Supporting and scaling up responsible investment in nature
Environmental organisations, community groups, land owners and farmers will be eligible to apply for a share of £1.8 million funding to help grow their nature projects.
The Scottish Government and NatureScot, working in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and with support from the Green Finance Institute, are launching a new programme of support to help scale up private investment in Scotland’s natural capital.
Grants of up to £240,000 will be offered to organisations and partnerships to help develop a viable business case and financial model, to attract investment in projects that can restore and improve the natural environment, such as, but not limited to, woodland creation, marine enhancement and peatland restoration. Successful projects will also demonstrate the means to engage and share benefits with communities, contributing to a just transition.
The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland programme also aims to ensure that investment in, and use of, Scotland’s natural capital creates benefits that are shared.
Minister for Environment and Land Reform Mairi McAllan said: “The Scottish Government has already significantly increased public investment in nature restoration through, for example, our £65 million Nature Restoration Fund.
“But public investment can’t do it alone. The finance gap for nature in Scotland for the next decade has been estimated to be £20 billion – that’s why we are working to find ways to bridge this finance gap through leveraging responsible private finance.
“The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland programme will enable swifter, easier and scaled up development of nature-based investable projects across the country. It has the potential to grow natural capital markets that reach across rural, urban, terrestrial and marine settings, and to support a wide variety of natural assets and ecosystem services.”
NatureScot’s Director of Green Economy Robbie Kernahan said: “Scotland’s nature is in crisis: its unique habitats and ecosystems will only continue providing the benefits to our wellbeing if we act now to value it and invest in it.
“The new Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland is a vital opportunity to stimulate that investment and will help us halt nature loss – we must grasp it with both hands.”
Heritage Fund Director for Scotland Caroline Clark said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we are delighted to support this programme which will ensure more of Scotland’s natural capital can be unlocked for the benefit of the environment and communities.
“FIRNS offers an exciting opportunity to explore ways of diversifying income for Scotland’s nature sector and building skills, capacity and resilience for the communities and organisations who are caring for the future of our natural world in a time of immense change.”
Improving pay and working conditions through public sector investment
Organisations applying for public sector grants will need to pay at least the real Living Wage and provide channels for staff to have a say in the workplace from July 2023.
The condition applies to organisations receiving grants from the Scottish Government, enterprise agencies and public bodies. Exceptions may only be applied to emergency funding and where an organisation is heavily dependent on grant funding and paying the real Living Wage would threaten its survival.
The new requirements form part of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together to build a fairer and more equal economy.
Employment and Fair Work Minister Richard Lochhead and Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater visited MiAlgae, an Edinburgh industrial biotechnology company that has received public sector funding and whose staff are paid at least the real Living Wage and have a voice in the workplace.
Mr Lochhead said: “The Scottish Government is committed to using public sector investment to drive up wages, tackle inequalities and give employees an effective voice.
“This policy is a significant step in strengthening our fair work agenda. For example, in 2021-22 Scottish Enterprise issued £135 million in grants to 953 businesses.
“Fair work and fair pay are good for business. They help improve staff retention and productivity, reduce recruitment costs and contribute to a skilled and motivated workforce.
“Scotland is already leading the way on paying the real Living Wage. In 2022 a record 91 per cent of employees aged over 18 earned the real Living Wage or more in Scotland – higher than the UK as a whole and above any other UK country. There are more than 2,900 accredited real Living Wage employers, which is proportionately five times as many as in the rest of the UK.
“Grant conditionality will strengthen our vision that by 2025, people in Scotland will have a world-leading working life where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society.”
Ms Slater said: “An effective voice for workers is vital to ensure better terms and conditions, worker wellbeing and developing progressive and fairer work places.
“The ability to speak, individually or collectively, and to be listened to, is essential to improving workers experience as well as improving organisational performance.
“We will work with employers, workers and trade unions, to continue improving the terms and conditions for employees of organisations applying for a public sector grant.”
