BDP NEWS

New this week...Funding for coastal communities, some new renewable funds - Community Generation and Energyshare funds launched, Funding for fishing communities, Planning guidance for Community Developments, Funding for forestry

***Stop press***Date for the diary - Social Enterprise Exchange, 27th March 2012, SECC, Glasgow

Good news for coastal communities. The Coastal Communities Fund has been launched to support economic projects and capacity building in UK's coastal communities. Full information on the fund with details on how to apply click here. Deadlines are tight though and you only have until 27th April to submit an expression of interest. The Big Lottery, who are delivering the fund, are holding an number ofevents around Scotland in March and April where you can find out more.

A new Scottish Land Fund has just been announced. The fund will have £6million over the next 3 years, with the money coming from the Scottish Government rather than from the National Lottery. The fund will be administered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Big Lottery Fund. The programme will You can read the Scottish Government's press release about the launch here.

Scottish Groups Have Until 31 March to Make a Splash! Small voluntary and community groups in Scotland have until the end of March 2012 to apply for a Make a Splash!Grant.Groups can apply for grants of between £250 and £2,500 to create new opportunities for more people to become involved in arts and crafts activities in Scotland and to keep them involved.

Community Generation Fund, a new fund for community renewable energy generation is now open for applications.The Fund addresses critical barriers to community-led project development by providing support at both pre-planning development and post-planning construction stages, to community energy generation projects that can achieve technical & financial viability, community inclusion and social impact.

Events will be held across the UK and will provide interested communities with an interactive opportunity to learn more about the Fund’s ambitions and criteria. Community groups will also receive guidance on their suitability to apply. The one in Scotland will be held in Edinburgh atThe Melting Pot on 28th March
9am – 1pm. For more information and to request a booking form, please email communities@nef.org.uk

The Energy Saving Trust has announced that small business in Scotland can apply for interest free loans of between £1,000 and £100,000 to help install renewable energy technologies or measures that reduce energy consumption. Funded by the Scottish Government, the scheme aims to support businesses that are looking to replace old and inefficient technology as well as install energy efficiency measures. To qualify, companies need to be based in Scotland and have been trading at least 12 months, have fewer than 250 employees and have a turnover not exceeding £40million and/or a balance sheet total not exceeding £35 million; Fall information call the Energy Saving Scotland advice network on 0800 512 012 and ask to speak to a business advisor.

Energyshare fund: The new fund from energyshare and British Gas is principally aimed at helping groups in the earlier stages of an idea to get to the next step. It might be advice on forming a legal entity, submitting a planning application, or getting a feasibility study - all the things that help secure the viability of a project and get things moving in the right direction.You have told us that one size doesn't fit all. Some of you love being able to engage a bigger community to help strengthen your support, others need to start smaller. In this funding round you have a choice between one of two ways to get some cash. You can either win £5,000 in match funding or apply for a straight up £2,500. The choice is yours.

Funding for fishing communities - the Scottish Government has allocated nearly £1.1 million to Aberdeenshire from the European Fisheries Fund Axis 4. The money will be matched by an equal sum from the public sector, meaning there will be a total of around £2.2 million available for local initiatives.The purpose of the European fund is to promote sustainable development of fisheries areas by supporting measures to build skills and knowledge and generally increase the capacity of local fishing communities and business networks through innovation, collaboration and diversification. For more information and to complete an Interest form please click here. Anyone with an interest in AEFF is invited to download, complete and submit the AEFF Expression of Interest form on the council website. See more information on the announcement on the Scottish Government's website.

Some interesting information from the Scottish Land Network:

Have trouble navigate the planning system? Then Planning Aid Scotland's new guide which aims to help people navigate the planning system as they develop community assets will be for you! .The guide provides people who are trying to develop community assets with an introduction to the planning issues they'll face, including advice on development management and community engagement, as well as information on specific topics such as renewable energy and allotments. It's particularly aimed at Development Trusts, Social Enterprises, Hall Associations and Community Councils. It's called Planning for Community Developments and you can download a copy here.

A new grant for planning productive forestry is being piloted this year. The grant is paid at £100/hectare for planting proposals which are greater than 30 hectares. It's designed to help cover the costs of undertaking special assessments when preparing planting proposals such as landscape design assessments, historic and cultural assessments and establishing stakeholder interests. The grant will be focused on productive conifers, but can also be used for productive broadleaves and Foresetry Commission Scotland hope it will help to encourage more productive forestry. You can read more about the grant here.

Grimble's Green Grants - upto £2,000 available for green projects. On-line application and closing date of 30th November so get cracking! Click here for more information.

Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils are hosting a How to Win (more) Tenders and Influence People training event. Designed for companies with experience of bidding for work who want to improve their tender performance, quality of their bids or aspire to bidding for bigger contracts. The event is free of charge and places will be allocated on a first come basis.Tuesday 8th November 2011; 9.30am - 4.00pm with registration, tea and coffee from 09.00am and Tuesday 22nd November. (A light lunch will also be provided).Both at Woodhill House. For more information contact Gemma Brown, e: gemma.brown@drs.glasgow.gov.uk or t: 0141 287 727

Cycling Scotland's Cycle Friendly & Sustainable Communities Fund is now open. Grants of up to £10,000 are available to community-led projects aiming to increase the number of trips made by bicycle Full details, including application form, can be found here.The deadline for applications to go before the first selection panel is the 20th November 2011. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their proposal ahead of submission - contact Christopher Johnson from Cycling Scotland on 0141 229 5353.

Attention Social Enterprises! Social EnterpriseLive has announced the arc project, a free service for social enterprises, providing the best expert support and business opportunities to help you grow.An initiative of Business in the Community in partnership with Social Enterprise UK, supported by BP and Deloitte , arc will provide a unique, comprehensive package of in-depth long-term engagement with large established businesses to help you expand your business. BUT Social enterprises have until Friday November 4th 2011 to apply for this unique package of support, which will begin in December 2011

Dormant Bank account monies. It looks like it won't be long now before the much-talked-about dormant bank account money may finally be on its way to communities. . The Scottish government has given formal instructions to the Big lottery fund on the themes to be used when distributing the money. The four themes are:
Opportunities for children and young people
Addressing health inequalities through increased activity
Bridging the gap between older and young people
Creating community based employment opportunities
It's hoped that the first grants might be going out by spring 2012 and we will keep you upt to date with progress in the BDP newspage!

Zero Waste Scotland has launched its Community Engagement Fund which aims to help community-based projects with zero waste aims fund resources and undertaking training. Successful projects are likely to be related to waste prevention and reduction, litter, food waste or recycling. Funding of up to £10,000 is available per group and applications can be submitted at the end of each month between now and January 2012. Full details on the Toolbox

Group of young people looking for funding? Then LIVE UnLtd awards might just be for you. They offer up to £5,000 to help deliver ideas from 11-21 year olds which could change their communities for the better. For more details click here.

Voting now open for projects under RBS CommunityForce Funding. Why not have a look to see what's going on where you live? You can find out more, volunteer, or vote for your favourite projects by clicking here.

Village SOS Competition—Deadline extended to the 20th October 2011. Projects in rural areas with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants. A total of £5.3 million in funding is available through the competition to support the setting up of 250 community businesses with awards of between £10,000 and £30,000 particularly to support enterprising ideas that will use the skills of local people, and the area's natural resources, land and buildings.For more information click here,

Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) Community Chest can provide grants of up to £1,000 and free training to groups with an annual income under £25,000. Groups can apply for funding for a wide range of activities or operational costs. VAF are also keen to fund groups in West Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire or North Ayrshire; work with disability or health related issues; whose beneficiaries might be disadvantaged through their ethnicity, disability, gender or sexual orientation; and provide childcare. The next deadline is the 15th January 2012. For more information click here

Registered charities and community organisations in Scotland can once again apply for up to £100,000 from the People’s Postcode Trust to deliver a new and innovative 12-month project that meets one of the following funding criteria:
• Helping Communities Lead an Active Life
• Helping to Involve Volunteers
• Helping to Tackle Climate Change
All applications must be submitted by at least two organisations, one of which must be a registered charity.Deadline: 2 December 2011. Winners will be announced on 31 January 2012. click here for information.

Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank Foundation funds charities and community groups in areas close to Clydesdale Bank branches with financial support for projects that meet one or more of the following priorities:
• The advancement of environmental protection or improvement
• The advancement of citizenship through initiatives that support and promote volunteering
• The advancement of financial education including initiatives that promote accessibility to both financial education and financial services
• The advancement of community development through initiatives that build and strengthen local communities. Click here for further information..

Does your project aim to combat fuel poverty? If so you can apply for up to £50000 through the Scottish Power Energy People Trust. As well as funds to manage crisis and helping income maximisation, a main focus is on Energy Efficiency measures and advice - for example, improving home energy efficiency through draught proofing, insulating and offering energy efficiency advice. Priority will be given to projects aimed at helping families with young children and young people. The next closing date for applications is the 18th October 2011. For more information go to the Toolbox link.

It is always good to celebrate achievements and get awards so here is ome information from the Scottish Community Land Network's latest e-newsletter on different awards you could nominate a project for:

The Big Society awards are now into their second year and look to acknowledge individuals and organisations who are promoting social action, empowering communities and opening up public services. The next deadline for nominations is October 4th and you can find further details here.The Ashden awards celebrate practical, local energy solutions. Applications have to be submitted by October 25th, 2011 and judges will be looking for projects that meet a variety of criteria. You can find all the application details here.
The Black Horse community venture award is for projects with a social benefit in the Edinburgh, Lothians and Fife area. Successful projects could receive up to 100 days of volunteering time and £5,000. You can find the very simple application form here.
Triodos bank sponsor a social enterprise photo competition. There are cash prizes for both the photographer and the social enterprise. This year's competition closes on October 31st, so time to get snapping. You can find entry details here.

Whilst rail travel remains the safest form of transport, there are still an alarming number of incidents attributed to either malicious acts or lack of awareness in relation to safe practice in and around the railway infrastructure.
Small grants (up to £500) and larger grants (up to £2,000) are available through the Scottish Community Safety Network to provide opportunities for Network Rail to engage with communities and community projects while delivering safety messages around rail safety.
Deadline: Deadlines are quarterly. The next deadline is 28 October 2011. You should hear the outcome within a month.

Attention Arts and Crafts groups in Aberdeenshire! Your help is need to take part in a National Voluntary Arts Survey (created by Voluntary Arts Scotland in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council Arts Team) to find out the size, range and functions of the voluntary arts and crafts sector in Scotland. They are especially keen to secure a high response rate from groups within Aberdeenshire. This can be done either online at www.vascotland.org.uk/15542 or by post. Contact Cassandra email:research@vascotland.org.uk or tel: 0131 225 9790 for details. The deadline is 7 October 2011. Each group that completes the survey will be entered into a prize draw, with the chance to win £300 to put towards their activities.

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) guidance on charity accounts (link below) has been updated to reflect new regulations The principal change is that the threshold for producing Receipts & Payments Accounts has been raised to £250,000 for charities which are not companies. Charity trustees must prepare accounts that comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulations and subject them to the appropriate external scrutiny. For more information click here. .

Bank of Scotland Foundation's Small Grants Programme has opened applications for its 3rd round. Grants of up to £20,000 are available for charities registered in Scotland. It particularly seeks to help with:
• Developing and improving local communities
• Financial literacy and financial inclusion
Further information and application forms can be found on the Toolbox. The closing date for receipt of applications is 5pm, Friday 14th October 2011.

The Prince's Countryside Fund has re-opened with a deadline of Friday 14th October for applications. to help rural areas in the United Kingdom to become more sustainable .The total amount of funding available in each round is approximately£250,000. The maximum level of funding for individual projects will be £50,000 Applications will be accepted from organisations that can demonstrate the support of the community which will benefit from the project and show evidence of consulting the community

Coalfields Community Challenge (Deadline: 30th September 2011) The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is looking for up to 10 would be entrepreneurs living or working in former coal mining areas, who want to launch their own new social business. The Programme aims to support people with new, imaginative and innovative ideas that create jobs and respond to worklessness in Scotland's coalfield areas. To register, please call David Wright on (01259) 272127 or visit www.coalfields-regen.org.uk

Want to find out more about Employment Law and Regulations? A FREE workshop for 3rd Sector Organisations has been organised by Business Gaeway to help you understand best practice in the recruitment, management and development of your employees. The workshop will be held on Thursday 6th October – 6.30 – 9.30pm at the Enterprise Business Centre, Admiral Course, Poynernook Road, Aberdeen AB11 5QX. To book your place contact Shirley at the CVS Training Initiative Tel: 01358 722205 Email: admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

An interesting new online approach to fundraising called "Crowdfunding" has been set up by SoLoCo. Popular in the USA it connects communities online, allowing projects or causes the chance to appeal directly to the public for funds for a specific campaign. The project uploads its crowdfunding campaign to the SoLoCo website and they then have 60 days in which to fundraise, with a heavy focus on social media. For more information and to look at projects already uploaded click here.

Creative Scotland is hosting Investment Surgeries across Scotland. Meet Creative Scotland staff face-to-face to talk about your project and their Investment Programmes. September’s surgeries will be held in:Creative Scotland office, Glasgow – 15 September (2pm-4pm), Eden Court, Inverness – 15 September (4pm – 6pm), Macphail Centre, Ullapool – 16 September (12noon – 2pm)
There are many, varied programmes so you should read the guidelines for the programme you are interested in before your surgery to ensure that you and your project meet the criteria for investment. To book an appointment, email: pmo@creativescotland.com

CashBack for Communities Small Grants Scheme Roadshows are taking place in the coming months to help you find out more about the scheme, give advice , help and practical support on how to apply. Locations are MidLothian, Boders, Shetland and Orkney- for dates, times and exact locations For more information, please contact Youth Scotland on 0131 554 2561 or email office@youthscotland.org.uk

If you are interested in seeing what rural social entrepreneurs are doing in the rest of the world and capture some good practice then you might be interested in the new Rural Entrepreneurship Gateway whcih has been launched by the European Network for Rural Development. The aim of the online resource is to allow you to find information on a wide range of issues connected to rural entrepreneurship. Find out more in New Rural Enterpreneurship Gateway online.

