More community projects are set to benefit from funding to rescue prized local assets, such as sports clubs, music venues and historic buildings, as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launches the third round of its £150 million Community Ownership Fund today (Friday 12 May).
Changes to the fund will make it easier than ever for community groups to secure local assets that are at risk of being lost forever - helping to strengthen and level up communities.
The amount of funding all projects can bid for will be increasing from £250,000 to £1 million, meaning that groups can bid for more funding to help save bigger projects from being lost.
The requirement for match-funding is also being reduced to as low as 10%, making it easier for communities to acquire assets without raising additional private funding.
For the first time, Scotland's 1,200 Community Councils will also be able to apply to the Fund, which has previously only been available to charities and community groups.
The fund is already supporting 15 projects across Scotland with £3.1 million, including the UK's most remote pub in Knoydart, the Lochranza Hotel Country Inn on Arran, Falkirk Rugby Football Club, and Inveraray Pier.
Minister for Levelling Up Dehenna Davison said:
From far-flung pubs to prized community centres, the Community Ownership Fund is putting vital assets back into the hands of communities, to be enjoyed for generations to come.
We want even more communities to benefit from the fund and that's why we are making these changes so community groups can apply for even more money to save much loved local assets.
We will continue to grow this fund to empower local people, restoring their pride in the places where they live and levelling up communities across the United Kingdom.
UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:
I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the UK Government's latest round of levelling up funding which so far has seen us invest £2.3 billion right across Scotland.
We've listened to feedback and made changes to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) so it is easier than ever for even more communities the length and breadth of the Scottish mainland and our islands to bid for funding to save local assets and grow the economy.
Scotland has already been awarded £3.1 million from COF across 15 projects and I want to see these figures surge upwards by community groups working with us to breathe new life into the places where they live, work and play.
The Fund is already helping communities across Scotland seize ownership of prized local assets that are at risk, including:
-
Dornie Community Hub. £280,000
-
The Old Forge, community owned pub. £219,096.
-
Inveraray Pier. £44,332
-
Langside Sports Club: Clubhouse and Pavilion Renovation. £100,000
-
Lochranza Country Inn: A community buyout of the last remaining inn in the village. £300,000.
-
Redevelopment of the New Farm Loch Community Centre. £200,000
-
New Galloway Town Hall. £175,000
-
Whithorn Town Hall. £300,000
-
Forres Town Hall. £300,000
-
Rannoch Hub: Establishing a pub and community centre in the Old School. £250,000
-
The Aberfeldy Sports Club. £300,000
-
Callander Visitor Information Centre. £124,843
-
Falkirk Rugby Football and Sports Club, Sunnyside Pavilion. £115,000
-
Heart of Newhaven Community: Develop the old primary school building into a community space. £300,000.
-
Vogrie Hall Refurbishment. £127,251
