh are ending 2020 with some good news: a £328,583 cash boost from The National Lottery Community Fund! 

Among the local organisations receiving early Christmas cheer are Ama-Zing Harmonies, Muirhouse Millennium Centre and North Edinburgh Arts.

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£3.3 million to help children’s charities this winter

Extra support for families on low incomes

Charities working with children and families on low incomes will receive a share of £3.3 million to help meet the needs of those affected by poverty at Christmas and in the new year.

The money forms part of the £100 million winter support package announced by the First Minister last month – of which £22 million is to specifically support low income families. The £3.3 million committed will support those most in need of help, including lone parents, families with a disabled child or young person, kinship carers, care leavers and families with a loved one in prison.

Nine charities will receive funding to support their work, or to distribute to grass-roots organisations. The money will go to help with essential items such as food, warm clothing and nappies, heating, bedding and furniture and white goods, and to support a scheme giving gifts to disadvantaged children who might otherwise go without a present on Christmas Day.

The charities benefiting are the STV Appeal, Cash for Kids, Aberlour, Barnardo’s, Action for Children, Family Fund, Families Outside, Who Cares? Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The Winter Plan for Social Protection, announced by the First Minister on 30 November 2020, already includes a one-off £100 per child payment for those in receipt of Free School Meals who are on low incomes, to be paid by Christmas.

“Whilst this is an important boost to family incomes we also want to help families with children of pre-school age.

“This funding will strengthen the help available to families across Scotland – supporting people during the festive period and throughout the winter months.

“We have taken unprecedented action to support people affected by the impact of COVID, with over £500 million committed for social protection since the onset of the pandemic. This latest investment is part of wider support available to people including increased funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund, Discretionary Housing Payments, and through wider third sector and councils action.”

Margaret Ford, Chair of STV and STV Children’s Appeal, said: “Amidst the seasonal festivities, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the fact that winter is one of the most difficult times of the year for so many families across Scotland, and the economic impact of Covid-19 will be an additional issue this year.

“We work closely with dozens of charities and projects across the country to help the most vulnerable in society, and this new support package will go some way in doing that. We’re pleased to be helping to distribute these funds, so that essential food, clothing, shelter and heating can be provided to those who need it most in this particularly challenging period between now and the spring.”

The charities to be supported by this funding include:

Aberlour£220,000
Action for Children£300,000
Barnardo’s£300,000
Cash for Kids£500,000
Families Outside£50,000
Family Fund£162,000
One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS)£200,000
STV Appeal£1,200,000
Who Cares? Scotland£360,000

New Funding for Live Theatre & Dance Performances

From today, Thursday 10 December 2020, applications are invited from the dance, theatre and multi artform sector for a share in £600K National Lottery funding through Creative Scotland, for live performance tours from Spring 2021. 

In this latest round of theTheatre and Dance Touring Fund, applications are invited from Scotland-based dance and theatre artists, companies and organisations, independent dance and theatre producers and venues, for the making and touring of new work or the restaging of previous work for presentation to live audiences under Covid-19 restrictions, in a minimum of three locations across Scotland. 

Iain Munro, Creative Scotland’s CEO said: “Supporting Scotland’s theatre and dance touring infrastructure is important, helping high quality theatre in Scotland to flourish and creating opportunities for more people across the country to experience and enjoy it.  

“Made possible by the generosity of National Lottery players who raise £30 million for good causes across the UK every week, this round of the Theatre and Dance Touring Fund responds directly to the challenging position that theatres, venues, producers, artists, companies and their audiences are in due to the Covid-19 pandemic.” 

Creative Scotland is also seeking five external panel members to work alongside Creative Scotland staff to decide the successful applications in this round of the Fund.

Panel members will be expected to hold credible professional knowledge and expertise of the Theatre and Dance Touring sector in Scotland, either from a programming perspective or as a maker/producer of touring work.  

The Deadline for applications is 12 noon, Thursday 7 January 2021 through the Scottish Government e-Tendering System, Public Contracts Scotland.