Village SOS - have you been watching the BBC programmes following communities who won money to develop their projects - fascinating! A smaller pot of funding has just been announced for rural communities - upto £30,000 to develop an enterprise project. Closing date is 5th October and full information can be found by clicking here.

Last chance for Comic Relief Funding - Comic Relief has just announced its last round of funding under the current priorities. There are different closing dates for the various strands but all are in October. So if you have a project that fits with the current criteria then get it in by then. The programme will then close until the new strategy launch in spring 2013 with grant making resuming in summer 2013

Enterprise Growth Fund now launched. This supports business development in the 3rd Sector. but note that a deadline for submission of on-line Initial Enquiry forms has been set for 5pm on Monday 19th September 2011

New guide on Community Shares - Locality and Co-operatives UK have produced a new guide to community shares.The resource is written as a 'practitioners' guide, and includes sections on business models, community engagement, governance and share offers. You can download a copy of the guide for free here

Interested in support for your communtiy group? The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) is looking for applications for its Achieving Community Empowerment support programme.The programme provides at least 10 days of support to selected community groups over a year. The support focuses on helping groups to identify their strengths and weaknesses; developing a plan of action and reviewing achievements. Any community group can apply and applications needs to be received by August 31st, 2011. To get a copy of the application form and guidance notes, email aileen@scdc.org.uk.

Do you run your village hall? If so you might be interested in the quality awards scheme that has been launched by SCVO for village halls and community buildings.
The KeyStone scheme includes a guide to best practice, which covers topics such as managing people, managing money, legislation and regulation. It provides a series of check lists and other resources and recognises progression through the awards scheme. It's free to take part and you can find further details here.

Attention all Community Council members! The Association of Scottish Community Councils has just announced their new online training programmes and accredited training courses as part of their continuing support to Community Councils across the country. The On- Line Training and Tutorial Web Site contains lessons and tutorials for Community Councils and their members, along with toolkits and resources to assist in daily governance. To find out more about what is on offer click here.

Looking for free advice, grant funding and finance for renewable energy projects developed by community groups? Have a look at the Community Energy Scotland page on the Toolbox.

Development Trusts Association for Scotland (DTAS) annual conference open for bookings.
The theme of the conference - which is to be held on 4th/5th September at Westerwood Hotel & Conference Centre, Cumbernauld– is “Development Trusts - Creating the Future” and has 15 workshop sessions ranging from inspiring member stories to new opportunities for development trusts, and from legal advice and funding to the community ownership of assets, with more than enough time built into the programme to network with other development trust colleagues. For the full programme, or to book a place(s) on line click here.

New support and funding for Social Enterprises. The Scottish Government has launched a new support mechanism for social enterprises called Just Enterprise, with a complimentary funding package to be found in the Enterprise Growth Fund to be launched at the end of August. Full information can be found on our Toolbox by clicking on the links.

Looking for Health and safety training? . CVS are running a series of ESF funded free courses for volunteers and staff of social enterprises in Aberdeen city and shire in September - November. Topics covered will include Food Hygiene, Health and Safety and First Aid. Closing date to register for bookings is 1st August and thereafter will be opened to the rest of the voluntary sector. For full information and details on booking click here.

2011 SURF Awards Entries are now being accepted for the 2011 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration. If you are aware of a project or initiative that you believe deserves particular recognition,why not consider nominating it for a 2011 SURF Award in one of four categories: People, Place, Partnership and Employability for All. The application process is designed to be simple and straightforward, and the closing date this year is Monday 12th September
2011. For more information click here,

Doing a bit of outdoor work this summer? The CSV Action Earth grants are currently open for applications. There are three types of grant: easy access £50 grants for groups of volunteers wanting to carry out practical environmental work in their community; £250 grants for projects that are improving or creating habitats for wildlife which will enhance biodiversity in Scotland and £500 grants for work on Local Nature Reserves. The grants are distributed on a first come, first served basis and you can find further details here.

If you need funding for green energy projects have a look at Scottish Power Green Energy Trust and EDF Green Fund

BT Community Connections has re-opened again to provide 12 months' free broadband from BT for community groups who want to help people access the internet and improve their ICT skills. Full details available here The closing date for applications is Thursday 15th September 2011 at 5.30pm.

New Big Lottery Fund - Community Spaces Scotland - has just opened. This is aimed at helping communities take responsibility for, their local environment, communal spaces and places. HOWEVER it is aimed at the areas of greatest need in Scotland so check out your eligibility on their postcode checker before going any further. All details available on the Toolbox.

The Community Food and Health Scotland (CFHS) has announced that their small grant scheme
is now open to applications. Grants from £500 to £3,000 are available to groups and agencies
who would like to tackle one or more of the barriers to healthy eating, such as affordability or
availability The deadline for applications is the 12th August 2011.
For more information click here.

Having trouble funding transport to visit outdoor places of interest? Then the new Outdoors4all fund might help. Run by Buchan Countryside Group on behalf of SNH this grant of 50% is available for community/voluntary groups to help meet the costs of bus hire to take non-school "clients" to a local site where there are facilities and/or opportunities for enjoying the natural heritage. For more details click here.

Some closing dates:

European Year of Volunteering Small Grant Fund - applications close on 15th September.

Fairer Scotland Fund closing dates announced for the rest of the year - 1st July, 29th August, 21st September.

Social Enterprise in Scotland - A Guide to Who’s Who in Scotland 2011 has been published by Senscot and Highland and Islands Enterprise. It provides an introduction to Scotland’s social enterprise sector. View the guide here.

Great opportunities for FREE training from Business Gateway for start-up or growing businesses in Aberdeen city and shsire. For the latest training programme for May to September for start-up click here. and for Growth click here.

Are you engages with the development of community energy projects in Aberdeenshire? If so Eric Wells, the Renewable Energy Development co-ordinator would like to hear from you The objective would be to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience between groups that are involved in developing wind, hydro or other community energy projects. You can give your thoughts and comments by taking part in a survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FCQBBWG For more information you can contact Eric on eric.wells@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Tel: 01224 664734

Community Transport Project Visit to Badenoch & Strathspey Community Transport Company, Aviemore on Thursday 21st July. Would you benefit from visiting a community transport project that is working towards similar goals to your own project, initiative or enterprise? If the answer is “yes” then this trip organised by the Scottish National Rural Network may be for you. For more details on how to book your place (by 19th June) click here

Attention all campaigners! The Sheila McKechnie Foundation offers annual awards for people starting out in campaigning. The winner will receive help with his/her campaign in a variety of ways: notably he/she will receive one-to-one coaching from someone especially chosen with experience in the campaigner’s preferred field; participation in an interactive residential skills building weekend; and attendance at a high-profile awards ceremony, to be hosted by Jon Snow. There are nine categories in the 2011 Campaigner Awards (although some apply to England only) . For more information about the Awards and details on applying click here. Closing date is 20th June.

Aberdeenshire Social Enterprise Network is a recently established network of local social enterprises offering peer support and sharing.. It operates as an informal group and membership is open to anyone with an interest in social enterprise in Aberdeenshire. The next meeting of the Network is on Thursday 2nd June 2011 at 10.00 a.m. at Grampian Housing, 74 Huntly Street, Aberdeen. For more information or to join the networkEmail: admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk or Telephone: 01358 722205

Funding for projects in Aberdeen city and shire, Fife and Angus. Shell, through their partnership with the Scottish Community Foundation, have established the Shell U.K. Limited Community Awards Charitable Fund. The Fund will support registered charities and constituted community projects with a focus on:Education, Arts, Music and Culture, Environment, Safety, Social inclusion, IT. Grants of £250 to £2,000 are available, and will be administered through Scottish Community Foundation's Express Grants programme.

The CARES Loan Fund has opened for business providing loans to community organisations interested in developing renewable energy schemes. The Fund is particularly targeted at the high risk , pre-planning stages of renewable energy projects which have “significant community engagement and benefit”. Click here for more information

The Bank of Scotland's Small Grants Programme accepts applications up to and including £20,000 from charities registered in Scotland. The Foundation focuses its investment strategy around two themes:
* Developing and improving local communities (for example, projects which bring people back into the community who may have been excluded; Enhancing learning opportunities across all ages and sectors.
* Financial Literacy, Financial Inclusion and Social Housing
The next deadline is Tuesday 19th July Click here for further information.

This year's Development Trusts Association for Scotland (DTAS) ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 2011 is entitled “Development Trusts: Creating the Future” and will take place over 4/5 September in the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld. The programme will include visits to projects, a Civic reception and conference dinner with an exciting mix of speakers, workshops, discussions and networking opportunities. Get the date in your diary now for this always informative and inspiring conference.

The Deutsche Bank Fund has been created to support community organisations in Glasgow and Edinburgh. It supports projects focusing on education and community development, including sport in the community, employment, homelessness and neighbourhood renewal. Community groups, local charities and voluntary organisations are all encouraged to apply. This fund is managed as part of the Scottish Community Foundation's Community Grants Programme. Click here for information.

Some interesting information from the latest SCotLaNd ebulletin

The Waterways Trust is offering grants of up to £2,000 for restoration work in woodlands which are located next to a navigable waterway. The grants can be used for work such as tree planting, coppicing, surveys or controlling invasive species. The woodland must be next to a river or canal which can be navigated by boats.
The deadline for applications is 30th April, 2011 and you can download a copy of the application form here .

Woodland Trust: Community groups can still apply for the Trust's free tree planting packs, for planting in autumn 2011. with packs of either 105 trees or 420 trees and there are also special Jubilee packs which include a royal sapling grown from seed collected on royal estates. The packs are for planting by community groups on land that is open to everyone. The planting work should also be an open invite event so that local people can take part and the trees are delivered as young whips, 30 to 40cm in height. To apply for a free pack, have a look at the Woodland Trust website . Applications for autumn planting will close on September 30th, 2011.

Attention Aberdeenshire community groups! Find out what support is available to you as community and voluntary groups at a series of information and networking events being held across the shire throughout May by Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action. You will have an opportunity to tell them what support you need and network with others in your area A light Lunch will be provided. All events run betweeen 12 noon and 2pm. For details of venues, dates and to book your place click here.

Sustainable Design Grants - A limited number of grants up to £7,000 are available for community groups who are putting sustainable design into practice.
Examples of ways in which the grants can be used include a contribution towards design innovation / analysis, feasibility studies or the cost of producing funding applications for the use of renewable energy. They can also be used as match funding with other grants. There's only limited details available at present, but the Sust.org website contains an application form for finding out further information.

The first round of British Gas Energyshare fund has opened to fund community renewable energy projects. Up to £100,000 can be applied for and the application is quite innovative as a group has to gain support on a webpage they create on the site. The closing date for this round is May 31st. Click here for more information

Could your community group benefit from £2K? You are invited to a short half-day event to find out more about how The Co-operative is good for the community in the Grampian area. Tuesday 12th April , The Douglas Hotel, Market Street, Aberdeen Booking essential All community and voluntary organisations welcome. Limited places . Please register by emailing: Shirley.Ann.Watson@co-operative.coop Tel: 01463 861348

The Chartered Institute of Marketing have created an online Marketing-Planning Tool to help Social Enterprises.

2011 is the year of Active Scotland, a time to celebrate and promote the benefits of an Active Scotland. During 2011, EventScotland will be supporting a diverse range of events in a national programme which encourage and inspire Scots and visitors alike. There is a small amount of additional funding available for events which provide opportunities for participation and which promote Scotland as an Active destination to the widest possible audience.For more information click here. If you have a proposal which you think might fit the bill please contact EventScotland:Phone 0131 472 2430 email: information@eventscotland.org

A new £4.5 million fund for projects which benefit Scotland's coastal communities was announced this week. The funds are being made available through Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund for projects that improve the quality of life and promote economic diversification in fishing communities across Scotland. Find out more in New funding for projects in fishing communities.

A new OSCR guidance - Independence in Charities - on the issue of independence and control in Scottish charities has just been published setting out key principles and potential risk areas , and provides real life examples as illustrations. It also sets out the duties of charity trustees and explains how the principles of the charity test dictate the way in which those running a charity must behave. A "must-read" for all charities.

The long-awaited Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) - a new legal form which will allow Scottish charities to incorporate without becoming companies. is launching on 1st April. Click here for more information.

Attention Youth workers and youth work volunteers in Aberdeenshire. Dont miss the opportunity to book your place on Youth Scotland's Training Essentials event, taking place on Saturday 26th March in Woodhill House, Committee Rooms, Aberdeen AB16 5GB from 10.00am - 4.30pm. The event is free with light lunch provided (but note there is a £25 charge if you book and don't turn up) . For more information and to download a booking form click here.

Social Enterprise Development Workshops in Aberdeenshire. Firstport will be delivering the following Social Enterprise Development Workshops in the Aberdeenshire area in April, May and June. Topics covered include Sales and Marketing, Legal Structures and writing a business plan. For full information on costs, venues and how to book click here.

BT relauches free web-hosting service aimed at the voluntary sector. Charities and not-for-profit community groups can access a free web-hosting and design service through the communications company BT and their Community Web Kit. Click here for further details.

Want to run a playscheme this summer? The LankellyChase Foundation has funding available o support summer playschemes for children between the ages of 5 - 17 years.Preference is given to small local playschemes lasting 4 - 6 weeks, and groups planning special activities for youngsters who are disadvantaged. Preference will be given to applications from organisations affiliated to a relevant nationally recognised body and adhering to national standards of practice. The closing date for applications is the 13th May 2011.For more information click here

Attention Social Enterprises in Aberdeenshire.CVS are carrying out a survey ot training needs for this year. Click here to complete the form with YOUR training needs.

ABERDEENSHIRE EMPLOYABILITY AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION WORKSHOP Tuesday 29th March 2011 Lochter, 10am - 3pm This workshop will be an opportunity for front line staff to review and
share examples of practice from the employability and financial inclusion
sector in Aberdeenshire and to help shape future partnership action. To register click here.

Free Training to Help Your Business Grow - Tender Ready in 10 steps training - a series of three weekly half-day sessions which will help you understand the public sector tendering process and how to maximise your business's chances of winning contracts. Monday 21st March 2011; 2.00pm - 5.00pm with registration from 1.30pm @Aberdeenshire Council HQ, Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB16 5GB.
The following workshop dates are Monday 28th March (pm) and Monday 4th April
(pm) both at Woodhill House.The event is free. To book a place click here.

