Projects are required to be committed by way of a signed contract for works by the end of March 2026.
We welcome applications for projects that are already in development, or if your project is already ongoing but has a new element to it.
It is important that you are aware that this fund will not cover retrospective work. It only covers work that happens after, and if you receive approval.
Project assessment
Projects will be assessed against the criteria listed in Section 3 of the Guidance for Application and funding awarded accordingly.
Applicants should note that it is a condition of award of funding that both the funding agreement with the Council and all contracts for works must be entered into by the dates stated on the application form.
Deliverability is critical. Council officers can support you to ensure your project meets the conditions of the fund, including the timescales set out by the Scottish Government.
Due to the high level of interest in this fund, it may be that not all projects will be successful. We encourage you to look at alternative funding sources and we can support you in this search.
If your bid is successful, it may not be awarded the full amount of funding requested or be able to cover all costs. This is so the fund can deliver a significant impact to as wide a variety of communities possible.
In addition, the level of funding awarded will be dependent on the confirmation of the allocation by the Scottish Government.
It is important that your application contains quotes or has thoroughly researched costs which are as accurate as possible. It may be that this funding is not suitable for your project. If that is the case, other funding is available via community funding.
Project learning from applicants
We want to learn from your experience of ‘doing community-led regeneration’. We think you might find value in this too.
All successful projects/applicants will be expected to tell us about this learning at the monitoring visits which will be scheduled after the Offer of Grant Letter has been signed and returned. We are looking for project groups to record their insights into their project as they go along.
What we want to learn
Overall, we’re trying to learn what a good system of community-led regeneration looks like, so we can make it better together. Your project can help by seeing what you find out as you go along. This could really be anything but we’ve included some things that might help.
What has gone well and why:
- what skills, experience and talents did you have that helped
- who else helped you - what were their skills, experience or talents
- unexpected wins
What went badly and why:
- any missing skills, experience or talents
- help that wasn’t there
- serious problems/barriers
- unexpected set-backs
- mistakes made
This is an ongoing exploration of how we might improve the way funding is delivered and managed locally. We may not always be able to significantly alter processes due to government requirements but we are keen to find and listen to any ideas on how we might improve the process.
Capturing learning
All projects will be expected to keep a learning diary. We encourage projects to think creatively about how they capture learning for the diary. Options can include:
- video diaries
- feedback materials collected during events
- scrapbooks
- audio stories
- written materials
- social media/screenshots
Other requirements before submitting an application
Before submitting an application you must read this guidance in full and also the report to Cabinet 18 June 2025: Place Based Investment Programme (PDF 1.1 MB)