Funding

Projects from the Borders to the Outer Hebrides are being awarded grants of up to £5,000 to help to promote food products from their region and establish new markets.

Food festivals, food and drink trails, markets and online shops are among the 22 local and collaborative projects to receive support from the latest round of the Scottish Government’s Regional Food Fund.

Small producers will be able to access a range of new support through a new government pilot to help them become more sustainable.

The Small Producers Pilot Fund has been allocated over £180,000 which will be used to assist small producers and crofters to establish more localized supply chains and cut food miles.

A grant of £80,000 has been awarded by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust to Scottish agricultural charity, RSABI, with a focus on supporting the charity’s ambitious drive to improve farmers’ mental health. 

27 diverse projects will share over £3.6 million this year; approximately £1.8 million from public funds and another £1.8 million matched by The National Lottery Heritage Fund through Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) funding.

A group of eight innovative new library projects designed to enrich communities across Scotland will be brought to life through a share of £106,868 support received through the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF).

The Scottish agriculture sector requires future funding certainty due to the long term nature of investment decisions and long lead-in time for farmers, crofters and land managers, says Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.

Funding of over £500,000 will help women and young people develop new agricultural skills and further their careers within the farming sector.

The Next Generation and Women in Agriculture Practical Training Funds will provide successful applicants with £500 each to help pay for practical training courses relevant to farming and crofting.  

Get ready for 2024!

The  sixth round of funding of the Ofgem Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme (Energy Redress Scheme) closed on 14 November 2023.   

The Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament (SRIP) is an important opportunity for voice of rural and island communities to help reinforce the importance of local democracy and to help shape the emerging Rural Delivery Plan. The theme of this year’s SRIP was Village Halls and Community Spaces.

A new grant scheme has been created as part of the 2023 National Litter and Flytipping Strategy to aid private landowners in deterring flytipping on their land.

Zero Waste Scotland is administering the funding, on behalf of SEPA, to aid private landowners towards interventions that will prevent flytipping on private land.