Tag: Scottish Government funding

£2m Scottish Government backing for Acorn carbon capture project

Fast-tracking Scotland’s energy transition

A project that aims to capture, transport and safely store CO2 emissions from across Scotland will be granted £2 million from the Scottish Government.

The new funding will be used to explore how a pipeline could transport Carbon Dioxide from Scotland’s central belt to the North East.

The Acorn Carbon transport and storage project is a joint venture with the Scottish Cluster, benefitting from the collective expertise of Storegga, Shell UK, Harbour Energy and North Sea Midstream Partners, along with National Gas.

The project is working with industrial, power, hydrogen, bioenergy and waste-to-energy businesses, including those in Peterhead, Grangemouth and Mossmorran, who wish to capture CO2 emissions and send to permanent geological storage under the North Sea.

Visiting St Fergus in Aberdeenshire, where the Acorn transport and storage terminal will be located, First Minister John Swinney said: “The Acorn project will be essential in securing the future of key industrial sites like Grangemouth and Mossmorran.

“A National Gas pipeline is a critical component of the project and I am delighted that the Scottish Government is providing funding to accelerate this innovative work.

“We are determined to support projects like this to support the development of Scotland’s carbon capture and storage sector and the fair and just transition of oil and gas sector.

“This announcement today demonstrates our unwavering support for carbon capture and storage, and I am confident that the UK Government will work constructively with us to ensure the Acorn Project is awarded Track 2 status. Enabling this innovative work to progress will help unlock so many opportunities not just for Scotland, but for the UK as a whole.”

Managing Director of Acorn Nic Braley said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s support for the SCO₂T Connect project, and the recognition of its importance for the decarbonisation of Scotland’s industry.  

“Working together, Acorn and National Gas can provide a CO₂ transport and storage solution to the Scottish Cluster, a diverse range of emitters from across Scotland and the rest of the UK, who are all committed to timely and cost-effective decarbonisation.

“The Scottish Cluster, with Acorn at its core, and the UK and Scottish governments can collectively make a major contribution to UK Net Zero commitments, supporting ambitions for clean energy, green prosperity and value for money.

“We look forward to working with both Scottish and UK Governments to make the Scottish Cluster a reality.” 

CEO of National Gas Jon Butterworth said: “We are committed to reaching net zero, and excited to explore how our world-class gas network can be at the heart of the drive to decarbonise with carbon capture and storage.

“We welcome today’s announcement from the Scottish Government. It is a brilliant example of how government and industry can work side-by-side to deliver clean energy solutions.”

Scottish Government funding: How’s it working for you?

SCVO FAIR FUNDING SURVEY

Is your voluntary organisation expecting funding from the Scottish Government in the forthcoming financial year?

Get involved with our quick and easy research survey to help us understand your experiences of timely funding notifications!

Learn more: https://bddy.me/49rh9JW

If you don’t have the time (or the desire!) to read this blog in its entirety – just read this: we are looking for voluntary organisations who are expecting funding from the Scottish Government in the forthcoming financial year to take part in a quick and easy monthly survey for six months. To get involved, contact details can be found at the bottom.

If you do have time to read the whole blog – here’s a bit more on why we’re doing it:

At SCVO, we’ve been working hard over the last couple of years to build our Fair Funding asks in response to what the sector has told us. We’ve also been putting a lot of time and effort into taking those asks to parliament. A result of that has been the Scottish Government’s commitment to Fairer Funding by 2026 and, although that remains largely undefined at present, some additional commitments have filtered out since.

One of those commitments relates to funding notifications. We know that timely decision making, and subsequent issuing of funds, is crucial to ensuring no organisation is disadvantaged by the funding process.

When decisions and notifications are delayed, organisations are plunged into uncertainty which can have hugely negative impacts on their ability to deliver services, retain staff, and plan ahead.

And so, as part of our Fair Funding package, we have been asking the Scottish Government to ensure funding decisions are issued no later than December and funds paid no later than the start of the tax year in April.

