Discover Funding Opportunities

WATIF Driving Lesson Fund 2024

The WATIF Driving Lesson Fund provides financial support up to £300 for driving lessons to residents within the WATIF area of benefit in Scotland. The fund aims to enhance health and wellbeing, increase access to essential services, and encourage sustainable economic development by helping young people gain driving skills for employability, travel to education, and to reduce social isolation. Applications must be made by the person taking the lessons, and applicants can apply up to 4 months prior to their 17th birthday. Payment is made directly to the driving school or instructor upon approval. The fund is part of WATIF's broader mission to create a beautiful and vibrant place with a great quality of life for all through community partnership and support.

RWE Lochelbank Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund

The RWE Lochelbank Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in the Glenfarg or Earn Community Council areas in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. This Fund is provided by RWE, the owner of Lochelbank Wind Farm in Perthshire. The Fund opened in 2011, with an annual contribution of £20,000 rising with inflation, expected to be approximately £33,000 in 2026. The Fund provides grants to support charitable activities that enhance quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities, and promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Grants may support a wide range of costs including equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities and more. Grants in excess of the maximum and multi-year requests (up to 3 years) can be considered in exceptional circumstances with strong community support and significant impact potential.

Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Kinglassie)

The Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Kinglassie) supports community projects benefitting those living in the Kinglassie Community Council area. The fund is provided by Westfield Wind Farm Limited (WWFL), the owner and operator of the Westfield Wind Farm in Fife. The fund opened in 2014, with an annual amount of £20,000, rising with inflation, paid into the fund each year for the operating life of the wind farm, expected to be 25 years. The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that enhance quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities, and promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Grants may support a wide range of costs, including equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, and maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities. Grant requests range from £500 to £4,000, though funding requests in excess of the maximum and over multiple years (up to 3) can be considered in exceptional circumstances. Applications demonstrating strong community support and significant impact potential are particularly welcomed, especially those supporting priorities in the Kinglassie Community Action Plan. Decisions are made by a Community Panel of up to nine members who live, work, or volunteer in the area.

Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Cardenden)

The Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Cardenden) supports community projects benefiting residents of the Cardenden Community Council area in Fife, Scotland. This charitable fund is provided by Westfield Wind Farm Limited (WWFL), a subsidiary of Nadara, and was opened in 2014. An annual amount of £9,375, inflation-adjusted, is paid into the fund each year for the operating life of the wind farm, which is expected to be 25 years. The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that enhance quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities, and promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Grant requests to support a wide range of costs and activities will be considered including equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional workers, consultations and maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities. Applications for projects that contribute to the aims of the Cardenden Community Action Plan are particularly welcome. The fund is overseen by a panel of residents and community councillors who help promote the fund locally and advise on grant awards.

Minnygap Community Fund

The Minnygap Community Fund supports community projects benefitting those living within the Johnstone, Templand, and Kirkpatrick Juxta community council areas, including the villages of Johnstonebridge, Templand, and Beattock in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The fund is provided by Minnygap Energy Ltd, owner of the Minnygap Wind Farm, and the Johnstonebridge Community Centre & Development Trust (JCCDT). Since opening in 2018, the fund provides £50,000 annually, rising with inflation, for the operating life of the wind farm. The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that enhance quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant and sustainable communities, promote community spirit, support sustainable community assets including capital assets and community enterprises, provide safe places to live, help people into work, and improve local transport. Grant requests for equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional worker costs, consultations, and maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities are considered. Grants are available in three tiers: small grants (£1-£600), standard grants (£601-£5,000), and large grants (£5,001-£12,000). Standard and large grants may be multi-year in nature, up to £12,000 per year over three years. A community panel of local residents makes recommendations on grant awards, meeting twice a year in January and July. The fund prioritizes applications that demonstrate match funding, use local procurement, show sustainability plans, build local capacity, and involve partnership working.

Middle Balbeggie Wind Farm Community Fund

The Middle Balbeggie Wind Farm Community Fund supports community projects benefitting those living in the Thornton Community Council area in Fife, Scotland. The fund began in 2017 and is provided by Middle Balbeggie Wind Limited, managed by Netro Energy on behalf of Alpha Real Capital. An annual amount of £19,200, inflation-adjusted, will be paid into the fund each year for the operating life of the wind farm, which is expected to be 25 years. The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that enhance quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities, and promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Grants may support a wide range of costs, including equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities and more. Applications are particularly welcome from projects which align with the priorities identified in Thornton's Local Place Plan. Grants in excess of £10,000 can be considered in exceptional circumstances where applications demonstrate strong local support and significant impact potential. Multi-year funding requests for periods of up to 3 years will be considered. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Lairg Wind Farm Community Fund

This fund supports charitable activities of benefit to those living within the Lairg Community Council area. The fund is provided by Lairg Wind Farm Ltd, the operator of the three-turbine wind farm at Cnoc Na Inghinnin. Starting in August 2012, it receives at least £22,000 annually (index-linked) for the wind farm's life, expected to be 25 years. The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that enhance the quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful, and sustainable communities, and promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Grants may be requested to support a wide range of costs and activities, such as equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional workers costs, consultations, maintenance, or refurbishment of community facilities. Awards will be prioritised that can demonstrate significant added value through leveraging additional funding from other sources, working in partnership with other groups and organisations to scale up projects and increase opportunities, and projects that have reach beyond one particular group or demographic that have potential to benefit the whole community. Though the upper limit for awards is stated as £5,000, awards above £5,000 can be considered in exceptional circumstances. Grant applications are considered at monthly meetings of Lairg Community Council. Applications must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of a Community Council meeting to be considered at that meeting. The Community Council currently meets on the first Wednesday of each month, excluding December.