WIREDGOV

£9.4 million funding available in 2015/2016. 

The £9.4 million People and Communities Fund, which promotes and supports community-led regeneration initiatives across Scotland, will be accepting new applications for 2015/16 later this week.

The budget for the overarching fund has been increased by £1.5 million, with a refreshed focus on the promotion of social inclusion and tackling poverty, including the mitigation of welfare reform.

The Fund will continue to invest in community anchor organisations that deliver local regeneration activity and promote change in our most disadvantaged communities.

The Fund will also support a wide range of initiatives including improving financial capability, reducing the number of workless households, increasing the range of services delivered from local facilities, increasing the number of people taking up volunteering opportunities and healthy eating initiatives.

Announcing the new funding round Housing and Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess said:

“Since 2012 the People and Communities Fund has provided vital support for many community-led organisations, enabling them to create real change within their own communities as well as tangible improvements to people’s lives.

“I am delighted to announce that not only is the next funding round open for 2015/16 applications, but that the budget for the overarching Fund has also increased by £1.5 million. This will allow us to provide £9.4 million to support local people and communities.

“The Fund is targeted at organisations rooted in their local communities. These organisations are best placed to encourage wider involvement in local regeneration activities to ensure long term impact and sustainability.

“As part of our partnership approach, the Fund has also been refocused to enable us to better align our community funding programmes across government and to support community-led regeneration even more effectively.”

The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday 31 October 2014. When the fund re-opens later this week eligible community anchor organisations can apply to the People and Communities Fund by visiting www.scotland.gov.uk/pcf

Notes To Editors

The Scottish Government is increasing the overarching People and Communities Fund budget by £1.5 million in 2015/2016 to £9.4 million.

There will be at least £7 million available for the main grant element of the Fund, which forms a key part of our Regeneration Strategy, and will support Registered Social Landlords and other community anchor organisations, such as community development trusts, to make a real difference in some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

The wider People and Communities Fund provides support for the following programmes that also deliver community-led regeneration initiatives aimed at tackling social issues within our most disadvantaged communities:

• Community Ownership Support Service
• Strengthening Communities Programme
• Coalfields Regeneration Trust

More detail on these initiatives can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/regeneration