£300,000 available for local food, nature and climate projects

Community groups based in Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire (North, East and South) are being invited to apply to a new funding programme, Spindrift, administered by Foundation Scotland.  The fund offers grants up to £75,000 over three years to support projects with a focus on strengthening local food systems, nature recovery, and climate resilience.

Spindrift will support a small number of larger, multi-year projects that can demonstrate a clear and lasting impact within their communities. A total of £300,000 is available, with grants of up to £25,000 per year for up to three years.

The programme is focused on supporting practical, community-led work that improves access to affordable and nutritious food, creates opportunities for people to grow food locally, and promotes education and employment opportunities around growing food, cooking, and healthy eating. Funding is also available for projects that provide environmental education, improve local biodiversity, support nature restoration and improve access to local natural environments.

Organisations are encouraged to apply for projects that demonstrate their impact on the local community, and both project and core costs can be supported, providing flexibility for groups delivering more complex or ambitious work.

To be eligible, applicants must be based in one of the four local authority areas and have an annual income of £500,000 or less in their most recent annual accounts. As this is a large grants programme, applications should be for a minimum of £10,000.

Groups interested in applying are encouraged to consider the scale and duration of their request carefully, as a mix of one to three-year awards will be made.

The deadline for applications was midnight on 31 August. Decisions are expected to be communicated in early November 2026.