£3 million Boost for Community-Led Projects
More than 180 projects across rural Scotland will receive grants ranging from several hundred pounds to £100,000, from the Rural & Island Communities Ideas into Action (RICIA) fund.
Among the recipients in the latest round of funding is the Dundee & Angus ADHD Support Group, which has been awarded £38,724.45 to build on its IMPACT initiative.
The money will enable the group to adapt their family support activities and IMPACT course to be suitable for those waiting over 3 years for ADHD assessment and requiring support.
The RICIA fund encourages and supports not-for-profit community groups with innovative approaches to community-led local development, including work towards net zero and just transition goals, tackling rural poverty and supporting rural communities through the cost of living crisis.
Other projects supported across the country include:
- building of mountain bike trails to bring in new visitors and provide sports opportunities to the local community
- opening up of a community hall as a ‘warm space’ over the winter months and providing suppers to alleviate rising costs
- purchase of educational equipment by a community centre to benefit the mental health of children, and
- installation of solar thermal panels at a community hub to help manage electricity costs.
The funding is being delivered in partnership between the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland.
– Graeme
I am delighted to see Dundee & Angus ADHD Support Group benefit from this important source of funding, as a community group covering rural areas.
I had the pleasure of visiting their Arbroath branch in October, to mark ADHD Awareness Month and learn more about the incredibly valuable support this group offers locally.
I have no doubt that this funding for their IMPACT initiative will make a real difference to more Angus families.
This Ideas into Action fund is getting investment directly to community groups that know their local area and how best to deliver support to rural communities across Scotland.
– Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon
We are working to ensure local communities are empowered to tackle local challenges.
This investment comes at a critical time for our rural and island communities, who are disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis compared to the rest of the country.
I wish all the successful community groups well as they now look to take forward these projects and make a positive difference to their local areas.
– Inspiring Scotland CEO, Celia Tennant
We’re delighted to continue to support the Scottish Government to deliver the Rural and Islands Communities Ideas into Action Fund.
We know local, grassroots groups are best placed to respond to the needs and opportunities most important to their communities. We look forward to working alongside successful applicants and will support them to make meaningful change in their local area.
Background
List of recipients.
The Rural & Island Communities Ideas into Action (RICIA) fund forms tranche 2 of the £11.6 million invested in Community Led Local Development in 2022/23. RICIA projects will complete by 31 March 2023.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon approved a hybrid approach to deliver this year’s £11.6m Rural Community Led Fund. This approach saw the majority of the funding directed to the LEADER Local Action Groups (£7.6m), with a second tranche (£4m) to be delivered via two routes;
- a £1m funding top up to accelerate cooperative projects between the Local Action Groups and new external partners.
- this £3m ‘Rural Communities Ideas into Action’ fund, to be delivered directly to community groups via Inspiring Scotland with input from Local Action Groups.
