We created the Sustainable Communities Fund (SCF) in 2020, to support local regeneration and sustainable development across the Scottish Crown Estate. To date, we have provided a total of £1.8m over the first five 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 projects up to five miles from Scotland’s coastline or within five miles of our rural estates; projects must also fit within at least one of the five themes detailed below.
- Environment Grants, which provide funding to Crown Estate Scotland tenants only, for projects on CES tenanted land or assets 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 are now open until Mon 29 September 2025.
This programme provides early-stage financial support for community enterprise projects across the Scottish Crown Estate that contribute to community wealth building, 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 assist self-sustaining community enterprises. To ensure projects are sufficiently linked to the Scottish Crown Estate and its key sectors, applications should demonstrate how they will address at least one of the following themes:
- Sustainable Rural/Coastal Housing
- Climate-Resilient Communities
- Community Infrastructure
- Skills, Enterprise and Circular Economy
- Sustainable Tourism, Recreation and Heritage
For a full description and example projects for each theme, please visit the Foundation Scotland website for further details.
Over the last five years, more than £1.2m of funding has been made available through our Community Capacity Grants.
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 Monday 27 October 2025 at 12pm.
This programme provides funding to Crown Estate Scotland tenants only for projects on Crown Estate Scotland tenants for projects that take place on the tenanted land or assets which deliver lasting and demonstrable environmental benefits within 18 months of award of funds. There is no strict limit for wild fisheries tenants – projects upstream or downstream are allowed only if they clearly improve the tenant’s fishing rights or fish stocks.
Projects must be new initiatives. Funding cannot be used to continue an existing project unless a new extension of an existing project. Grants are for distinct projects that achieve new environmental outcomes and cannot be used for routine maintenance.
Applicants may request grant funding between £5,000 and £20,000. The grant request should be proportionate to project scale and anticipated benefits. Match-funding is not required but welcomed and where applicable evidence of this must be shown upon application.
All projects must demonstrable environmental benefits to the tenanted area (or rights) or the wider Scottish Crown Estate otherwise they will be ineligible.
Typical projects could include:
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Biodiversity projects to restore and regenerate the local environment, for example biodiversity planting and the removal of invasive non-native species, in line with the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, or similar;
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Providing natural climate solutions e.g. riparian planting and restoring watercourses;
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Facilitating a change to greener ways of operating e.g. measures to support recycling or waste reduction; enabling green travel; activities to reduce flood risk, pollution or carbon emissions; and projects with a circular economy approach.
Over the last five years, more than £570,000 of funding has been made available.
To find out more about the impact of our previous Environment Grants, visit this Story Map.
The grant programme is open to all Crown Estate Scotland tenants only. 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 2026).
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.
For full details on the project requirements, FAQs, and examples of previous awardees, please refer to our updated Guidance Notes which can be found in the Downloads section.
To submit your application, please complete our online application form, or if you would prefer to complete offline then please see our Microsoft Word application form which can also be found in the Downloads section, and return to the address below. If you would prefer a paper copy, please contact us and we can post one out to you.
For any queries, please email EnvironmentGrants@crownestatescotland.com. If you have any queries regarding the eligibility of your application or the process, we encourage you to get in touch as soon as possible to discuss this with our team.