Careful use of key statistics can be very powerful. Many statistics on your postcode area, including population broken down by percentages of children, working age and pension age, income deprived, jobseekers, unemployed, female smokers, hospital admissions for alcohol, house ownership, health, education, crime and geographic deprivation index, time to access local services, are all available from the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics website

Some interesting information as ever from the latest Scottish Community Land Network newsletter:

Good news for Renewable energy projects - Although details are still sketchy, the Scottish Government has launched the Communities and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) Loan Fund.
The fund will be fully operational from April 2011 and aims to provide loans towards the cost of the high risk, pre-planning consent stages of renewable energy projects. The scheme will be open to community groups as well as to land-managers and farmers, provided there's some community benefit from their proposals. Loans of up to £150,000 will cover up to 90% of the costs of the pre-planning stages. The loans are then repayable at commercial rates if the project is successful, but are written off if the project fails to gain planning consent.
You can complete an expression of interest in the fund here and read the full Scottish Government press release here .

Community Energy Scotland and the Scottish Community Foundation have published a series of case studies looking at how community groups have been investing financially for community benefit.
The report is intended to help groups who may be receiving funds through renewable energy developments, which they need to invest for the future benefit of their communities. It includes case studies of groups such as Stòras Uibhist, Galeri Caernarfon Cyf from Caernarfon in Wales and the Flax Trust in Northern Ireland. Prepared by DTAS' The Pool Consultancy the case studies look at the organisational structure of the groups, their investment process and the impacts of their investments. You can download a copy of the report here .

A new guide - Pillars of the Community - on transferring heritage assets to community ownership has been published in England but it's possible to pick out some general sections which are equally relevant for community groups north of the border. For example, it includes advice, checklists and tips on maintaining long-term viability of a heritage asset; building an effective organisation and managing risks.
The guide has been produced by English Heritage in association with the Development Trusts Association and you can download a copy here .

Why not nominate your charity for the Scottish charity awards 2011? These awards aim to recognise excellence in the third sector in Scotland. Categories include charity and campaign of the year, as well as a community action award for a community-led project which has made a significant contribution to a local area. Entries need to be submitted by April 8th, 2011 and you can find further details here .

Want to find out more about running a community shop or other asset. Check out The Plunkett Foundation for a wealth of information on all matters to due with rural community ownership.

The Climate Challenge Fund has now been extended to 31st March 2012, with substantial funding available for community groups who wish to make a real difference by reducing carbon emissions in their local area.
Applications are now being invited from Scottish communities for activities that will take place between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012. If you are a new applicant you will urgently need to obtain and submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) Form. It is important that you submit your EoI immediately to allow the development of a full application before the submission deadline of 5pm the 25th February 2011.

LLoyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Funding Surgeries are being held across Scotland during 2011 giving local recognised charities an opportunity to have a one-to-one session with one of their Assessors, and to discuss how to go about putting an application to the Foundation.Surgeries are being held . For a list of locations and dates click here. (Surgeries in Aberdeen are on 13th April and 18th October)If you wish to attend one of the surgeries detailed below, call 0131 444 4020 to arrange an appointment.

The Scottish Charity Awards recognise excellence in the Scotland's third sector. This year, it is more important than ever that organisations demonstrate their value to the public, funders and government. If you believe that your organisation has achieved something special this year then enter now. Deadline for entries is 8 April 2011. Find out more about how to enter here.

BITES (Buchan IT and ELearning Service) has launched its Spring programme with the usual wide range of courses catering for everyone from complete beginners to the more experienced. New courses this session includes one on Facebook safety for parents. For full information on the courses available click here or contact BITES on 01771 619181

Here's a chance to share with or learn from other groups how to get things done! A new website - called Know How Non Profit - is packed with Know-How guides that allows you to share your knowledge or discover best practice from across the voluntary sector. The guides cover a range of topics under various themes eg How to set up a blog or how to write better fund-raising letters. Click here to see what guides they have and contribute one of your own.

Latest Aberdeenshire Community Planning e-bulletin available by clicking here.

CVS Training Initiative - Core Skills for Business - 1 Day Course on Monday 14 March 2011 Time: 10a.m – 4.00p.m. Venue: BSolutions, Commercial Training Centre, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn (off the airport roundabout) Cost: £68 (voluntary/community sector) £102 (other). Topics covered include minute taking, writing skills, preparing articles for media. There are still places available on this course, but please note the closing date of 14th February.
To book contact Shirley Leask Tel: 01358 722205 Email: admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

Northsound Cash For Kids aima to help children and young people under 18 throughout the Grampian area:As well as individual family grants they also distribute funding to a wide range of deserving children's groups and support agencies throughout the North East of Scotland. The application form can be found on their website
The closing date for applications is Monday 28th February 2011.

Union Square Community Bursary has just been launched with a £20,000 giveaway to help support small community groups and charities in Aberdeen City and Shire. Up to £2,000 available for community projects. Closing date of Friday 25th March. Click here for details on how to apply.

Have you got a good idea for running a local service more efficiently?Then you will be interested in Age Unlimited Scotland: Cash for Great Ideas
Nesta is looking for a team or individual with a seed of an idea for a new locally run service which can be scaled and replicated in other areas of Scotland; save the public purse by offering services that are more cost-effective, or for which clients would be willing to pay a small amount; and are genuinely innovative and do not duplicate what is already in the community.
For more information, please visit www.nesta.org.uk Deadline: Monday 7th February 2011

Free Training in Aberdeenshire - Tuesday 1st Feb, Introduction to Coaching, Inverurie and Wednesday 23rd February, SpeakUpSpeakOut (confidence building) in Mintlaw. To book a place on any of these courses, contact Shirley/Diane by email: admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk. Limited availability - First come, first served!.

Would you benefit from visiting a rural project that is working towards similar goals to your own project, initiative or enterprise? Would you like to share ideas and experiences with a group of like minded people?The Rural Network is organising a series of five project visits, taking place this March and April, and is now seeking applications from people interested in attending. The visits are based around Environment and Renewables, Food and Drink, Tourism, Community Enterprise and Village Halls and Community Buildings. There will be no fee to attend and the Rural Network will provide all meals and accommodation. There will also be some limited support available for travelling expenses. For details of locations, dates and to complete an online application form click here. HURRY as places will go fast!

Do you need volunteers to help with your project? Scottish Business in the Community in Grampian have been approached by several local companies seeking team volunteering projects during 2011.
Does your organisation have a project which could be done by between 4 and 25 volunteers
which would help create an enhanced garden or outside play area, repaint premises or provide
extra hands to undertake any work which would make a positive difference to your work?
If you wish to discuss this further please contact local SBC Manager Alex Gauld on
07717200472 or e-mail him at alexgauld@sbcscot.com

As part of their Promoting Asset Transfer programme Developments Trusts Association for Scotland is holding a series of seminars across Scotland for communities entitled THE TRANSFER OF PUBLIC ASSETS INTO COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP - VIABILITY NOT LIABILITY!
A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR COMMUNITIES. Although already fully subscribed in some areas there are still spaces on Saturday 5th February in Maud Village Hall, Maud, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire and Friday 25th February in Hawick, running from 10am until 3pm. These events are free and invaluable for those who are interested in taking over the running of an asset . To book your place contact Aileen Tulloch at DTAS on 0131 220 2456 or email: assets@dtascot.org.uk

Comic Relief has announced that their UK Grants Programme will reopen for applications on the
8th April 2011 and will close for applications on the 1st July 2011 (except for their Older People
Programme which has a closing date of the 10th June 2011).

The Climate Challenge Fund has been extended and is now open for applications from communities for the 2011/12 round of funding. Closing dates 14th Feb (for those already in receipt of CCF ) abd 25th Feb for new applicants.

Cashback for Communities has an extra £500k to give out to support local volunteer-led youth organisations attached to The Scottish Council The Scout Association,Girlguiding Scotland, Boys' Brigade, The Girls' Brigade in Scotland, Clubs for Young People (Scotland) and Youth Scotland.. Up to £2k is available for project costs, or £1k for start-up costs. Closing date for the next round is 1st March. For more information click here.

CashBack for Communities is a programme of diversionary activities for young people to increase the opportunities they have to develop their interests and skills in an enjoyable, fulfilling and supported way, using funds recovered from criminals .It includes a range of partnerships with Scottish sporting, arts and youth associations to provide diversionary activities for young people in Scottish communities. For more information about these organisations click here.

Active and over 50 brimming with ideas to improve your community? Then Age Unlimited Scotland are looking for people like you, in their 50s and 60s, with the spark of a good idea to make their communities a better place. The Age Unlimited Scotland programme gives small teams and
individuals the training, support and opportunity to gain funding to help bring their good ideas to light. You can find out how to apply and the criteria here.

To mark the Queen's diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Big Lottery Fund will be re-branding the People's Millions fund as the Jubilee People's Millions. The scheme will be for projects that will improve local places and the lives of local people, and you can apply for up to £60,000 of funding. Short-listed projects will be featured on ITV regional news with viewers invited to vote for their preferred option. Applications need to be submitted by February 4th, 2011 and you can find further details here .

View the December Aberdeenshire Community Planning E-Bulletin:. This bulletin provides you with the latest news and developments in Community Planning in the shire.

Funding for Property Asset Purchase: SIS and Triodos are teaming up to offer a new one-stop, loan package for third sector organisations looking to purchase property. The package would see Triodos lending up to 70% of the value of a property and SIS providing the additional 30%. This new initiative will initially have up to £5 million available. For more information click here.

Grants for International Women’s Day 2010 Around the world, International Women’s Day (IWD) marks a celebration of the economic, social, cultural and political achievements for women. Funding will be available for projects which celebrate International Women’s Day, 8 March 2010, in Scotland, where they meet the general Scottish Community Foundation's Women’s Fund criteria Click here for details on the Toolbox.

Looking for Small Grants for your Youth Groups - Youth Scotland have gathered lots of information on to their website with funding oppportunities for all sorts of youth activities. as well as lots of related information eg Disclosure info, Health and Safety, Insurance etc. Click here.

BT Community Connections has just reopened for business! It is an award scheme which offers community groupsthe chance to get online and help people discover the wonders of the internet.If your group helps the community access the internet and improves people’s ICT skills, you could be eligible to apply for a year’s free broadband. Click here for details.

More interesting information from this month's newsletter from Tamsin at the Scottish Community Land Network

Planning Aid for Scotland has launched a new on-line map which helps users to find out what's going on in the planning sector where they live.
The map is on the Planning Aid for Scotland website and is designed so you can click on your local council area. It then provides contact detail information, links to current development plans for the area and a timetable for the delivery of future plans, which saves you searching through all the local authority websites.
You can find the map here .

The Scottish National Party (SNP) is holding a consultation to gather people's views on the way forward for Scotland. Included within their plans is a community empowerment and renewal bill which they say would strengthen communities across Scotland. Within the bill they would include a new streamlined route to enable community purchase of some public sector assets and options to help communities deal with derelict and dormant land or buildings in their areas. Other options are suggested within the communities section, and, perhaps not surprisingly given the economic conditions, consultees are asked to prioritise which options should be delivered in the future.
You can read the consultation and suggest your priorities here .

Celebrating island culture A new initiative has been launched to which aims to raise the profile of Scotland's islands.
The initiative, called Scotland's Islands, is centred around a year of events and activities which will get underway in April 2011. It's being developed through a partnership of the six local authorities which have island communities and funding is available to support activities which help to raise the profile of the islands. The next deadline for submitting applications is 14 February 2011 and you can find further details here .

Esmee Fairbairn Funding Strands closing - but Main Grant Fund remains open. The strands are 3 year programmes which are now ending (except for "Food") but more strands will be developed for 2011 and will be put on the Toolbox when information becomes available. The Main Grant Fund remains open for applications.

BITES Christmas Party and Information event - an Invitation is extended to all to drop in on Friday 17th December between 10am and 2pm to the Community Service Centre, Maud to chat with staff and other visitors whilst enjoying some festive cheer. You can hear about all the new programmes planned for 2011 too. RSVP by 10th December to Tel: 01771 619181or email denise@bitesonline.org.

Keep up to date with Community Planning in Buchan by signing up for a weekly email full of all the new information passed onto community planning for circulation. 'Buttons and Links' are provided for your convenience to accompanying web-pages now present on the community planning website at www.ouraberdeenshire.org.uk/buchan.If you would like to have any information circulated within our weekly email, please contact either caroline.smith@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or steph.swales@aberdeenshire.gov.uk.

Need training in committee skills? Upper Deeside Community Learning are offering a session on committeemembership, aimed at anyone who's involved in an organisation and who would like more information on being involved in a committee and running a committee. The course, entitled Committee Skills will be held at the George Beaton Room, Victoria & Albert Halls, Ballater on Monday 6th December from 6.30 - 9 pm. To book, contact Deeside Community Centre, Aboyne - telephone 013398 86222. The cost will be £7.50 with concessions available at £3.75 - places are limited so book early.

Opportunity for Social Enterprises! S2S: The Social Enterprise Event of the Year to be held on Wednesday 20th April 2011, Edinburgh Corn Exchange is now open for bookings. It offers the biggest platform for social enterprises in Scotland to trade, participate in workshops, network and make new business connections. Bookings are now open for both exhibition stands and delegate places. To take advantage of special early bird rates and to qualify for discounted membership of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition book before 28th January 2011. Exhibition stands are allocated on a first come first serve basis so booking quickly ensures priority stand placement. All the information you need about the fair and details on how to book can be found on the website www.s2sfair.com.
If you have any further questions about the event or wish to discuss your requirements phone on 0131 557 5767

BBC Children in Need funding - the north east is a priority area of this funding so check out the Toolbox page if you are working with young people under the age of 18 to see if you are eligible. Closing date for next round is 15th January 2011. Anyone who would like to discuss this grants programme, can contact Maureen Stephen of BRIDGE CVS at the details below. Email:maureen.stephen@bridgecvs.org Tel: 01771 624787

Free Community Tree Planting Packs for next Spring or Autumn. Woodland Trust community tree planting packs are designed to help community groups to plant more trees, hedges and copses in their local shared spaces. To sign up for your 2011 packs click here.

