Micro-grants making a big difference in communities
05 October 2020
Foundation Scotland’s experience in providing for micro-grants has been highlighted in a report published on the Communities and Renewable Energy Scotland (CARES) website.
Micro-grants – small amounts of money awarded to support small scale activities in a community - are one method of distributing community benefit funding. Under an agreement with the fund donor or fund administrator, micro-grant schemes are usually run by community councils or other representative local bodies, who receive applications from local groups and individuals and distribute the monies.
The micro-grant model evolved out of Foundation Scotland’s early community benefit work in 2005/2006 and now features in many communities who receive community benefit funding. They can help ensure that such funding reaches further into communities, supporting more than the work of constituted groups alone, and can respond quickly to emerging local needs or opportunities.
The case study defines micro-grants and their intended purpose. It outlines some of the administrative and governance arrangements commonly used to operate a micro-grant scheme and looks at some the benefits of such schemes. It then looks at lessons learned through Foundation Scotland, as an experienced and independent body that specialises in administrating and enabling community benefit funds.
CARES is a Scottish Government-funded programme of support for community bodies, businesses and other organisations on all aspects of local, renewable energy. The Foundation is providing advice on all things community benefit related through this programme.
This is the latest in a number of case studies the Foundation has provided for CARES. Others provide examples of how different community benefit funds are set up or focus in on innovative projects supported through such funds.
To read the full report click here to read online via the Local Energy Scotland website
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