MiAlgae Operations Director Dr Johann Partridge said: “At MiAlgae, the real Living Wage was something we have been fully committed to since the beginning. As an organisation our people are our most important asset and, for us, a happy and engaged team is crucial to our operations.
“Having open channels of communication between staff across every level and area of the business is something we are passionate about. We strive to ensure each member of our team feels empowered and confident to communicate and engage with each other about all elements of our work.”
But the national membership organisation for the voluntary sector, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), has raised concerns about those workers who could be left behind.
In a statement, SCVO said: “SCVO agree that Fair Work for Scotland’s voluntary sector workforce should be a priority. However, it is unclear how the sector will be supported to fund this change.
“Years of underfunding, followed by Covid-19, and the running costs crisis, mean that for many voluntary sector employers paying the Living Wage cannot be achieved without additional resources.
“A significant number of people employed in the sector are funded by public sector grants and contracts. SCVO have made clear that to support organisations to pay the Living Wage, public grant funding and procured contracts should build in a Living Wage uplift to ensure organisations delivering public services and other vital support are able to pay the Living Wage.
“We look forward to more details about how these plans will be funded in the upcoming Scottish Budget.
Concerns were also raised that plans to ensure Scotland’s voluntary sector workforce are paid at least the Real Living Wage apply only to staff engaged in grant funded activities creating the potential for pay inequality within and between voluntary organisations.
SCVO encouraged the Scottish Government to engage with voluntary sector funders and employers to ensure that all of the sector’s 135,000 employees can be paid at least the real Living Wage.
The organisation added: “The voluntary sector workforce makes a huge contribution across Scotland, offering a lifeline to people, families, and communities as the cost-of-living crisis bites. This lifeline shouldn’t need to be extended to voluntary sector staff.
“Scottish Government need to work with local government, funders, and crucially, the sector, to ensure that voluntary sector organisations have the support they need to pay the Real Living Wage.”
As the cost of living crisis deepens, families in Scotland raising disabled, or seriously ill children, on low incomes have the chance to secure critical support from a national charity.
Family Fund, the UK’s largest grant-making charity for families with disabled and seriously ill children, provides essential items for families including kitchen appliances, clothing, bedding, play and sensory equipment and family breaks.
Last year, it delivered over 170,919 grants and services, worth over £37 million, to families on low incomes across the UK.
Thanks to ongoing funding from the Scottish Government, the charity can continue to support families across Scotland.
With winter approaching this is timely help, as a recent Cost of caring report by Family Fund shows that nine in 10 families are struggling, or falling behind with their regular household bills and many are forced to forego living essentials such as food, heating, basic furniture like beds, flooring, washing machines and fridges, to try to make ends meet.
In the latest poll of UK families in September, almost 60% reported an average increase in household bills of £124 a month. On top of this their average monthly food bill has gone up by £189 over the year.
Cheryl Ward, Chief Executive of Family Fund, said:“We urge eligible families in Scotland to come forward with an application to secure help through these difficult winter months.
“Our research shows it costs three times as much to bring up a disabled child as other children, with many families unable to increase their income due to round-the-clock caring responsibilities.
“As prices continue to rise and winter approaches, many families tell us they are gravely worried about how they will survive the coming months.
“Family Fund is here for support now so please come forward to apply.”
Reece’s story:
Six-year-old Reece has autism and lives in Glasgow, with his mother, Olivia, and older brother, Justice, 20.
Olivia explains: “When Reece was younger, he had speech and developmental delay and was diagnosed as autistic at the age of three. Now that Reece is six years old, he’s still behind in his development. Reece can repeat what others say and he does understand what people mean but he can’t speak his own words yet. Additionally, he is still behind with his toileting as he continues to wear nappies.
“Reece attends a specialist school. They’re helping him a lot to better his understanding and to engage more. Generally, Reece enjoys school except when it’s noisy. He has sensory issues so he dislikes certain loud sounds.
