Network Rail Community Fund

About this fund

The Network Rail Community Fund intends to support community-led projects that produce social value. 

Network Rail wishes to develop their relationships with community groups and representatives, building avenues to inform and educate on the safety elements, benefits and opportunities of rail links.

Purpose of this fund

Network Rail has outlined three main themes to ensure the Community Rail Fund generates sustainable and transformational change. 

Supported projects must align with at least one of the following themes:

Economic Prosperity
Initiatives that support or enhance the economic prosperity of an area. This can mean improving the economic wellbeing of individuals, businesses, or communities.

Equal Opportunities
Initiatives that improve equal opportunities through improving accessibility, diversity, and/or equality.

Wellbeing
Initiatives that support the wellbeing of individuals, groups, or communities, through various means, such as improving the environment, providing support, or promoting positive initiatives.

Additional criteria

Grants between £500 and £3,000 will be considered.

Grants must be spent within one year of being awarded.

While applications will be considered from organisations across Scotland, priority may be given to projects with a clear connection to the rail network or railway stations. This is not a mandatory requirement but could be used to support final decision making if the fund is oversubscribed.

Only organisations with an income of £250,000 or less in its most recent accounts will be considered.

Who can apply?

All applicants must fit Foundation Scotland's funding criteria. Before progressing with your application please visit our Common eligibility criteria.

What can’t be funded?

Please read through our page on what we can't fund, as these exclusions apply to all Foundation Scotland funds.

How are decisions made?

Funding is allocated based on decisions by representatives from Network Rail's eight to ten contracting partners with support from Foundation Scotland.

£40,000 will be available to distribute through this programme, supporting at least thirteen projects in total.

For more details on our decision and assessment processes please visit our page on how funding decisions are made.