£20 million investment to tackle loneliness

  • Funding will support charities and community groups to bring people together
  • The money will go to support programmes that are proven to benefit individuals and society
  • Hundreds of thousands of people will be helped to make connections in their communities

Charities and community groups will get £20 million of new funding to help isolated people and those suffering from loneliness, Prime Minister Theresa May announced yesterday. The funding will go to support and expand programmes that bring people together and are proving to benefit communities. Continue reading £20 million investment to tackle loneliness

Decisive leadership needed as council savings “increasingly critical”

Finding savings is now “increasingly critical” for councils dealing with ongoing reductions in funding, says the Accounts Commission in a report published today. Continue reading Decisive leadership needed as council savings “increasingly critical”

Creative Scotland funding process ‘completely unsatisfactory’, says Holyrood committee

‘Completely unsatisfactory’ is the view of a Scottish Parliament Committee on hearing Creative Scotland’s response to questions about its Regular Funding process. Continue reading Creative Scotland funding process ‘completely unsatisfactory’, says Holyrood committee

Scottish arts and heritage “missing out on £millions in untapped legacy funding”

With sources of public funding under ongoing pressure, Scotland’s arts and heritage sectors could be missing out on millions of pounds of fundraising potential in the form of individual legacy giving, legacy fundraising expert Richard Radcliffe (above) has warned. Continue reading Scottish arts and heritage “missing out on £millions in untapped legacy funding”

Question mark over government’s nursery places plan

The public spending watchdog has questioned government plans to fund increased nursery provision in Scotland. The Accounts Commission says in a new report (below) there is a “significant risk” councils will not be able to resource the government’s ambitious plan to double early learning and childcare hours by August 2020. Continue reading Question mark over government’s nursery places plan

Opening up the arts: council funding for community groups

Stimulating artistic and cultural events across the length and breadth of the Capital is the drive behind a new £60,000 City of Edinburgh Council fund. The one-off ‘Local Events Fund’ aims to inspire audiences and artists who might otherwise not have the chance to participate in cultural ventures to take up the artistic challenge. Continue reading Opening up the arts: council funding for community groups