“Reece finds it frustrating that we currently live in a flat without a garden. The lack of space is hindering his development since he loves the outdoors. He really enjoys jumping and swinging. When we’re outside he likes collecting sticks. Reece also likes to spin a lot and even though he can’t speak, he still makes sounds from his mouth, so people often stare but I try to explain his condition to people as much as I can.
“At the moment, I receive two days of respite care which I use to study for my degree.
“The cost of living crisis has greatly impacted the cost of my bills. We haven’t been able to afford other things as much as we used to. I can barely buy a full basket of food nowadays so I have to improvise my cooking. Sometimes I have to leave myself out of the meal and just eat snacks so that my children can eat.”
How Family Fund has helped
Oliviasaid: “Family Fund is very helpful, especially to families on a low income. Without the grants we wouldn’t be able to afford things so important to a child’s development.
“We received a sensory grant which we used to buy a colour changing bubble machine which Reece loves. It helps to calm him down.
“We also received a fridge freezer grant. Our old fridge was broken and too small. The grant from Family Fund allowed us to buy a newer, and bigger, fridge which was better for our family. Without the grant we would have had to wait a long time to get a new one.
“The most recent grant we received was a Haven family break grant [that] gave us a chance to get away on holiday to the seaside which Reece loves a lot. The Haven site has a lot of activities to do all under one roof. The break gave us peace of mind and it was beautiful to see Reece happy and calm. He was so content with everything around him.”
Eligible families in Scotland are encouraged to apply as soon as possible by visiting Grants: Scotland | Family Fund or calling 01904 550055
New offer to make climate-friendly energy improvements simpler
As of today it will be simpler and more affordable for people to install climate-friendly heat and energy efficiency measures in their homes.
Homeowners can now apply for a standalone grant of £7,500 from the Home Energy Scotland Scheme to install heat pumps. Previously, applicants were required to sign up for a loan before they qualified for this funding, but can now access the money directly.
The new approach is designed to offer greater flexibility for those looking to make their homes more climate-friendly.
The enhanced measures will also include an extra £1,500 to homeowners in rural areas, in line with a commitment made as part of the Bute House Agreement. A standalone grant of £7,500 for energy efficiency improvements to homes will also be made available.
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Patrick Harvie announced the changes whilst on a visit to a Home Energy Scotland advice centre in Edinburgh to learn more about the ways their advisors have been helping people to access energy efficiency funding.
He said: “Reducing emissions from our homes and buildings is one of the most important things we can do to help end Scotland’s contribution to climate change.
“Our Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out ambitious targets to transform how we heat and insulate buildings and we have committed £1.8 billion over this parliament to support its delivery. This includes doubling our funding for the Home Energy Scotland scheme this year.
“The improvements to the Home Energy Scotland Scheme – including, importantly, targeted support for those in rural areas – will make it easier for people to access funding to ensure their homes are more energy efficient and use climate friendly-heating.
“I would encourage anyone that is interested to visit the Home Energy Scotland website. Advisors are also available to guide applicants through the process.”
Harry Mayers, Head of Home Energy Scotland, said: “Having a warm home and reducing energy bills are big priorities for households in Scotland. The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan will help thousands of households make much-needed improvements to their homes to keep out the cold and drive down bills.
“The changes being made mean that homeowners can now apply for grant funding without a loan; this will be a huge help towards covering the cost of making energy efficiency improvements or installing renewable systems such as heat pumps.
“The updated scheme comes at just the right time as we’re going into winter with energy prices at record highs. The rural uplift, which will provide extra financial support for those who live in rural and island communities who often face increased costs for home improvements, is especially welcome.”
The Action Earth campaign, run by national charity Volunteering Matters, has just made Winter grants available to support communities with outdoor environmental volunteering.
Projects can apply now to the campaign for activities such as tree and hedge planting, bird & bat box building and siting and habitat creation and improvements. Activities should conclude by the end of January 2023. The campaign is funded by NatureScot.