The Prince's Countryside Fund is now open for grant applications. Projects have to deliver at least one of the Fund's core objectives: Improving the sustainability of British farming and rural communities, targeting the areas of greatest need; and reconnecting consumers with countryside issues. The deadline is 5pm on 1st December 2010 but the next round is expected to take place in April 2011. . You can get more information in Prince's Countryside Fund open for grant applications

Attention Aberdeen city and shire! A few places remain on the autumn programme of Funding Briefing Days from ACVO. Please circulate

Introduction to Fundraising and Good Governance 11 November
Introduction to Charitable Trusts and Foundations 16th November
Introduction to Working with Corporates 23rd November
Introduction to Business Planning 1st December

For more information and to book online visit:
www.aberdeenccn.info/Events/ACVOFundingDay.asp

If you have any difficulties in booking please contact our Admin team on 01224 686058

I'm dreaming of a ...... well, dream no longer of that elusive funding for the perfect project. You may have a chance to fund it if it involves encouraging volunteers or a healthy lifestyle or will tackle climate change. People's Postcode Trust have just launched the Dream Fund which will give up to £100,000 for that dream project. Hurry as applications will close on 17th December 2010.

Thanks to Tamsin and Chris from the excellent ScotLaNd newsletter for this information.

The Scottish Allotment and Gardens Society have published a plot-holders guide for allotments which includes information for existing plot-holders, but also contains advice for those looking to establish a new allotments site. It covers topics like health and safety on allotments; bee-keeping and other livestock; rents; funding and legislation. You can download a copy of the guide here .

Making Local Food Work have published a guide to finance for community owned shops.
The community shops guide is a training manual on financial management. It includes a glossary of finance terms, information on general financial management and some specific topics relevant to running a community shop. You can find a copy of the guide here

Volunteering opportunities for young people are being developed by Project Scotland for young people 16- 25 year olds across Aberdeenshire. In the first project they have 12 placements being developed for young people some are already on line and can be found at www.projectscotland.co.uk. All placements are for 3 months.The young people will then go onto an employability training course for a further 2 weeks to support them into further opportunities. To download details of the opportunities click here.

The Paths for All, Walking for Health Volunteer Support Grant can provide up to £1,000 to support initiatives which aim to reward, recognise, value and assist volunteers within Walking for Health projects. Innovative ideas are encouraged which can test new approaches to volunteer support and recognition.
Any organisation or group which is currently managing a Walking for Health project can apply for a grant, for example; community groups, voluntary organisations, local health walks groups, local authorities, health boards. Applications will be considered from anywhere in Scotland and will be open until 1 March 2011.
For more information and an application form contact frances.bain@pathsforall.org.uk or cal 01463 725125.

Funding for Arts and theatre? Creative Scotland has now taken over the funding and investment strands of the Scottish Arts Council. They have launched a new website which features opportunities to apply for investment funds across the arts, screen and creative industries. Full information and links are available on the Toolbox by clicking here.

The latest Community Planning in Aberdeenshire e-bulletin which provides you with the latest news and developments in Community Planning is available by clicking here.

Are you a beginner at renewable energy? Want to know what is available, the costs, get advice? Then go along to Renewable Energy Fair for homeowners and small businesses being held at Thainstone Mart, Inverurie on Saturday 9th October from 11am to 4pm. The event, organised by Aberdeenshire Environmental Forum, is free. More information here.

New funding database launched! Funding Scotland is a new free funding database of funding opportunities. You can search it for Lottery funders, statutory and european organisations, corporate foundations and charitable trusts. The funding opportunities include grants, contracts, loans and in kind support. It is operated as a social enterprise but is free for fund seekers to use.

Scottish Rural Development Programme - Rural Priorities assessment rounds deferred from the autumn 2010 assessment round will be now be considered in February 2011. The timetable for the February 2011 Assessment Round is: Submit deadline - 8th November 2010
Commit deadline - 10th December 2010 RPACs - 3rd - 11th February 2011
You can get more information on this funding by clicking here and following the links.
If you are a constituted community group you can contact the free Rural Direct service on 0845 838 8598 or email info@ruraldirect.org.uk.

Training Support for Scottish Businesses, including voluntary organisations, with under 50 employees can be applied for through the Flexible Training Opportunities, Up to £5,000 towards employee training costs (£500 for up to 10 employees). For more information,click here.

The Social Enterprise Academy is running a residential for social enterprises over the weekend 29th Oct - 1st Nov. This event is targeted at social enterprises that are looking to scale up (beyond start up but not y et firing on all cylinders). The residential will help 20 social entrepreneurs identify key motivations, clarify goals, and plan the next steps for organisation growth. It is FREE. The closing date for applications is 27 September 2010. Successful applicants will be notified shortly after. Forms available from: jayne@theacademy-ssea.org / 0131 243 2670 / http://www.theacademy-ssea.org

Tender Ready in Three Steps - a series of 3 half-day workshops in Aberdeen in October for SMEs with little or no experience of Public Sector tendering. Candidates must be registered with SDP www.sdpscotland.co.uk prior to registering attendance with Margaret.Swinburne@glasgow.gov.uk

Talk Talk Digital Heroes Awards open for operation but hurry as the closing date for nominations is 30th September.Open to individuals who are making a difference in their community using digital technology. Click here for detail on how to apply.

SITA Trust have made some changes to their Enhancing Communities Fund, renaming the funds and fast-tracking the Small Grants (now Fast Track) fund to a 60 day turnaround. For more details click here.

Lots of interesting information available in the latest edition of the e-bulletin of the Scottish Community Land Network, some of which is highlighted below. it is well worth signing up to receive this if your interested in land, rural, environmental issues.

Funding for local path development - Paths for All Partnership have launched a time limited grant scheme to help communities work on their local paths. Groups can apply for up to £1000 from the Paths for All fund to help establish a path group, purchase basic tools, create promotional material for path networks or anything else that will make a positive difference to local paths. Any community organisation, path group, or community council is eligible to apply but applications have to be received by November 30th, 2010 and work needs to be completed by February 14th, 2011 .You can get further details by contacting info@pathsforall.org.uk.

Are you generating renewable electricity? In a move that will give clarity to community groups considering renewable energy projects, the government have announced that it is possible for grant-aided projects generating renewable electricity to receive Feed-in Tarriff payments (FiTs).
The FiTs are payable to anyone generating renewable electricity, but previous guidance suggested that under State Aid rules they couldn't be paid to any generators who'd received grant money. However, revised guidance from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) now says that organisations can received grant funding and FiTs, providing the total amount received within 3 years remains below 200,000 Euros.
To read the full text of the new DECC guidance, see their website .

Aberdeenshire Libraries are highlighting their Healthy Reading range of self help books designed to help you cope with everyday issues.Topics covered include addiction, anxiety, bereavement, caring, healthy living, sleep problems and many more and are aimed at anyone nterested in mental and emotional wellbeing, family members and friends.
All books are available through your libary and if the library does not have the book required this can be requested as inter-library loan. The service is confidential and no information about who is borrowing the books will be disclosed.

An informal open session is planned for Tuesday 19th October 2010 in Peterhead Public Library from 10 – 12 noon. A Health Adviser will be on hand. All Welcome.

Do YOU want to speak up for Rural Scotland? The Scottish Government, in partnership with the Scottish National Rural Network, invite you to take part in a series of consultation events around rural Scotland to discuss the Speak Up for Rural Scotland consultation. All events will take place from 7pm to 9pm, with tea, coffee and biscuits available from 6.30pm. The dates and locations of the events are:
Inverness, The Spectrum Centre, Wed 29th September
Oban, Corran Halls, Mon 4th October
Perth, Dewars Centre, Mon 11th October
Dumfries, Easterbrook Hall, Mon 18th October
You can get more information in Speak Up for Rural Scotland consultation events.

Are you a young entrepreneur who would like to win £500? Between now and November you could have the chance to pitch your idea to make your community a better place or improve sport or art. . To find out more and to get an application pack email: awards@firstport.org.uk or telephone 0131 220 0511

Last chance to book for the following courses run by CVS Training: Elementary Food Hygiene: Laurencekirk 4th October; Introduction to Social Accounting: Turriff 5th October; For further information or to book a place contact:Diane/Shirley - 01358 722205 or email admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

Want to learn some tradition skills? The Scottish Traditional Skills Training Centre will be running the following courses at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire during the month of October 2010: - 7th & 8th October 2010 Building Drystone Walls and 28th & 29th October 2010Surveying the Condition and Assessing the Conservation, Repair and Maintenance Requirements of Traditional Buildings Limited spaces are available, so If you would like to book a place contact Sarah Cordiner, Project Manager
at The Scottish Traditional Skills Training Centre Tel: 01888 511 347 / Email: soundcraft@towiebarclay.co.uk

The Big Lottery Investing in Communities team have organised information days at around forty locations across Scotland, where you can find out more about the new programme as well as get details on the other Big funding programmes. The sessions take place between now and the end of October and you need to register to attend. You can find a full listing of all the events here .

Senscot Legal Services (SLS) is now open for business. SLS has been set up to provide Scotland's social enterprise community and wider third sector
with accessible and affordable legal services. Their lead solicitor, Alan Dunipace, is now in post and operating from new premises in Bath Street in Glasgow. Whilst there's still some setting up to be done, Alan will be out and about over the next couple of weeks making some initial contacts. You
can reach Alan at alan@se-legal.net See more, http://www.se-legal.net

Guide to Small Grants for Youth Groups is now available to download from Youth Scotland. Click here.

A Networking Event for Social Enterprises in Aberdeenshire at Lochter Activity Centre, Oldmeldrum AB51 0DZ from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Cost: £12
An opportunity for local social enterprises, and budding social enterprises, to:
h ear about national (Scottish) initiatives and support, and discuss how they can help you; give you an opportunity to talk to, and learn from, each other. and Identify and plan for future needs and a shared way forward locally Detailed information will be available soon but if you wish to note an interest please
contact Diane/Shirley on (01358) 722205 or e-mail admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

Aberdeenshire Council's Community Asset Fund has now re-opened. The fund is available to help social and community enterprises in Aberdeenshire develop an asset or new service that will lead to an additional income stream. For information on how to apply click here.

Are you involved in regenerating an open space in your local area? DTA Scotland is partnering with The Glass-House Community Led Design to provide a FREE two-day interactive design training course, delivered by bureau – design + research. This is an exciting hands-on course for community groups, who are in the early stages of regenerating a communal space, park or play area in their neighbourhood. The course provides a practical exploration of the design process of an open space, and enables participants to apply design skills to the space they are working on, as well as learn from professionals and other community groups.Place: Braeport Centre, Dunblane Date: 9 & 10 September 2010. Fee: FREE
To apply: Please visit the Glass-House website and fill in the application form

DTAS may have some funds available for help towards travel and accommodation costs – contact aileen@dtascot.org.uk once you have spoken to the Glass-House and decided that you would like to attend the course.

Thinking about becoming a charity? If so the OSCR publication "Becoming a Charity in Scotland " will be helpful. The leaflet provides a simple introduction and helpful advice to organisations and individuals thinking about starting a charity in Scotland. You can download a copy of the document here.

BITES (Buchan IT and ELearning Services) Autumn Programme now available. A host of courses are starting again this Autumn including Computing for beginners, ECDL, Digital photography and lots more. ILEA funding accepted on all courses To book your place call now……. phone 01771 619181. For further details on this or any of their training packages please contact denise@bitesonline.org

PVG (Protection for Vulnerable Groups) Training in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. A one-off opportunity to access local training to help understand requirements and oblications under the new scheme which will be up and running by 30th November. To be held in Wyness Hall, Inverurie on Tues 31st August 10am - 4pm. Cost £10 pp to cover refreshments and admin costs. For further information or to book a place contact Shirley/Diane, CVS Training Initiative 01358 722205 or admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

For all the latest news and developments in Community Planning in Aberdeenshire download the August E-Bulletin here.

Do you have strong views on the future of rural Scotland? The "Speak up for Rural Scotland" consultation has just been launched by the Scottish Govt. Communities are being urged to speak up for rural Scotland and join the debate into its future. A three month consultation has been launched on plans devised by the Rural Development Council to help economic recovery. To see the consultation document and have your say click here.

The Big Lottery Fund Investing in Ideas has re-opened for applications with a new application form and guidance. The basis of Investing in Ideas has remained the same and it will still fund organisations looking to develop new ideas. However, the requirement that ideas must fit with an Investing in Communities Investment Area has been removed. The application process has also changed to be in-line with BIG's other funding programmes. It means that signatures or any supporting documents are not required at the application stage.
Investing in Ideas awards grants of £500 to £10,000 to test and develop ideas that could eventually become fully-fledged projects or lead to improved service delivery. Investing in Ideas could pay for the things that can turn your basic idea into a well-planned project including market research, feasibility studies, business planning, community consultations and professional advice. For more information click here.

The Big Lottery Fund has announced that its 2014 Communities fund has changed. The maximum grant available has doubled to £2,000 and the application process has also been simplified making the grants easier to access. Local sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations, community councils and schools can apply for grants of £300 to £2,000 to support and stimulate grass roots involvement in sport and physical activity. For more information click here.

Aden Country Park, Mintlaw celebrates its 30th birthday this year and to celebrate Buchan Development Partnership and Aberdeenshire Council are working in partnership to help establish ways in which residents can make the most of the much-loved Country Park. Neil Shirran, the development worker there says “It’s really important we hear what people think about Aden Country Park and how they think we can regenerate and maximise its use." Have YOUR say by taking part in the online survey or contact Neil by email

Digital TV switchover in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is only 6 weeks away!Are you planning an event for your clients, groups, community to help them deal with the issues? ACVO have access to grants to pay for the cost of venue hire, refreshments, transport, entertainment etc. They can order leaflets, pens, balloons etc. for your event; and, if required, they’ll make a short presentation about the switchover and the help that is available! For further information contact Louise Farmer on (01224) 686059/686058 or Email: lfarmer@acvo.org.uk

Aberdeenshire's Proposed Local Development Plan has now been published and Aberdeenshire Council wants as many people as possible to have their say on its content.. This is the final chance to comment on the proposed plan, which is now available in libraries and at council area offices together with associated documents. Copies are now available here on the council's website, where you can also respond to the consultation. All sections of the community are welcome to view and comment on
the proposed plan, with the aim of producing a document which is owned by everyone. The 12-
week consultation is now underway and responses are invited before close of business on
Friday, 1st October 2010.

