shmu secured £25,000 from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund to disperse funding to small community-based groups across Aberdeen. The funding applications have now been reviewed and recipients are now being advised. The funding will support grassroots groups to deliver new or extend existing activity in the community which is being delivered solely in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The aim of this initiative is to work in partnership with small community groups who can use additional funding to tackle individual identified need in communities who can really make a difference
shmu has secured £25,000 from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund to provide small grants to small community-based groups in Aberdeen. This funding will support grassroots groups to deliver new or extend existing activity in the community which is being delivered solely in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The aim is to get the funding out to small community groups who can really make a difference at a local level, using the funding to tackle individual identified need in your community.
The following questions set out the basis of the shmu Community Support Fund.
How Much Funding Is Available?
You can request between £500 and £2,000 for your organisation/group.
Who can apply?
This funding will be available to any constituted grassroots or small community-based group which operates in Aberdeen, with a priority on groups that support residents in the regeneration areas of the city.
You will have to have a bank account in your constituted groups name so that we can transfer the funding to you quickly.
We can’t disperse funding to individuals, private organisations operating for a profit or statutory groups, or for costs for activities which have already taken place before we have made a decision on funding.
What is the process?
This will be a simple process so that we can get the funding out to groups as quickly as possible. This will include a very simple form that will look for information about what the need is and what you would spend the money on.
A follow up telephone conversation may be required if we require any further details from you.
What can your group apply for?
As this fund is for small grassroot community groups, funding for staff costs are unlikely to be supported, unless it is to support volunteers to carry out activities in the community responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. For those looking for other staff costs, we may be able to direct you to more appropriate sources of funding.
Barring this, there are no restrictions on what the funding can be used for as long as it supports new or extends existing activity that has been established in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The expectation is that the funding will go directly to those most in need and we intentionally don’t want to restrict you by providing an exhaustive list, however we anticipate that needs could include requests from groups who are able to spend the funding directly on costs associated with delivering food and supplies, purchasing emergency goods or equipment, paying for utilities, a contribution towards travel or towards phone support for those most in need within the communities that you serve.
You may also need funding to expand support that you have already set up and to support your volunteers who are involved in delivery of those programmes.
If you have any questions about what the funding can be used for please contact us for more information.
When will we find out?
The aim is to get funding out to those in need quickly, so there will be one deadline [Sunday 24th May 2020] when we expect to allocate all the funding and funds being dispersed before the end of May.
Other SCF Funding in Aberdeen
We are not the only Community Anchor Organisation in Aberdeen dispersing funding through the Supporting Communities Fund – currently ACVO and Inchgarth Community Centre have also been awarded money from SCF, however, we each have our own unique focus.
ACVO are providing grants to organisations and groups across Aberdeen linked to a number of themes, and Inchgarth are focusing on providing direct support to individuals in the south of the city.
More information on both of these can be found here: Inchgarth Community Centre and ACVO
Should your request be more applicable to one of the other Aberdeen funds within the Supporting Communities initiative, each of the three Community Anchors have agreed to work cooperatively and will cross refer. We do this to prevent duplication and to maximise the chances of your group receiving funding.