Nature is in crisis and we face a climate emergency. Last year, 157 successful projects completed, showing great resilience and adaptability in the face of very difficult circumstances. This year our focus is on helping restore and protect environments to deliver a ‘nature-rich’ future for all.
Volunteering Matters Action Earth offers easy-to-access grants of up to £250 for environmental activities across Scotland.
We have limited numbers of nature awards for Winter for any group of volunteers carrying out practical environmental improvements or wildlife habitat creation in their local green spaces. Previous projects have included meadow and pond creation, woodland and wetland renovations and creating and improving community gardens.
We are also keen to support projects working with people with disabilities, defined health issues or barriers to involvement. From last year’s 157 projects to benefit from Action Earth grant funding, over 4,406 volunteers were involved in improving biodiversity in their community – 1,329 of them having defined health and social issues.
The campaign is also keen to hear from projects whose work benefits disadvantaged communities especially in urban areas or in places with reduced local amenity. 50% of volunteers in 2021 were from areas in the lowest 20% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska said: “Nature can be a powerful tool in bringing communities together and rallying them into action, whether it’s to protect local greenspaces or create new opportunities for enriched biodiversity.
“In doing so, community groups have the chance, through the Action Earth campaign, to be involved in activities which help tackle the climate emergency, while enjoying the benefits of companionship, wellbeing and purpose. We are looking forward to welcoming lots of exciting project ideas this year.”
For those looking for inspiration for their projects, the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website has instructions on how to build bird boxes, bat boxes, frog hibernacula, hedgehog boxes and bee/insect homes.
NatureScot also has a host of tips to help nature through its Make Space for Nature campaign.
More information is available and applications can be made NOW at the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website:
EVOC is delighted to announce that more than 120 community and voluntary organisations are to benefit from grants totalling £1.32 million from the Scottish Government’s Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in Edinburgh.
This investment will support a wide range of projects and enable people across the City to access additional mental health and wellbeing support in their communities. Programmes being funded include activity-based canal boat trips; befriending services; art therapy sessions; community garden growing workshops; 1 to 1 mentoring with childcare; outdoor programmes for families; local pantries and counselling.
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants is available here.
As a partner in Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface we have taken the lead in developing a new community commissioning-based funding approach that invests the Scottish Government funding in projects that support the needs of different communities.
The process has taken both a geographical and thematic approach and focused on making sure people get the support they need, when they need it, where they need it.
Ian Brooke, EVOC’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “‘It is fantastic to see this investment going out to grass-roots organisations across Edinburgh and to know this is the result of shared decisions based on evidence of real need in the City’s communities.
“Our ambition to roll out a community commissioning-based approach for this fund, in less than six months, has relied on the hard work, commitment and energy of everyone involved.
“We believe this is the first process of its kind to be delivered in Scotland, if not the UK and have commissioned a research team to make sure that lessons learned and further improvements are made from this experience which can then be used to develop and refine future cross-sector funding models.”
Fresh Startis one of more than a hundred and twenty organisations and partnerships that have received a grant in this the second phase of the Fund – fourteen grants of under £2,500 were awarded earlier this month.
They have been awarded £10,673 to deliver a project that reduces the anxiety and stress that parents and care givers encounter trying to keep food on the table.
Fresh Start will run a variety of food related projects including family Fridays, provide Dish of Day cook bags, deliver community meals and provide additional support to families to tackle holiday hunger.
It is envisaged that they will support over 100 families in North Edinburgh.
Biddy Kelly, Managing Director, Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our application to the Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and are looking forward to getting the services to people at a time when they are most in need.
“I am also delighted that our collective Respond and Recovery Group in North Edinburgh could co-ordinate our applications to ensure maximum impact and reduce duplication, and that we saw a significant amount of essential work being not only funded but recognised by this process of funding in a new way.’
A partnership between Leith Community Growers and Leith Growing has been awarded £17,341.72 to explore views about local community garden development, develop community garden spaces across the North East of Edinburgh and deliver a programme of workshops on gardening, growing, connecting with nature and outdoor play.