Does YOUR project deserve an award? Applications are now open for The SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration which is now in its 12th year. Their prestigious annual awards process recognises and promotes best practice in regeneration in Scotland. The SURF Awards is supported by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Centre for Regeneration (SCR), and independently judged by a panel of representatives drawn from relevant national organisations and community groups.If you are aware of a project or initiative that you believe deserves particular recognition, consider nominating it for a 2010 SURF Award in one of four categories:People, Place, Partnership, Health & Employment Partnership. Closing date is Monday 20th September 2010.

For more information and details on how to make an application click here.

Does your community have an idea for a broadband project? If so, you could bid in to a new one million Euro challenge fund, recently announced by the Scottish Government , which aims to improve the coverage and the speed of broadband in rural areas.The Rural Broadband Challenge Fund will be delivered through the LEADER programme which supports small-scale, community driven projects in rural Scotland. Examples of possible projects for the new challenge fund include the upgrade of exchanges, pilot projects into next generation broadband and supporting a business collective to access better broadband. Aberdeenshire projects: for a link direct to information on the Rural Broadband Challenge fund through Aberdeenshire Leader click here and scroll to bottom of the LEADER page.

The Reaching Out Project in Peterhead and Fraserburgh is looking for funding applications from Community groups for the Community Voices Fund. This funding is available to local groups and services who can deliver their project within one year. The project must support at least one of the following aims

Skills/Employability – increasing skills & removing barriers to employability;
Youth – increasing the number of young people (aged 12-18), participating in project and/or activities;
Health – increasing the number of people participating in health related projects/activities;
Inclusiveness – reducing the isolation of disadvantaged groups or individuals within the community.

Funding of up to £5000 is available but applications for small local projects or start grants of under £1,000 will be favoured in this round of funding.
Application Forms & Guidance are available by emailing the Reaching Out Project
or on the Funding Page of Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership Website:
If you would like to discuss your project idea with a development worker contact Liz or Diane on 01771 624811
The closing date for applications is the 13th of August 2010.

BIG Lottery have relaunched their Investing in Communities programme following extensive consultation. Improvements have been made following comments received during this process and funding of between £10,000 and £1 million pounds is available through three programme strands: Growing Community Assets, Life Transitions and Supporting 21st Century Life.

Do you think YOUR project deserves an award for improving the environment? Why not put your name forward to the Scottish Green Awards which include a category for Best Green Community Initiative. The award will go to an initiative that has improved the environment and has been led by the community, with community-wide support and involvement. Although there's no financial reward attached to the awards, it's a high profile competition that could be used to generate publicity for the successful group.But hurry as nominations for the award need to be made by July 30th.You can find further details here .

Planning Aid Scotland have launched the new Planning Mentoring Scheme to provide planning advice and guidance to community led development projects across rural Scotland.
The scheme involves the Planning Aid Scotland team of volunteers working with community groups to provide guidance and advice in developing projects, but also leaving transferable skills in communities for future work. They hope that the mentoring process will help community groups increase their understanding of the planning system as well as providing an opportunity for planning professionals to interact with community groups. You can find further information about the scheme on the Toolbox.

Not connected to the grid? - The Scottish Hydro-Electric Community Trust provide help towards an electricity connection to community groups and residents in the north of Scotland. Up to 30% of connection costs are available. For more information click here.

Fancy gaining volunteering experience in London? The Wave of Friendship, supported by the Legacy Trust UK, is a volunteer exchange programme that encourages and supports the exchange of volunteers between Scotland and London in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Volunteers can choose any opportunity that takes place between now and September 2012 that demonstrates one or more of these values; Friendship, Respect, Courage, Determination, Equality and Inspiration. Bursaries of up to £500 are available to cover travel, accommodation and other costs involved in the exchange. For more information, visit:
http://www.peoplemakingwaves.org.uk/thewaveoffriendship/about

Would free WiFi wireless internet help your charity? Freerunner have partnered with JustGiving.com to put free WiFi Internet access where its really needed - charities. If you charity has a broadband connection they will come and install the Freerunner service for free in your location. Its perfect for your community cafe or hub as it gives people another reason to visit. It also gives you the chance to help bridge the digital divide. JustGiving.com and Freerunner have committed to provide this service to 160 charities, totally free of charge.
For more information, please visit http://www.freerunr.com/community

VAT giving you a headache? Then DTAS' latest Seminar is what you have been waiting for. Due to the popularity of the VAT Seminars they held in Edinburgh and Aviemore (and .also at the Annual Conference) CEiS and DTAS, as part of the Aspire to Enterprise Programme, are working in partnership to host another “Introduction to VAT” Seminar in The Melting Pot, Edinburgh on 25th June 9:30am to 12noon

Trading Income, Capital Builds & VAT an Introduction for Social Economy Organisations (Speaker: Charles Rumbles, CKR VAT Consultancy)
Dealing with VAT can seem a daunting prospect for many social enterprise organisations, particularly as their trading income expands, or as a consideration within capital build projects. This workshop provides an accessible introduction to the issue of VAT – when does it becomes a consideration and how should organisations respond to it when it does. In addition to a general overview, the workshop will offer participants the opportunity to ask questions about their own particular situation.
NB They will contact you in advance of the event for information on specific topics you would like to see covered

To sign up for this event please go the Aspire to Enterprise website

A Community Wildlife Programme has just been launched. Upto £10,000 is available for environmental projects eg creating paths and making countryside more accessible. There are 3 rounds this year with application closing dates on 21st July, 22nd September and 24th November.

Buchan IT and E-Learning Services (BITES) Summer Schedule - NEW classes announced, including ECDL, Computing for Beginners,Creating cards, email and many more. All courses are approved for ILA. To book your place contact 01771 619181 or email denise@bitesonline.org.

Attention - community projects in Peterhead and Fraserburgh areas! All community groups who have been funded by Community Voices funding or those interested in new or future funding are invited to discuss funding opportunities with the Reaching Out Project team. The event will be held on 10th June at 6.00-8.30 at the United Reformed Church, Mid Street, Fraserburgh. Free refreshments and food will be provided by a Community Voices project. Contact Liz or Diane on 01771 624811 or email lizscott99@googlemail.com to reserve your place.

The Big Challenge competition for 16-25 year olds is open for applications now. It offers the chance to win a share of £65 000 along with support to set up a community project. The project just needs to inspire young people and involve volunteers. You can visit www.bigchallenge.org.uk for full details and the online application. The deadline is 6th July 2010. Big Challenge is a youth-led competition run by UnLtd in partnership with Changemakers and with funding from Vodafone . They are part of Live UnLtd www.liveunltd.com where you can find more opportunities like this for
young people.

Aberdeenshire Council have produced a Community Groups European Funding leaflet for 2010 - 2013. Other EU funding information is available on the Toolbox by clicking here.

Looking for funding for children's summer playschemes or breakfast and after school clubs? Check out the Tesco Charity Trust which is offering up to £4,000. But hurry as the closing date is 30th June.

Interested in applying to Children in Need for funding? BRIDGE CVS has arranged a short presentation by the charity , followed by a Question & Answer session on Wednesday 26th May 2010 at The Hot Spot, 1-3 Kirk Street, Peterhead from 11.30am - 12.30pm
There will also be an opportunity for a small number of groups to have a one-to-one session to discuss applications which may be almost ready to submit, or where groups feel ready to start the application process. These half hour appointments will take place in Fraserburgh on the afternoon of Wednesday 26th May. These will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so please get in touch as soon as possible to secure an appointment.
If you would be interested in attending either the open session or a one-to-one appointment, please contact Jacquie Milne by phone on 01771 624787 or by email at jacquie@bridgecvs.org.uk

Cashback for Communities Roadshow (grants up to £2,000 for youth organisations) coming to an area near you! You can attend the free roadshow to find out more about the scheme and get practical help, support and advice on how to apply. Although the Aberdeen event is not being held until 13th October you could attend another one if you want to travel. For full details of dates, locations and to book click here.

KnowHow NonProfit is a website built solely for people working in not for profit organisations. Completely free and easy to use, it is packed with practical information and resources covering all kinds of topics, from finding funding to strategy planning. If you like tweeting, blogging and researching information on line this may be the site for you!

Buchan Area Committee's Area Initiatives Fund, administerd by BDP, has just been launched for this year. The funding, generally up to £5,000 maximum is ONLY for community groups in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire. The closing date for applications is June 18th. and application forms are available from your local Cllr or from BDP offfices. Further information and contact details are available here

Next deadline for BDP Small Grants is 21st May so make sure your applications are in for then for decision before the summer. Remember the focus is on "community safety". Forms are available from Alison at the BDP office.

Buchan Local Community Planning Group Funding will help to support Community Projects working to provide the best quality of life for communities within Buchan. The scheme is open to community groups and organisations in the Buchan area. Community Planning Partners will give priority to projects which will be delivered in partnership with Community Planning Partners, which will deliver benefits to the wider community, which evidence best practice and share resources, skills and expertise and that further the work of community planning by working towards outcomes in partnership. Further information and Applications forms are available to download from the Community Planning website at www.ouraberdeenshire.org.uk/buchan or contact: Steph Swales, Community Planning Officer on 01779 483242 or by email steph.swales@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Are you a community in Aberdeenshire interested in wind energy development to raise funding for community projects? Then why not book on to the Community Wind Energy Seminar organised by Aberdeenshire Council to be held in Mearns Academy, Laurencekirk on Saturday 15th May from 1pm - 5pm. There will be a variety of speakers including Energy4All and Community Energy Scotland and plenty of time for networking. The event is free but advance registration to Val Webster (01224 664727 or valerie.webster@aberdeenshire.gov.uk) or Eric Wells ( 01224 664734 / Eric.wells@aberdeenshire.gov.uk)

Good news for communities across Scotland - Lloyds TSB Foundation is opening again for applications, with £2millions available to be disbursed by the end of 2010.This year’s main grant programme will be named ‘The Henry Duncan Awards’ in honour of the Rev Henry Duncan who founded the first Trustee Savings Bank 200 years ago this year.The first deadline for these awards will be May 24, with further deadlines in July and September. The capacity building programme is also now open for applications, and charities can apply for one of these awards at any time. Details on the criteria and other information on how to apply can be found on our Toolbox and the Foundation’s website at www.ltsbfoundationforscotland.org.uk.
The Foundation also hopes to be in a position to continue its work with the Scottish Government
in the successful Partnership Drugs Initiative in 2010.

As well as their Standard Grant Scheme LLoyds TSB Foundation also operate a Capacity Building Grant - very useful if you are a charity in Scotland looking to improve your Governance. Click here for details.

SITA Trust has opened a new fund - Young Persons' Volunteering Fund which has been created to assist young people aged 14-25 to volunteer their time to create or enhance facilities that can be enjoyed by the wider community. As with all SITA Trust projects you have to be within 10 miles of one of SITA UK's qualifying Landfill Sites (in Buchan this is Stoney Hill near Cruden Bay). Closing date for first round: 4th June.

See Me - will grant awards up to £5,000 to groups in certain areas of Scotland (the next round which closes on 28th May, features the Grampian area) tackling the stigma of mental health The grant scheme aims to encourage local organisations to take a lead in changing public attitudes and behaviours towards people with mental health problems. Any type of project can be considered as long as it is led by people with experience of mental ill-health or those providing care and support. You can download a copy of their guidelines from their website www.seemescotland.org.uk or call them on 0131 554 0218 and they will send a copy out to you.

Are you a Social Enterprise looking to win public sector contracts? The online public procurement course “Winning the Contract” is now a free, nationally available
training resource which all businesses can access.The course provides practical advice to help your
business identify public sector procurement opportunities and a step-by-step guide to the key stages in the tendering process. Access the Winning the Contract course for FREE by registering at www.learndirect-business.com

Business Know How Showcase Event to be held in Aberdeen Arts Centre on May 27th from 9.15am to 3.30pm.The event aims to give private and voluntary organisations the opportunity to share knowledge and gain a fresh understanding of each other's sectors and is open to organisations of all sizes. The aim and theme of the event is to identify actions that both the private and voluntary sector can take in order to make the North-east 'wealthier and fairer, healthier and greener, safer and stronger and smarter and prouder'. Registration forms are available from the website and completed forms are to be returned by 14th May.

Are you an ambitious charity or social enterprise based in the North East of Scotland?
Do you want free support to build a sustainable future for your organisation?
Pilotlight Scotland brings together skilled professionals from the business community and
harnesses their talents to create sustainability and growth in small to medium charities and social
enterprises. They offer a uniquely managed capacity-building process, exploring your vision and giving you the skills to develop a strategic Business Plan…and it won’t cost you a penny because they are funded by donations from their business partners.
To find out more you could visit Pilotlight Scotland at the Aberdeen Arts Centre on May 27th
as part of the Business Know How North East Showcase Event - or
visit www.pilotlight.org.uk or call Allan Farmer on (0131) 243 2767 - e-mail
afarmer@pilotlight.org.uk for further details.

BIG Lottery Fund news! After a gap in its main funding programmes the BIG Lottery Fund Scotland has announced that it will launch new Investing in Communities programmes on 30th June 2010. Around £350 million will be available for 2010-2015. This is more than was expected due to a rise in lottery tickets sales and revised financial forecasting. Investing in Communities will have three familiar investment areas, a new Growing Community Assets programme, Life Transitions and Supporting 21st Century Life. The primary focus will be tackling need, and in particular, addressing inequalities. There will be more defined outcomes and a clearer two stage application process. They also intend to incorporate development support and possibly, development funding into the application process.

Investing in Ideas is still open and will be re-launched to coincide with the new Investing in Communities programmes. Other current Scotland programmes are Awards for All Scotland and 2014 Communities.

All the new details will be put on our Toolbox but you can look at their website for further details in the meantime.