We were encouraged, then, when Colin Smyth MSP submitted a written question at parliament at the end of November, asking “what action it is taking to ensure that its funding decisions regarding support for the voluntary sector are issued no later than December, and that any funds are paid no later than the start of the tax year in April”. 

The fact that we had not had prior contact with Colin would suggest that our Fair Funding calls, with the support of sector organisations echoing those calls, are very much landing with MSPs.

But even more encouraging was the Scottish Government’s response: “We understand that organisations need timely grant decisions and payments in order to reduce financial uncertainty and effectively resource delivery,” the Cabinet Secretary said. 

“In line with the commitment given by the First Minister, we are working, within the context of the Scottish Budget process, to issue notifications of funding arrangements to third sector organisations, as soon as is practicably possible and no later than end of March for funding beginning on 1 April.”

With that in mind, we are keen to track the experiences of voluntary organisations who expect to receive funding from the Scottish Government this coming financial year.

We’re looking to build a group of such organisations to participate in a monthly survey, beginning in a few weeks and running for six months. The survey itself will be quick and easy to complete, the results gathered will be kept entirely anonymous, and your participation will allow us to document the journeys of organisations between February and July this year in terms of the relevant correspondence and notifications they are receiving from the Scottish Government.

In July, we will then hopefully be able to congratulate the Scottish Government on realising this commitment on timely notifications. Alternatively, if that is not the case, we will have the statistics that will allow us to hold the Scottish Government to account and to demand that Fairer Funding genuinely does incorporate this and many other of our Fair Funding asks in future.

If your organisation is awaiting notification from the Scottish Government on funding for the forthcoming financial year and you’d like to participate in this series of surveys, or you would like a little more information, please get in touch with Jason Henderson at: jason.henderson@scvo.scot

More funding to help parents and infants at risk

Supporting perinatal and infant mental health

Families across Scotland will benefit from a £1 million investment in charities specialising in mental health and wellbeing support in pregnancy and early years.

The support – provided by the Scottish Government’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund – will go to 34 charities that help new families take their first steps in raising babies and young children.

It has been estimated that up to 20% of mums and up to 10% of dads are affected by poor mental health in the perinatal period. Between 10-22% of babies and young children also experience mental health difficulties.

The Fund enables organisations to provide one-to-one and group based support and care that parents, carers and new babies need. Over 7,000 parents, expectant parents and infants have been supported by the funded organisations.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart announced extension of the existing Fund for another year from April 2023 to March 2024 at the current level of funding, over £1 million across the 12 months.

Mr Stewart said: “We want all mothers and their families to have access to good mental health care throughout pregnancy and during the postnatal period. The third sector plays a key role in access to perinatal and mental health support, and with the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and the cost crisis, their work is more important now than ever.

“I am pleased to extend the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund. It is reassuring to see that from October 2020-March 2023 over £2.5 million has been distributed to successful charities via the Fund and over seven thousand parents, expectant parents and infants have been supported by the funded organisations.”

Home Start Dundee service user said: “On my bad days, the groups have been a lifeline, having somewhere to go and vent to people who “get it” and understand.

“It’s nice to be able to open up in a safe and non-judgmental environment”

Mind Mosaic service user said: “The group really helped me to feel less alone in my struggles, and the calm friendly way you welcomed us all each Thursday morning set the tone to make it easy and comfortable to share experiences.”

Barnardo’s maternal and infant mental health support service user said: “It was a great way to find and talk to new parents.

“I felt welcomed and loved each session. So did my son.”

Celia Tennant, Chief Executive of Inspiring Scotland said: “We’re delighted the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund has been extended for another year. This will enable us to work alongside our charity partners to continue offering their essential perinatal services that support families with babies.

“This support is needed now more than ever, and these organisations are a lifeline to parents and families, offering empathetic support with trusted relationships right at the heart of their services.”

Read more on the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund  – PIMH Report Jan 2023 (inspiringscotland.org.uk)