Patrick Dunne, Leith Community Growers said: “‘Leith Community Growers aims to support and develop growing and green space initiatives in Leith.
“This funding allows us to run sessions about gardening with local organisations and our own community to the benefit of their wellbeing and mental health, and also supports us to encourage local community members to develop their local spaces in whatever way they can.
“It’s been interesting to be a part of this new model of funding process. While challenging at times it has encouraged us to reach out and collaborate with groups and spaces that are new to us and we are very happy that those new relationships will grow and be of benefit in our community in the next 12 months.
“We are looking forward to growing alongside the people of Leith this year.”
A NEW APPROACH
EVOC has worked alongside key partners in the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Edinburgh’s Thrive Collaborative, Volunteer Edinburgh and others from the voluntary sector to develop a process that prioritises what works at a grass-roots level and what the people and communities of Edinburgh really value.
These efforts will continue and build on the City’s partnership working, developing new ways in which people and local organisations can be supported.
In addition, the work being carried out toward the development of an Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact offers opportunities for organisations to get involved throughout the next year.
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The pandemic has seen rises in health inequalities, mental health challenges, and growth in social isolation.
“Whilst this is a national picture, in Edinburgh we are committed to finding ways to reach people and ensure they have access to the right kind of support at the right time. Everyone’s different.
“Via this funding, we’ve not only been able to accelerate work in this area, but through the engagement led by EVOC and our Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact, we’ve been able to reach a wide range of communities and reach those with lived experiences who are not always heard.
“Without doubt, we are very encouraged by what’s been achieved and are committed to building on this as we move forward.
“We’re incredibly thankful to all who have engaged and taken part in this process, particularly to our partners at EVOC for their hard work throughout.”
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for the City of Edinburgh can be found here.
The Scottish Government announced the £15 million-pound Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in October last year and announced additional investment for this fund on 25 February.
An overview of the community commissioning process devised and delivered for the Edinburgh funding by EVOC and other key partners can be found here.
A detailed analysis of how Covid-19 business support funding was distributed during the pandemic is not possible due to gaps in data, according to spending watchdog Audit Scotland.
The Scottish Government provided about £4.4 billion of grants and non-domestic rate reliefs between March 2020 and October 2021, mostly paid out to businesses by councils. The government announced a further £375 million of support in December 2021 following the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Steps were taken to improve the management of funding during the pandemic.
But there was not enough focus on gathering detailed data on how money was distributed and how quickly applicants received funding.
This means:
The Scottish Government does not have an analysis of the total amounts paid out from the more general schemes to different economic sectors
For sector specific funding administered by national organisations such as Scottish Enterprise, around 20 per cent of payments cannot currently be matched to council areas
Similarly, information to enable wider analysis of how funding supported specific groups, such as the female owned businesses disproportionately hit by Covid-19, is not available from Scottish Government centrally held data.
In late 2021, the Scottish Government completed retrospective impact assessments to consider how business support funding addressed inequalities. A retrospective fraud review of funding that councils administered was also carried out.
The government is currently undertaking a large data cleansing exercise to ensure that the datasets for individual funds, including those administered by councils, are complete.
Covid-19 business support schemes were administered at pace in exceptional circumstances.
But knowing where the money went matters, to get future policy development and delivery right.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “These business support schemes were administered at pace in exceptional circumstances. But knowing where the money went matters.
“To get future policy development and delivery right, it will be important for the Scottish Government to fully understand how funding was used to support specific businesses and groups over the last two years of the pandemic.”
William Moyes, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils’ fraud arrangements are generally robust, but they were heavily relied upon to ensure businesses were eligible for funding during the pandemic.
“Councils will need to continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure a better picture emerges of how money was distributed.”
Responding to the Audit Scotland report, Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “I am pleased that both Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission have recognised how quickly the Scottish Government was able to establish a wide ranging business support package in order to help safeguard thousands of businesses and jobs.
“This includes providing direct support to over 4,000 businesses and over 5,000 self-employed people who were facing hardship but ineligible for UK Government funding support.