A "must attend" conference for Development Trusts (by name or ethos!). DTAS Annual Conference will be held from 13th -14th June at the Macdonald Hotels, Aviemore.The annual conference is the major opportunity in the year for new and existing development trusts to get together at a national level, share information and expertise and generally inspire each other, so put the date in your diary. For further information go to the DTAS website.

New funding... The Naturesave Trust now provides start up 'seed corn' grants for community renewable energy projects, whatever type of renewable power generation you, as a community, are considering. Click here for further information. O2 Think Big for projects run by 13 - 25 year olds.

Support for Communities - Stronger Communities is a new collaborative initiative run by Forward Scotland, the Scottish Community Foundation and the Scottish Community Development Centre, and funded by The Big Lottery Fund. It offers three ways for groups to access the knowledge and skills they need to make a lasting difference for their communities - Our Community, Our Future; Sus It Out Plus and Achieving Community Empowerment.

Social Enterprise Workshops - we flagged these up a few weeks ago but details of venues and times are now available. Topics include Sales and Marketing and Cashflow planning on 18th May in Woodhill House, Aberdeen, Getting your message across on 3rd June in Stonehaven, Legal Structures on 15th June in Inverurie, Planning and Delivery 15th June in Inverurie. All courses will be delivered by Firstport and costs are from £25 for one workshop to £55 for all 5 - a bargain! For further information or to book a place contact Diane/Shirley at the CVS Training Initiative on 01358 722205 or email: cvstraininginitiative.org.u

Interested in Community shops?The Plunkett Foundation has launched a new online network for those involved in community shops across the UK. The website has a range of features, including information on setting up and running a community shop and opportunities to network with other community retailers. You can find out more in New online network for community owned shops.

YouthLink Cashback for Communities - this fund has reopened in an amended form providing up to £2,000 for uniformed youth organisations (eg Scouts and Boys Brigade) or registered Youth Clubs. A series of Roadshows to help groups with application forms is being held across the country - for dates and locations click here. Closing date for 1st round is June 1st.

CSV Action Earth programme is open for 2010 - up to £250 for environmental projects. For more information click here.

Grampain Racial Equalities Council are holding a FREE Funding Awareness Seminar in Aberdeen on 30th March between 11am and 2pm at the Langstane Housing offices, 680 King Street, Aberdeen. To book a place contact Sarah Campbell at GREC as soon as possible Tel: 01224 595505 Email to scampbell@grec.co.uk

Free Design Training for community physical regeneration projects. The Glass-House is offering free support which can include guidance on design briefs; specialist advice from design / regeneration professionals; study visits and more. The advice could be over the phone, or in the form of a personal visit from an advisor. For further information, have a look at their website . (This information is taken from the excellent SCotLaNd News Digest which drops in to our emailbox every month and is full of interesting information especially on community land Iisues - well worth signing up to )

People's Millions now open again for applications. Through this fund, BIG wants to fund projects that transform the local environment or provide opportunities or facilities to allow people to take part and enjoy their local area. BIG are particularly interested in supporting community-based projects that can show that they will increase community involvement or help people who are most in need. Closing date is 14th May. Full information available here.

Running a Summer Playscheme? Two possible sources of funding: Grants of up to £1,000 for Summer Playschemes are offered to charities by the Woodward Trust. Applications must be in by the beginning of April. Also Lankelly Chase provide 120 grants up to £500 each if you are specifically working with children escaping domestic violence or who are carers.

New round announced! The People's Postcode Trust have funding of between £500 to £10,000 available for three-month projects. Funded through the the People's postcode lottery, the funding is available for projects which can show visible results after around three months. The Trust has six subject areas where it wants to focus its money, including environmental protection and community development. Applications to the current round of funding need to be submitted by April 23rd 2010 and you can find further information on our Toolbox by clicking here .

Got a project that works across the generations? The Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice is making available a limited number of grants to small organisations in Scotland, from £250 to £750, through our one-off Micro Grants
But hurry as the Programme has a closing date of 31st March 2010.
Full details can be found at http://www.scotcip.org.uk/Microgrant.html

CVS Training Courses for April- A variety of courses are being held across Aberdeenshire including Health and Safety and Risk Assessment, Management Committee Skills and Fit for Funding.For full details of costs, venues etc contact: Diane/Shirley at CVS on 01358 722205 or admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

Aberdeenshire Council’s draft revised Parks and Open Spaces Strategy is now available for public consultation. The consultation period will run from 5th March until 16th April 2010. Members of the public are being asked to respond using a questionnaire which is available on the Council’s website, together with the Strategy document and accompanying SEA - http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/parks/index.asp. Anyone who does not have access to a computer, or would prefer to view a hard copy of the document, is advised to contact the Open Space Strategy
team on 01467-627613. Copies of the material can then be made available at your nearest library.

Want to learn to Skye, Twitter, Email, Facebook, on-line banking? Then sign up for one of the Small Bytes courses being advertised in Buchan IT and E-Learning Service (BITES) Spring Schedule.As well as these new ventures a wide variety of classes are scheduled including the popular Publisher, Powerpoint, ECDL, Digital photography and many others. All held at the Community Service Centre in Maud. Classes are small so space is limited. Make sure and sign up soon by contacting BITES on 01771 619181 or for further details on their training packages please contact denise@bitesonline.org

Great opportunity for Social Enterprises in Aberdeen city and shire. Firstport are offering a series of Business Development Workshops between April and June in Aberdeen and Inverurie. These are FREE for new social enterprises (for criteria see the website link below ), or costs vary from £25 for one workshop to £60 for all six. . Topics include Sales and Marketing, Cash Flow Planning and legal structures. Book direct with Firstport on their website but hurry as these will go quickly! For more information on support for social enterprise follow our Toolbox link here.

Aspire to Enterprise the Scottish Government business support programme is entering its third year and is looking for a new batch of applicants who meet the following eligibility criteria: Are already trading, Have a minimum total turnover of £60K per annum and an upper limit of approx £800k and can benefit from tailored development assistance prior to accessing mainstream support?

Those successful in accessing the programme will receive a business health check and a tailored programme of support to develop their trading capacity. Support could cover Business planning, financial planning, Market research and marketing, Investment readiness and raising finance and Legal support.

Inter Community Visits Fund: There is still some funding available from Transition Scotland for individuals or groups to visit projects in Scotland that they'd like to learn from.
So get in touch and let them know what you'd like to do, from getting a bus down the road to look at the new recycling scheme to hiring a minibus for your whole group to do a tour of community garden projects and they'll foot the bill. Contact Eva at.eva@transitionscotland.org.

Are you involved, or interested in, community paths? Then the Local People, Local Paths conference may be for you. The event will be held at SNH's Battleby Conference Centre on Wednesday 24th March, and will provide an opportunity for community groups and agencies that are developing, managing or promoting paths to meet, share experiences and ideas and plan ahead. But hurry as places are limited. The deadline for bookings is Monday 1st March 2010. To book a place contact: 01259 218 888 . Email: info@pathsforall.org.uk

Are you in your 50s or 60s with an new idea that could be turned into live community projects which would improve the lives of older people (in their 70s or 80s? NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) has funding for such projects in Scotland called Age Unlimited. But closing date is the 1st March so click here now to register for one of their workshops where applications are discussed.

The Lankelly Chase Foundation has a funding programme entitled Local people, local places, which aims to help local organisations find long term solutions to local issues and engage individuals to transform communities for the benefit of all. Applications are sought from community owned and managed organisations for either revenue or capital grants up to £50,000. Their guidelines state that priority for capital grants will be given to organisations working in more remote rural areas of the UK. You can find further information on our Toolbox.

How to write a Tender - Are you a Third Sector organisation interested in getting public service contracts but don't know how to write a tender? Then this is a great opportunity for you. Free interactive workshops are being offered by CEIS this year will include contributions from experts, including procurement practitioners and organisations with experience of successful tender writing. The programme has been designed for introductory, intermediate and advanced levels. Venues and dates across Scotland. Click here for further details and to book your place, or phone 0141 425 2946.

Is your organisation is an enterprising third sector body? Then you can find out about Scottish Government support here.. But don't forget to check out our Social Enterprise pages on the Toolbox.

Also you can register for free on the

- Public Contracts Scotland website http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk - registering means that you will automatically be made aware of contract opportunities on the theme(s) in which you have expressed an interest
- Suppliers Development Programme http://www.sdpscotland.co.uk/home.aspx - this will give you opportunities to receive support to help you develop as a supplier of services to the public sector

A Celebration of Volunteering, organised by Banff and Buchan Community Planning Partnership, is being held at the United Reform Church, Mid St, Fraserburgh on Saturday 20th March from 10am - 3pm. A wide range of workshops will be on offer ranging from advice on doing Risk Assessments to Assertiveness Techniques. This event is free. For more information on all the workshops on offer and further details click here.

CVS Training Courses for March - Disciplinary and Grievance and Termination of Employment on 16th March in Stonehaven (closing date for registration 2nd March); First Aid on 25th March in Peterhead (closing date for registration 11th March); An Introduction to Social Accounting on 14th April in Laurencekirk (closing date for registration 6th April). For full details of costs, venues etc contact: Diane/Shirley at CVS on 01358 722205 or admin@cvstraininginitiative.org.uk

The latest North Aberdeenshire Health Newsletter (NOAH) is available here. It is full of information on a wealth of health issues, workshops, consultations, course information etc.

Sink or Swim: The Future of Community Owned Leisure Facilities
Oban 11 & 12 March 2010 - the first ever national conference for social enterprises that run swimming pools or leisure centres. For further information email mike.geraghty@absen.org.uk

Are you a volunteer driver for voluntary and statutory organisations? Then this course organised by DAB plus c.i.c. and to be held in Maud may be for you MiDAS for Cars and MPV’s , 18th February 2010 , 09:00 – 16:00, £50.00 per person, Tea, coffee and light lunch provided. Anyone interested in taking part in the course should contact the office direct on 01771 619191, or e-mail admin@dialabus.org.uk

Do you want to inspire YOUR community to take action on Sustainability and Climate Change? If so you might be interested in taking part in the BTCV Scotland Sustainable Communities Mentorship Programme which aims to develop a network of Sustainable Community Mentors throughout Scotland through a series of regional training and support programmes. During the 2 day FREE workshops participants will work on developing their own unique skills, producing Action Plans for their communities and learning tools to take forward practical Community Projects to improve the local environment and take action for a more sustainable planet. One course will be held in Aberdeen on 11th and 12th of March with a closing date for applications of 26th February. For more information, contact Kerry Riddell, 01848 200381 or k.riddell@btcv.org.uk To download an application form click here.

YouthScotland's Training events in Aberdeenshire for the first 6 months of 2010 have been announced. Aimed at youth leaders or young people they offer a wide range of topics including: Emergency First Aid, Conflict Resulution,Board Meetings for workers, Self esteem. For a list of dates or to make a reservation on the course Michele Meehan, YouthScotland, on (0131) 554 2561, e-mail: michele.meehan@youthscotland.org.uk or download
a copy of the booking form at www.youthscotland.org.uk/training/training.htm.

Third Sector Forums is a free to join, highly active, UK-focused online-community bringing together social entrepreneurs, volunteers and charity professionals. The site has over 600 members and almost 4000 posts have been created on a variety of topics including funding, governance, campaigning and social media. Third sector organisations can also list events and training opportunities on the site for free. For more information visit www.thirdsectorforums.co.uk

Attention all registered Charities!Are you sure that you are keeping up to date with OSCR regulations? Remember that Charities have a duty to inform OSCR about the following changes no later than three months after the change has taken place.if the Principal contact changes; if the contact details of the existing Principal Contact changes; if the accounting year end date has changed; if changes unrelated to purposes are made to the constitution; when any change consented to by OSCR is implemented. To brush up on your responsibilities go to the OSCR website www.oscr.org.uk and sign up for their regular newsletter at the same time.

Some new or updated funds to check out on the Toolbox - Healthy Hearts, Children in Need.

Need funding for Church or Church hall repairs or developments? - go to the National Churches Trust page on the Toolbox for information on how you can access funding to improve your place of worship.

Grants for planting Trees - The Tree Council's funding programme is now open for 2010 with a closing date of mid-March for applications. Click here for details.

New IT training events at Buchan IT & E-Learning Service (Bites) at the Community Service Centre in Maud. beginning February 2010 include:- Computers don’t bite (XP and Vista) 8 week 2 hour sessions; Computers don’t bite plus (XP and Vista) 8 week 2 hour sessions; Digital Photography (Picassa and Photoshop) 8 weeks 2 hour sessions; Easter special - cards, leaflets and labels (Word/Pub) 8 weeks 2 hour sessions; ECDL classes daytime and evening (limited spaces available) - weekly

A full range of training opportunities is scheduled for the Spring of 2010, contact staff for advice and information on your individual requirements on 01771 619181 or by email: denise@bitesonline.org

Is there a branch of the Alliance and Leicester or Santander near you? If so you could apply to the Santander Foundation for a grant of up to £10,000 to work with disadvantaged people on education, training or to improve financial capability. Check out the Toolbox information here.

New Heritage Lottery Fund - Skills for the Future Programme to increase heritage skills eg dry stone walling, masonry, thatching etc. Only one chance to apply for this fund - the closing date is in March. For more information go to our page on the Toolbox by clicking here.

An extension to the deadline for Rural Priorities applications has been announced. Applicants now have until 25th January 2010 to submit for the next round instead of 11th January.

The Business Know How North East Partners have announced their programme of Knowledge-Exchange workshops for 2010.But HURRY as these are filling up FAST!These interactive workshops are for third sector delegates from Aberdeen City and Shire and are suitable for organisations of all sizes aspiring to diverse their income streams and more effectively pursue their aims. Half day events are free (limited to 2 delegates per organisation) and full day events cost £10 but that includes lunch. Topics include Introduction to Fundraising and Intro to Charitable trusts and a variety of Business Know-How workshops. For full details of courses go to their website or to book places email funding@acvo.org.uk

BBC Children in Need Small Grants - up to £10,000 for groups working to make a real difference in the lives of those under 18 years of age. The grant can cover capital or revenue costs. For more information click here.

