The Big Lottery Fund Scotland has launched a new £45m Community Asset fund to help local groups own and manage their own local facilities
A new multi-million pound fund will allow Scottish communities to buy, manage or develop buildings or land.
Between now and 2020 up to £45 million of Big Lottery Fund cash will be available through Community Assets to support community led projects to develop or build assets for their community use.
Groups can apply for grants from £10,000 to £1 million and, where needed, will receive professional technical support and advice from Community Asset mentors to turn their project ideas into reality.
There is strong appetite in communities across Scotland to purchase and develop local assets which can bring huge, lasting benefits
Speaking at the Whiteinch Centre in Glasgow, Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland chair, said: “This new funding will allow even more communities to follow in the footsteps of organisations like the Whiteinch Centre, which, this year, reaches its own key milestone – the tenth anniversary of community ownership. The Big Lottery Fund has 15 years of experience in supporting local communities to take greater control of their futures through the acquisition, management and development of local assets. And we know the positive difference this can make.
“Community Assets is part of a wider funding offering here in Scotland aimed at supporting activity which is people centred, strengths based and has good local connections. It recognises that there is strong appetite in communities across Scotland to purchase and develop local assets which can bring huge, lasting benefits such as sustaining jobs and helping connect people to activities and services.”
Big Lottery Fund is the leading non statutory funder of the voluntary and community sector and since 2006 has awarded over £768 million to over 27,000 projects here in Scotland.
The Whiteinch Centre in Glasgow first received National Lottery funding of £291,074 in 2003 to help with the capital costs of the building, and has since received a further five grants worth £519,644 to develop the centre and turn it into the thriving community asset that it is today.
Ian Morrison of the Whiteinch Centre board said: “We are delighted to host Big Lottery Fund as they announce the launch of Community Assets. Over the years support from the Big Lottery Fund and others funders has helped us build a centre at the heart of the community meeting local needs and making a difference in people’s lives day to day.”
Between now and 2020, the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland has £250 million to support people and communities dealing with challenging circumstances. Community Assets is the third and final stream of funding to open following the launch of Improving Lives and Community Led in November 2015.