“I am equally pleased this report reflects the unique and challenging context in which new support packages had to be established, and that despite the speed and scale of our response, we were able to work closely with industry, our enterprise agencies and local authorities.
“This helped to ensure the delivery of the business support funding was a shared endeavour and minimised risk and fraud. Without the efforts of our partners, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver this lifeline support at the scale and pace necessary and I thank them for working so closely with us.
“Every decision the Scottish Government has taken has centred around ensuring businesses got the support they needed when they needed it – resulting in over £4.5 billion being allocated to businesses across the country, including around £1.6 billion in rates relief – which is more generous than the other UK administrations so far.
“We will now carefully consider the findings of this report and of course any lessons will be learned, but fundamentally this report shows the decisions we took ensured lifeline support reached key businesses promptly and our economy continued to grow by 7.1% despite the necessary public health restrictions.”
A new Scotland-wide fund supports charitable organisations providing social, emotional and practical help within their communities with grants up to £10,000.
Scotland is one of two pilot regions in the UK to offer the new PHP Community Impact Fund thanks to Primary Health Properties PLC (PHP). PHP is a Real Estate Investment Trust supporting the NHS in the delivery of primary care buildings, which positively impact the health and wellbeing of the communities they are located in.
Grants are available to charities and community groups that deliver social prescribing and community wellbeing initiatives to the communities served by the primary care centres owned by PHP.
Social prescribing enables a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. It allows GPs and other frontline healthcare professionals to refer patients to a link worker to explore ‘social prescription’ options. Many services provided by the voluntary and community sector can offer solutions to improve patients health and wellbeing.
Examples of services activities that can be included in social prescribing schemes include healthy eating advice and cooking classes, mindfulness activities, music classes, sports and exercise groups, gardening, therapeutic art activities, book clubs, and Men’s Sheds.
Social prescribing is an innovative and growing movement with the potential to reduce the financial burden on the NHS and particularly on primary care. Social prescribing also plays a vital role in helping communities recover and rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, particularly given the increased demand for services to support mental health and combat loneliness.
Grants are available for social and charitable activities and services that aim to improve the health and wellbeing of patients and communities surrounding the 38 different PHP locations across Scotland. The fund also looks to support the education, promotion and protection of good health within these communities.
Helen Wray, Head of Programmes at Foundation Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to partner with PHP to establish this new fund in Scotland. The new Community Impact Fund has launched at a critical time following the height of the pandemic.
“As our NHS continues to be under immense pressure, this is a fantastic initiative from PHP to help improve patient wellbeing outcomes, quality of life and emotional wellbeing.”
The fund is open until 25th October, offering grants up to £10,000 to charitable organisations within a 10-mile radius of PHP’s 38 locations across Scotland.
Their locations range from Dingwall in the Highlands down to Gretna Green in Dumfriesshire.
Business premises will be able to access a £25 million package to improve ventilation and reduce the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission.
Grants will target a wide range of high risk settings where people come into close proximity, including restaurants, bars and gyms, with support available to help companies undertake work such as the installation of carbon dioxide monitors and altering windows and vents.
An expert advice group, chaired by Professor Tim Sharpe from the University of Strathclyde, unanimously recommended that businesses should be supported to improve ventilation. The Group was established in August to advise how enhanced ventilation can help reduce transmission of the virus.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “As we step away from other mitigations, improved ventilation will play a significant role in reducing transmission indoors, support the sustained opening of society and contribute to our wider Covid recovery.
“Many of the businesses we are targeting have been closed for long periods and it is right that they are helped to undertake this work. We are allocating up to £25 million to assist small and medium-sized enterprises and expect to begin making payments in November.
“The package will initially target higher risk sectors where people spend significant amounts of time in close proximity to each other, such as hospitality and leisure, and will make indoor settings safer, especially through the winter months.”
Further details of the grants, including eligibility and timing, will be published on findbusinesssupport.gov.scot in due course.
