Arctic Connections Fund

The Scottish Government has launched a new Arctic Connections fund to encourage cooperation and mutual learning between Scottish organisations and their Arctic partners.

In the spirit of the Scottish Government’s Arctic Connections policy framework, the fund will support projects that can raise awareness of existing Scottish-Arctic links and promote exchange of expertise around shared challenges and ambitions. The fund will support initiatives including (but not limited to) seminars and conferences, hackathons and workshops, community learning opportunities and academic research. Projects that set the scene for longer-term initiatives are also eligible.

Scotland-based organisations can apply for a minimum of £1,000 and maximum of £10,000. They will need to demonstrate in their application that they will use grant funding to partner with organisation(s) based in Arctic countries – Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Russia, United States and Canada.

Applications should be consistent with the key goals, themes and priorities outlined in the Arctic Connections policy framework. Cooperation and engagement with Indigenous communities is encouraged. Projects of particular interest will address one (or more) of the following themes:

• Health and wellbeing
• Gender equality
• Sustainable economic development
• Climate change and biodiversity loss
• Clean energy
• Young people
• Digitalisation
• Rural repopulation

Completed applications must be emailed to europeanengagement@gov.scot and must be received no later than 12:00 (midday) BST on Friday 27 August 2021.

Projects are expected to begin from 1 October 2021 and must be completed by 31 March 2022.

For more information and to apply please visit www.gov.scot/arcticfund