Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund
Small grants of £500–£5,000 help individuals, groups and community businesses deliver local climate, nature and wellbeing projects in the Cairngorms National Park.
Tämän rahoitusmahdollisuuden kuvaus on toistaiseksi englanniksi.
You can fund community woodland projects, natural measures to reduce flood risk, climate education and adaptation workshops, or walking and cycling projects that reduce reliance on cars. Projects connecting people with nature and improving wellbeing also qualify; the fund covers more than emissions reduction alone.
Small grants are currently open. Medium and large grants are being developed separately, with further information due by November 2026.
Payments normally follow one of two arrangements: 50% at the start and 50% when the project is complete, or 100% in advance where appropriate evidence and payment terms are provided. Complete the project and spend the funding fully by September 2028. Before payment, the Park Authority asks for a supplier form, bank details and invoices, receipts and proof of payment where required.
Eligibility
Individuals, informal groups, constituted community groups and organisations, social enterprises, community businesses and partnerships can apply. Commercial organisations are welcome when they deliver genuine community benefit.
Your project must take place inside the Cairngorms National Park, deliver meaningful benefits for nature, local people, communities and the park, and contribute to at least one theme: restoring landscapes, empowering communities, transforming transport, or improving health and wellbeing. Assessment also considers equity, diversity and inclusion, skills development, stronger local capacity and lasting benefits in a changing climate.
Some funding is reserved for equity, diversity and inclusion projects. This includes age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, as well as rural isolation and remoteness, limited access to services, and young people under 30.
The fund is not intended for organisations with significant alternative funding for the same project, projects with no clear local community benefit, projects primarily for private financial gain, or projects for which another national fund exists for that specific purpose, such as Community Energy Scotland or the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme. Reinvest any project profit in the park’s communities.
The fund excludes assets or buildings outside the park, repairs to private homes, political or faith promotion, recoverable VAT, costs of activities undertaken before the award, and artificial grass or plants. It also excludes legal or statutory responsibilities and costs that would be paid anyway, such as rent, utilities and building maintenance.
Existing staff and organisational costs are excluded unless calculated through full cost recovery: you may include the cost of additional or different project duties, but cannot fund staff to continue their existing work.
Applications responding to the recent wildfires are being diverted while the Park Authority explores separate support.
How to apply
- Tila
- Jatkuva haku
- Hakukierroksen ehdot
- Small grants of £500–£5,000 only. Applications continue until the money is allocated; announced pauses are possible.
- Complete the project and spend the funding fully by September 2028.
- Applications relating to the recent wildfires are being diverted.
Apply through the Park Authority’s online funding form. First-time applicants are welcome, and applications are assessed on a rolling basis until the money is allocated. The authority may announce pauses.
If you need help or another format, call the Community Grants team on 01479 873 535. Postal applications can be sent to Grants team, 14 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland PH26 3HG; video or audio submissions are accepted up to two minutes.