We created the Sustainable Communities Fund (SCF) in 2020, to support local regeneration and sustainable development. To date, we have provided a total of £1.4m over the first four years of the fund. The fund is split into two separate grant streams:
More detailed information on each grant stream is available below:
What is it?
It's a fund supporting two grant programmes:
- Community Capacity Grants, which provide early stage financial support for community enterprise projects. This programme is open to all communities up to five miles from Scotland’s coastline or within five miles of our rural estates
- Environment Grants, which provide funding to Crown Estate Scotland tenants only, for projects which can deliver demonstrable environmental benefits within 18 months of award of funds
Why is it important?
Many local communities across Scotland have ideas which if realised, could make a significant difference to their areas, helping to create great places to live, work and visit.
Without access to initial funding, it can be hard to turn great ideas into real projects - and as a result, the benefits might never materialise.
By providing funds to help get projects moving, the SCF allows Scotland's communities - and our tenants - to get their ideas 'off the ground' and start delivering economic, social or environmental benefits in their local area.
Community Capacity Grants
Expressions of Interest closed on Mon 23 September 2024. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit further information in late October 2024.
This programme provides early stage financial support for community enterprise projects that contribute to local regeneration and sustainable development, and, ultimately, help create great places to live, work and visit.
The fund is open to all communities up to five miles from Scotland’s coastline or within five miles of our rural estates.
We are looking for local projects with demonstrable community support that will:
- create self-sustaining community enterprises that will promote sustainable development through the provision of local economic, social, and/or environmental benefits
- contribute to the regeneration of places through improvements to buildings or community spaces that will support self-sustaining community enterprises
Over the last four years, more than £950,000 of funding has been made available.
Applications are managed by Foundation Scotland and further information and details of how to apply can be found on the Foundation Scotland website.
Queries should be sent to grants@foundationscotland.org.uk.
To find out more about the impact of our previous Community Capacity Grants, visit this Story Map.
Environment Grants
Applications are now open until Mon 21 October 2024 at noon.
This programme provides funding to Crown Estate Scotland tenants for projects which can deliver demonstrable environmental benefits within 18 months of award of funds.
We encourage applications that can demonstrate climate change benefits. For example, renewable energy installations, green travel initiatives, natural climate solutions e.g. native tree planting, and projects enabling a circular economy approach.
Typical projects could include:
- biodiversity projects to restore and regenerate the local environment, in line with the Scottish biodiversity strategy e.g. the removal of invasive non-native species
- providing natural climate solutions e.g. riparian planting and restoring watercourses
- facilitating a change to greener ways of operating e.g. measures to support recycling or waste reduction; enabling green travel; and activities that reduce flood risk, pollution or carbon emissions
Over the last four years, £425,000 of funding has been made available.
The grant programme is open to all Crown Estate Scotland tenants. Applicants must have a current occupation agreement with us at the time of application and at the time when monies will be awarded (i.e. March 2025).
Priority will be given to projects which provide wider benefits rather than primarily benefiting private businesses or individuals, e.g. renewables projects which will benefit community organisations.
To find out more about the impact of our previous Environment Grants, visit this Story Map.
Our application form can be found in the Downloads section. Please note that it can be signed digitally and returned, or by hand and returned as a scanned copy. For more information on how digital signing works, please see this article.