Assistance for community projects
What are our current priorities?
- Creating community assets
Strong and vibrant communities with high quality and diverse amenities and services are essential to retain local populations, especially young people, and make them attractive places in which to live.
- Building capacity and leadership
A diverse range of skills are required to manage development within the community. Building on existing and developing new skills enables the community to identify, exploit and manage opportunities.
- Enhancing natural and cultural heritage
The environment and culture of the Skye and Wester Ross area offer economic opportunities, with potential for community benefit, that contribute towards sustainable development aims
What assistance is available?
Grant funding is available to community groups in Skye and Wester Ross for a wide variety of projects, which fit with the above priorities. (see examples below) Projects must be led by the community and demonstrate community involvement and support.
Projects that have the potential to contribute towards wider community development or benefit are positively encouraged to speak to a development manager.
The level of grant available depends on a number of factors including the amount required, the extent of community involvement and benefit, and our budgetary position.
Project examples
Here follows a list of the type of activity that may attract grant assistance from HIE SWR, this list is not exhaustive so if you don’t see an activity that your organisation requires help with, please contact a development manager to discuss it. Reasonable ‘Start-up’ assistance may be built into your project costs.
- Project development (for significant projects) – minimum grant of £1,000
Feasibility/technical studies (eg, building/land surveying, market research, economic impact etc)
Options appraisals (to investigate the possible options available)
Pre-project professional costs (architectural, quantity surveying, etc also can include above)
Community facilitation (to encourage and assist community involvement and support)
Community resource worker (to support your organisation progress a project)
- Organisational development – minimum £500 (possible 100% assistance up to £1,000)
Training courses / workshops / seminars to improve the operation of the organisation*
Training courses / workshops / seminars offering new opportunities or areas of activity for the organisation*
Knowledge exchange visits to learn from others that have undertaken similar work
- Assets (including culture, heritage, land, marine, buildings, etc) – minimum grant of £1,000
The subject may have potential to generate income to the point where it can cover running costs, such as an event or festival.
The subject may have potential to generate income to maintain and eventually replace itself.
The purpose here is to encourage organisations to stand alone and not rely on grant funding. However, this does not preclude organisations from returning to HIE SWR for future developments.
*Exceptions will include activity already in receipt of HIE SWR assistance.
Who can apply?
New and existing community organisations which satisfy all of the following:
- Formally constituted, including company limited by guarantee and community interest company (C.I.C.)
- Membership is open to the whole community
- Democratically controlled on a volunteer basis, except some forms of C.I.C.
- Objectives of community benefit
- Non profit distributing, except some forms of C.I.C.
- In the event of dissolution, the assets will transfer to an organisation with similar objectives
Individuals and those groups with restricted membership are not eligible for community grants, however might be considered as part of our growing businesses remit.
What costs are ineligible?
Any costs associated with the normal day-to-day running of a building or organisation, or regular maintenance or replacement of buildings or equipment will not be eligible for grant assistance.
Other important information…
All grant funding is discretionary; there is no automatic entitlement to grant. Any project-related commitments or expenditure incurred prior to the approval of the grant will jeopardise the success of an application.
In addition to grant assistance, HIE SWR staff can offer advice on a variety of issues or signpost you to the most appropriate organisation.
Who should you contact?
Jennifer Robertson, development manager – Tel (01478) 613976 or E-mail jennifer.robertson@hient.co.uk
Lindsay Campbell, development manager – Tel (01349) 868967 or E-mail lindsay.campbell@hient.co.uk
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