NCVO's Trustee and Governance Information Centre has now been launched. It contains a wealth of information for trustees, boards and anyone working in third sector governance. Click here for website

MIDAS Training dates with spaces available in 2010 (run by Buchan Dial-A-Community Bus). Monday 15th February; Wednesday; 10th March;Thursday 8th April ;Monday 10th May;Tuesday 15th June; Wednesday 14th July;Thursday 12th August; Monday 20th September; Tuesday 19th October; Monday 22nd November; Thursday 16th December

All training above is to be carried out at DAB offices in Maud. If you wish to organise training at your own venue, please contact them to arrange dates; additional dates can be added at request.

Cost: Full Accessible £70 Standard £60 Refresher £50 If you wish to use one of their buses for a MiDAS drive, there is an additional charge of £20.00

If you wish to arrange either a theory only, or a drive only, please contact the office. All courses will commence at 08:45 for a registration period and finish at 16:00 Light lunch and refreshments provided 10% discount offered for 6 or more delegates from one organisation .

To book your place contact the DAB office on 01771 619191 or email admin@dialabus.org.uk

Business Gateway are running fully funded workshops for Business Startups and for Growing Business between January and March 2010 in Aberdeen city and shire. All courses are delivered FREE OF CHARGE but PRE BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL
Please advise them well in advance of any specific requirements
To look at the programme and to book a place on any of the Business Gateway workshops go to www.bgateway.com/events or call 01224 289725

Youth Consultation in Buchan - Fit Div Ye Think Aboot Far Ye Bide! As part of the Youth Consultation youth work staff, Young People from Central Buchan Youth Forum and Grampian Police will be visiting the following villages to carry out focus group interviews. This an open invitation for representatives from the local Community Councils and the local Community Planning group to join them to find out the thoughts and views of the local young people. Wednesday 20th January New Pitsligo 7pm - 9pm; Wednesday 27th January Longside 7pm - 9pm; Wednesday 3rd February New Deer 7pm - 9pm; Wednesday 10th February Hatton 7pm - 9pm. If you are interested you can contact Audrey Douglas, Senior Community Learning worker on 01771 622254 who will then keep you up to date with venues etc.

The Development Trust Association for Scotland latest e-newsletter is now available on their website and is fulll of interesting information about training opportunities, new funding and how to download useful Memorandum and Articles. Click here to follow the link.

The People's Postcode Trust have funding of between £500 to £10,000 available for three-month projects. Funded through the the People's postcode lottery, the funding is available for projects which can show visible results after around three months. The Trust has six subject areas where it wants to focus its money, including environmental protection and community development. Applications to the current round of funding need to be submitted by April 23rd 2010 and you can find further information on our Toolbox by clicking here .

BDP know from Planning for Real exercises that the issue of Dog Fouling is top of the problem list. If this is your concern you might be interested in being proactive in setting up a Green Dog Walkers Scheme devised by a community group in Denny. and now rolled out across Falkirk Council's area. It involves signing "a pledge" to be a responsible dog owner , wearing a green arm band to signify support and encouraging others to do likewise. Further information is available here. If you are interested in setting up a local groupthen contact your local Community Planning Officer ( in Buchan - Steph Swales steph.swales@aberdeenshire.gov.uk)

Attention 10 - 14 yr olds! Get a chance to turn your project in to reality through attending a 3 day training course and get £200 in funding towards your idea. Network Rail's NO MESSIN' programme is just the thing for you. Download details today!.

BT Community Connections scheme. If your group is looking to get online you can apply for a laptop and year’s free broadband connection today in Round 2 of the BT Community Connections Scheme.! (But you have to go online to do so!). More information available on the Toolbox by clicking here or you can apply at www.btcommunityconnections.com. Just remember to complete your application by Thursday 7 January 2010 at 17.30. A list of all winners will be available on the website on Monday 8 March 2010.

Funding available for winter celebrations! If you run a group for older people why not apply for a Winter Celebration Grant from Age Concern. Upto £500 is available towards the cost of winter celebrations‚ outings‚ or one-off events - for example‚ theatre trips‚ day outings‚ parties‚ and dinners. Download an application form here or contact them for a form on 020 8765 7738, but hurry as the closing date is 11th December

All SCVO member Village Halls can now purchase their energy collectively using their ability to buy directly from the wholesale markets dramatically reducing their risk and exposure to this volatile To help reduce your costs SCVO has teamed up with Utility Aid, specialist energy consultants to the charity and not-for-profit sector. Utility Aid provide a FREE energy procurement service and have recently set up a new market leading energy purchasing scheme which allows you to buy your gas and electricity directly from the wholesale market. Recently halls in the Highlands joined this scheme to great results. To take advantage of this scheme.All you need to do is send a copy of your latest utility bills along with the attached letter of authority to ; Utility Aid Ltd, 6 Market Street. Sleaford. Lincolnshire NG34 7SF

Utility Aid will then send you a contract for entry into the wholesale energy basket scheme which commences again on 1st April 2010,

NB CLOSING DATE 25.12.2009

If your existing contract is not aligned, please don't worry because Utility Aid will procure a short term contract for you at the cheapest price available that will align you to the wholesale basket.If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact Paul or his team on the details listed below;

VISIT : www.utility-aid.co.uk/charityenergybasket/ For full details or contact Lotte Harrison
Sales Executive T: 0808 178 8170 (freephone)

Training for Social Enterprises - Aberdeenshire CVS Training Initiative ,through liaison with Social Enterprise Academy, First Port and Social Firms Scotland, is organising a range of training in 2010 targeted at the Social Enterprise Sector. But they need to know what the need is and what sort of training you are looking for . If you are interested contact Shirley Leask by 30th November on 01358 722205.

New Funding streams open - Sport for Change, Computers for Rural People, The Scottish Community Foundation whose donors include some with a particular interest in the Aberdeen/shire area,and would welcome applications to supportprojects in the area that it might match to their funds. Bovril has announced a new fund - Repair the Great Outdoors - to help communities repair outside facilities. You nominate and then vote for projects and the 5 projects with most votes get the funding. There are not many nominations for Scotland yet. It is worth looking at the website just for the fun value!. UnLtd 2010 Millennium Awards (Level 2) competition for Social Entrepreneurs is now open with closing date of 22nd March 2010. Looking for funding for Arts and Crafts in the community - check out the Making a Splash grant.

Third Sector Resilience Fund just opened for 5 week period - must close on 4th December!. This Government fund has the potential to give immediate help to Third Sector organisations to mitigate the twin impacts of recession on some organisations of increased demand for their services and cash flow difficulties. Grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 will potentially be available to Third Sector organisations which can demonstrate how the recession has led to increased demand or significantly undermined their services. The fund could cover core costs, overheads, marketing but not buildings.

You will need to hurry to apply - all the guidance notes and application forms are available on the website. For further information you can contact one of the team - Polly Chapman - 01463 663 918;
Mary Lyden - 0141 305 4176; Gareth Allen - 0141 271 3775; Ricky Gachagan - 0141 271 3740;
Guthrie Handley - 0141 305 4172

Do you live in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire? If so, you will want to sign up for Formartine Partnership Ltd's newly re-launched E- Bulletin which will be emailed out 5 or 6 times a year filled with news of the Partnership and community groups in the area and packed with useful information. To join the mailing list contact Rod Gunson on rod.gunson@formartine.org.uk or telephone 01358 726452.

Interested in Environmental Issues around the coastal area? Why not attend East Grampain Coastal Partnership's (EGCP) Annual Forum and AGM on Tuesday, 24th November at the Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen from 10am (for AGM ) or Regstration from 10.30am until 3.40pm. The morning session will focus on the upcoming Marine Bill, while the afternoon will be dedicated to Green Tourism with a number of workshops and speakers. The event is free of charge. To register contact Ian Hay on 01224 395151 or email i.hay@macaulay.ac.uk. Please state any dietary requirements.

The BBC has announced that the next funding round of the BBC Children in Needis now open for applications; the next closing date will be the 15th January 2010, with grant decisions and notifications in late April 2010.

The Scottish Government has announced a major change to the way that rural community facilities will be funded through the Scotland Rural Development Programme. The Rural Community Services and Facilities option will shortly be transferred from Rural Priorities into the LEADER programme. More information will appear on the Toolbox when available

Go Play is a new programme being run by Inspiring Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government which aims to help registered charities within the play sector in Scotland grow and offer increased opportunities for play to children in Scotland aged 5 to13 years. Not all of the funding strands apply to Aberdeenshire but full information on what you can apply for can be found on our Toolbox by clicking here. A closing date is being set for the beginning of November so it is important to get off the mark as soon as possible!

The Mary Salmond Trust now has a website from which application forms can be downloaded. Click here for further details from our Toolbox.

Need some Software? Eligible charities can register with the Charity Technology Exchange scheme, which gives them access to donated technology products from organisations such as Microsoft andCisco. The charity can select suitable products from an on-line catalogue and apply
to receive them. An administrative fee is charged for each application, but you can still expect to make
savings of over 90% on standard retail prices. You can find further information and eligibility
details at http://www.ctxchange.org

Scottish Arts Council - has a number of new awards available including Amb:IT:ion Scotland a new programme aimed at helping arts organisations achieve sustainable organisational change and improve their capacity for audience engagement, through implementing integrated IT and digital development; Writing and Storytelling Fellowships and Scotland's Artist in Residence programme. Much of the funding is for professional groups but some is suitable for community groups.Check out our Toolbox page.

Ellon Rotary Community Grant - up to a maximum £1,000 is available for projects in the area covered by Ellon Rotary (this includes the south of Buchan) developing initiatives and improvement within the following sectors:-Education, Community,Environmental, Local Charities and any other socially responsible areas. Details available from our Toolbox by clicking here.

Good news for funding for Community facilities - there has been a substantial rise in Community Grant Rates within Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Following the recommendations of Peter Cook, whose review was published in June, the Governmenthas announed changes to the grant rate for community projects. All new applications coming in under the Community Services and Facilities (CSF) option will be considered for a 90% grant rather than the 50% currently in operation. The new grant rate will apply to projects approved from Spring 2010 onwards. Further details of dates for 2010 assessment rounds will be announced shortly but information on all the strands of SRDP funding can be found on our Toolbox.

Want to plant some trees? The Woodland Trust in Scotland has launched a new scheme to encourage as many people as possible to plant new native woodlands. Successful applicants will get assistance with the design of new woodlands and with the submission of a funding application to the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). If the SRDP application is successful the Trust will then organise contractors to undertake the planting and maintenance work. The scheme is available to all landowners in Scotland who wish to plant up a minimum of one hectare of land. You can find further details here .

Computer technology for registered charities - Registered charities can take part in the Charity Technology Exchange scheme, which gives them access to donated technology products from organisations such as Microsoft and Cisco.

Charities need to register with the scheme first, to confirm they are eligible. Once accepted, the charity can select suitable products from an on-line catalogue and apply to receive them. An administrative fee is charged for each application, but you can still expect to make savings of over 90% on standard retail prices. You can find further information and eligibility details here .

Are you a community or charitable organisation that is looking for IT equipment and wants to get online? If so, you can apply for a BT Community Connections award today. Find out how to go about it by clicking here to take you to the relevant page on our Toolbox

WOODLAND CONSULTATION COMMENCES on Aden Country Park and Nether Aden woodland strips. The consultatation ended on 14th September but it might still be possible to input by contacting the number below.

Aberdeenshire Council is developing a series of woodland management plans for Council owned woods across Aberdeenshire, including those at Aden, which will : List the features of the woodland; Identify the management objectives for the site; Set priorities for action over the next five years

Aberdeenshire Council would like to hear the views of local residents on these woodlands to help inform and identify priorities for future management as well as the resources required over the next 5 years.A short questionnaire is available by request from Aberdeenshire Council: e-mail: wiat@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or Telephone number: 01467 628574.

Paths for All are currently trying to find out about any groups that are working to develop, maintain, and promote paths in their local area. They want to improve the support they can offer such groups and gather some feedback about a networking conference they will be organising for next year. If you would like to be on their database and input in to the planned conference contact fiona.mcinally@pathsforall.org.uk

Business Know How North East - are offering two new programmes providing access to business skillsto help develop your organisation and its financial sustainability - .Realise Mentoring and Business on Board. Full details are available on our Toolbox.

Funding for Tourism. The National Events Programme, run by EventScotland, offers funding to support events taking place outside Edinburgh and Glasgow which increase tourism and raise the profile of Scotland's regions.

The next funding round closes on October 2nd and will provide support for events taking place between 1 May 2010 and 30 April 2011. Events should have some confirmed financial support from appropriate agencies; inspire and involve local communities and generate economic benefits amongst other criteria. For further information, click here to the Toolbox Link.

Changes to Rural Priorities, part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme Applicants to the scheme can now bypass the Statement of Intent assessment stage if they choose. The bypass is at your own risk as you get no feedback on your proposals, but it does significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to get a proposal completed. It looks like there may be plans to provide an option to completely bypass the Statement of Intent stage in the future.

Forestry projects will now be assessed on an on-going basis, rather than just at the committee meetings - again this should speed things up as the assessment committees only meet three times a year. It'll only apply to non-contenious applications with a total value of £250,000 or less. For all other projects, the deadline for the next assessment round is fast approaching, with applications needing to be submitted by August 31st and committed by September 21st. You can find further information on the Toolbox.

Announcing a new publication by Andy Wightman (who has spoken at our BDP Forum) - Community Land Rights. A Citizen's Guide. It provides an overview of land rights belonging to communities, sources and techniques for undertaking research and a series of short case studies. It is of use to anyone seeking to investigate local land rights either on behalf of their community on on a personal basis. It includes

• an overview of community land rights
• research sources and techniques including how to interrogate the only ever comprehensive map-based survey of landownership in GB and Ireland - the Lloyd George 1910 Land Valuation Survey
• a series of case studies

Copies at £15 plus £2 p&p are available from http://www.andywightman.com/shop.htm

from where you can download a contents page.

Has your community got the "X Factor"? If you have you will be interested to know that moves are afoot to gauge interest in an inter-community competition in Aberdeenshire provisionally called Oor Talent. The idea would be that each Community will hold their own Oor Talent Competition and from their own deciding concert, the top three acts will compete against winners from all the other areas. The final winner and runners up, including the last 12 acts from this, will form a touring concert and perform throughout Aberdeenshire in each of the areas that signs up to this idea.

DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY to help your local talent be recognised. The more people that sign up, the more finance will be available and remember, you will be engaging and helping your Community. So sign up now by contacting John Lewis, Chair of Donside Community Council either by post or email 2, Hay's Court, Alford, Aberdeenshire AB33 8GE Email johnlewis101@btinternet.com

We all know of people in Buchan who have made an outstanding contribution to their community. Then why not nominate them for THE QUEEN'S AWARD FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE? The Award is a national honour equivalent to the MBE but it relies on nominations.Check out their website or telephone them for more details.
Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, Consolidated, 22 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AD
Telephone: 020 7781 2397
Email: queensaward@consolidatedpr.com
http://www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk

Interested in Tourism? If so, why don't you have a look at the Tourism!nnovat!onGroup website (yes, it does have those exclamation marks in the title!) It is full of details of different tourism initiatives in Scotland which might give you some ideas and you can sign up for a e-newsletter which will keep you up to date with all the latest developments in Tourism.

Some new funding opportunties have been put on the Toolbox. Click on the links for more information - Cruden Foundation Grants Fund - for community groups; Unltd Sports Relief Programme - to help young people participate in sport; Scottish International Education Trust - helps individuals and community groups contribute to the cultural, social and economic wellbeing of Scotland.

Land reform (Scotland) Act: Community Right To Buy - The Scottish Government's Community Assets Branch has recently published revised guidance on using Part 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (Community right to buy provisions). For an electronic copy click here.

The Scottish Government have also produced a Rural Communities Mapping Tool, designed to help Community Bodies identify their communities. It can be used to identify areas of excluded land, postcode units and sectors and settlement areas. The Mapping Tool is available on-line by clicking here

They have also produced a revised application form for registrations of interest under the community right to buy legislation, which is the same form for re-registrations. To download a copy visit the Scottish Government website

Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership (ACPP) latest e-bulletin is available by clicking here. If you haven't already discovered it have a look at the the ACPP website ouraberdeenshire.org.uk which is full of very useful information, from shire wide policy information down to local initiatives.

People's Postcode Trust - has recently opened and provides funding up to £2,000 for non-charities and up to £10,000 for a wide range of community projects. Check out the Toolbox for full details

BIGLottery Fund - following a major consultation process the BIG has unveiled its funding strategy for the next six years. In Scotland they plan to continue with some elements of the Investing in Communities programme and will link in with the Scottish Government's priorities. There is still some "improving and refocusing" to be done so the programme won't open for applications until June 2010. In the meantime, Awards for All and Investing in Ideas will continue to take applications in Scotland for grants of up to £10,000. Full details of these are on our Toolbox.

You can find a full copy of the strategy here and the Scotland specific details can be found on page 17

OSCR news. The Scottish charity regulator (OSCR) and the Institute of Fundraising have published new guidance on charity fundraising in Scotland. The guidance is in response to the Charities and Benevolent Fundraising (Scotland) regulations which came into force on July 1st, 2009. The regulations specify how charity fundraisers must operate in terms of both the charity itself and the donating public. The guidance covers street fundraising, door-to-door collections and telephone fundraising. Further information on cash and goods collections is expected to be clarified in additional regulations, due for production in 2010.

You can find further information on the new regulations and a copy of the guidance here .

Business Gateway are providing fully funded workshops for Start-up Businesses and Growing Businesses in the North East. To be held in Aberdeen, Inverurie and Peterhead between July and September, the topics will included Start-up, finances and grants, taxes, employing people and many others. For more information on how to book visit the website.

A new resource for Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises - A major new web resource for social entrepreneurs has just gone live in the form of www.socialenterpriselive.com - the new website for Social Enterprise magazine.

Social Enterprise aims to be the most engaging, informative and useful resource for people who are passionate about changing lives, building communities and nurturing the environment through business and entrepreneurship.

Are you a Charity worried about the effects of the current recession? The Charity Commission and the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) have joined forces to produce a checklist of fifteen questions which they believe charities should consider, to help them survive the current recession.

Although the Charity Commission only regulates charities in England and Wales, the questions are pertinent to any organisation that needs to keep its head above the financial waters. They cover strategy, governance, financial health and use of resources and are headlined as 'Big Board Talk - the conversation all charities need to have'. You can find the questions and some pointers to further information (but be aware that some links will be England and Wales specific) here .

Free mentoring support for enterprising third sector organisations. Support in the form of mentoring is available for third sector organisations who want to develop their skills.Supported by a range of organisations including the Scottish Government, groups can access confidential mentoring from business mentors with various backgrounds. The assistance can last for up to twelve months and can be on a one-to-one, group or on-line basis. To get further information and find out if your organisation is eligible, have a look at their website .

Big Issue Invest is launching a Social Enterprise Investment Fund. This will provide risk capital for social enterprises that have the capacity for scale, profitability and significant social impact. They will be looking to finance the growth of existing social enterprises and businesses, but will also consider early stage businesses that have a strong business model and management. Investment may be used for a variety of purposes, for example, working capital, asset purchase or acquisitions of other businesses, converting them into social enterprises. Investments will be from £50,000 to £500,000, with the possibility of additional future investment depending on the success of the business. They seek to be actively involved as a strategic partner, typically through Board representation. Fuller details will be posted on the Toolbox when they become available but in the meantime you can keep an eye on their website for further details.

150 stacking hall chairs available from Harvest Church, Peterhead in quite good condition - FREE but to be collected. Contact Margaret Baird on 01779 838797 or by email: margaret.w.baird@btinternet.com

Comic Relief Funding Programme announced - Click here to view the new Programmes. . The funding for community project has been devolved to the Scottish Community Foundation and comprises a Main programme and Express Grants for amounts up to £2,000.

BBC Children in Need - Fun and Friendship, a grant programme for disabled young people. This has opened for short period with final closing dates on 31st July. All information can be found on the Fun and Friendship website.

18 funding surgeries are being held across Scotland to help youth organisations apply to the CashBack for Communities Fund (up to £10,000 available for grants for projects which support young people who are currently involved or at risk of becoming involved in violence, alcohol, drugs and or anti-social behaviour.)

First time applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a surgery before submitting an application form.Participants can attend any surgery, however to reserve a place they must email Hazel Selby at
hselby@youthlink.co.uk providing their contact details and indicating which surgery they wish
to attend. Details of the surgery locations and times are available here.
NB Organisations seeking funding for summer school holiday projects must submit
an application immediately so that an assessment and decision can be made as soon as
possible. This will enable their award to be processed for a July start.

Unltd Advantage - is a premier investment readiness programme in the social enterprise sector, preparing social enterprises for introduction to the appropriate investment provider. For more information on how this could benefit your social enterprise click here.

Funding for Rural Communities - A further two funding rounds for Rural Priorities will take place in 2009 - one in August and one in November The deadline for completed applications to be assessed in August is June 22 and for November it will be September 21. Details of the SRDP programme can be found on our Toolbox by clicking here.

Village SOS! We're sure there are communities in Buchan who could apply for this!

The search is on for six UK villages with fewer than 3,000 people with a great business idea that will bring new life to their community. The best ideas will receive funding of up to £400,000 each from the Big Lottery Fund. Go to the BIG Lottery website for information

They are also looking for six Village Champions, enterprising individuals who will work with the successful villages to launch and run their brand new businesses.The BBC is looking for individuals with a can-do attitude and a track record of running a successful enterprise or project. Village Champions will move to their new community for a year and will each receive a £30,000 pa salary. Click here to apply.

Their stories will be followed for a major primetime series for BBC One in winter 2010. Closing date for both applications is 14th August.

Are you looking for specialised help with your project? Why not contact The Pool which is Development Trust Association Scotland's (DTAS) new practitioner consultancy service, a collaboration between DTAS and its member trusts. It draws on the unique and very valuable asset that lies within DTAS members, staff and wider contacts - a wealth of grassroots expertise and knowledge of community regeneration, asset development and cultivating local enterprise. It has been established to give communities a consultancy service made up of experts in their field and at the same time further the aims and objectives of ,and generate income fo, DTAS and member trusts. For full details click here.

Aberdeenshire Health Improvement Fund has just opened. The sole purpose of the fund is to support Health Improvement work and address inequalities in health across Aberdeenshire. The fund can be accessed by anyone who is working towards improving the health of the local community or communities of interest in a way that meets local needs and reflects local circumstances. Grants normally up to £1,000. Guidance on the applications including full details on Criteria can be found here, together with details of the area contacts for the Public Health Co-ordinators who can provide application forms and discuss your project. Closing date for applications is Friday 26th June

ILA (Individual Learning Acccount) Funded training now available at Bites which has now become an approved ILA centre. Please contact ILA Scotland on 0808 100 1090 to see if you eligible to apply for up to £200.00 towards a course.

Forthcoming training courses at Bites include Digital Photography, Computers don’t Bite, Computer Husbandry, MS applications (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher), ECDL. NB you must have ILA funding before registering on any funded course.

For further information on any of BITES courses, contact Denise or Janet 01771 619181.

Village Halls - if you run a village/community hall have you checked out SCVO's dedicated Village Halls website? It's a one stop shop for news, information and networking for anyone involved in managing a village hall or community building in Scotland. There are lots of examples of successful hall projects looking at funding, using renewable energy and even how to process your bookings. Go to their website to see what they have to offer.

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Some new funding......Looking for funding for a Feasibility Study? - then have a look on the Toolbox at the Scottish Community Projects Grant which can fund up to £2,000 for Architect's fees as part of this.

Or for a small amount of funding (upto £750) with few strings attached and a wide criteria the Wakeham Trust might be for you.

East Grampian Coastal Partnership's (EGCP) Community Grant Scheme provides upto £1,000 for environmental work in their area.

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Help with Renewable Energy projects - The Scottish Government has developed a Community Renewable Energy Toolkit packed with information on how to decide on the best type of renewable energy for your community project. It does not assume any detailed knowledge of the topic and so allows you to decide where to start - whether this means looking at the basics of energy generation and use, or at specific detail of a particular renewable energy technology. For more information and a link to the Toolkit click here. You will also find information on this page relating directly to Aberdeenshire Council's advice on renewable energy and to the Energy 4All Scotland page which may be of interest if you are interested in linking with others doing renewable energy projects.

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All those interested in renewable energy will know of the Scottish Government's SCHRI Fund. This has now been rebranded as CARES (Communities and Renewable Energy Scheme) for communities, with help for individual householders being provided by Energy Saving Trust.

All the latest information on funding for renewable energy can be found on the Environment section ofour Toolbox.

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Have a look at the newly expanded Social Enterprise Section which can be found under the Support for Small Business section of the Toolbox (by clicking on the section to the left of this page). Some recently added funding information includes the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund

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Thinking of starting a social enterprise but feeling you could benefit from some extra guidance? If so, the 'Starting your social enterprise' programme could be just what you need.... and at a bargain price of £100 for an 8 day programme.

Run by the Social Enterprise Academy, in conjunction with Firstport and Scotland UnLtd, the programme is taking place in both Edinburgh and Glasgow this summer. It's an eight day programme, spread over four two-day sessions with the first session starting in Edinburgh this month. Sessions include understanding social enterprise; developing your social enterprise; financial issues and action planning and a final presentation of your business plan in the dragon's den. Thanks to a subsidy from the Scottish Government, costs are capped at £100 per participant. You can find further information and booking details here .

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Future Jobs Fund - last month's budget included an announcement about the Future Jobs Fund, which aims to create jobs for those aged 18 - 24 who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. A key element of the scheme is that the jobs created should also bring some community benefit. Large organisations and partnerships of groups have been invited to bid for delivering the jobs and the Government are keen to see Social Enterprises working in partnership with other Enterprises or Local Authorities to bid for the funding. More details are on the Futures Jobs Fund page on the Toolbox.

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Fetterangus Community Association success!

A Growing Community Assets award of £380,443 will allow the Fetterangus Community Association (FCA) to take forward its ‘PUFF power’ project. This will enable the local community take its first steps towards independent green energy creation by purchasing and operating a wind turbine to generate a sustainable income stream for the community. Some of this income will be used to develop the community hall run by FCA including a new kitchen that will enable the group to set up a social enterprise called Puff Pastry providing healthy low cost meals to local residents. The project will also improve energy awareness by helping local households with energy efficiency measures, such as insulation and advice specific to their homes. The whole project arose from two Planning for Real(R) exercises carried out by FCA in recent years - it just shows what can be done when the community comes together to identify need and works together to take ideas forward.

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Attention all Social Enterprises! Social Investment Scotland is conducting a survey to find out about the needs of social enterprise for investment funding. By completing the survey, you will be contributing to the improvement and accessibility of investment funding for social enterprises throughout Scotland, including, hopefully, your own. As an additional incentive, they are offering a website audit by Bannerman Technology through a prize draw. The names of all organisations that complete the questionnaire will be entered inthe prize draw.
The intention of the survey is to improve investment products for social enterprise, so that
packages are more relevant, more sector specific and more affordable. The findings from the
survey results will be published on the SIS website and will be the focus for discussions about
improving funding for social enterprise with Scottish Government, social enterprises and
intermediaries with a social enterprise support role.
All information provided will be treated as confidential and will not be used in any way that allows
the details of individual social enterprises to be identified. The survey is being conducted by
means of an on-line questionnaire. The questionnaire seeks your opinions about investment
funding. It mainly requires tick responses to the questions. They estimate that it will take about 15
minutes to complete. The deadline for returns is Wednesday 20th May 2009. You can go straight
to the questionnaire at www.socialinvestmentscotland.com/survey.cfm

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Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration Fund - The Government are putting funds in to supporting the development of Town Centres. For details on who can apply and for what click here.

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New Fund for Sustainable Development Projects - The E.ON Sustainable Energy Fund has been developed to support community energy projects which either result in the production of energy from a sustainable source or which reduce the amount of energy used by a community organisation. Grants up to £20,000 available. Full details can be found by clicking on theToolbox link here.

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Funding for Forestry Projects - Details of two funds for forestry projects have been posted on the Toolbox, one for landowners nr towns Woodlands In and Around Towns and one for community groups Forestry For People Challenge Funds

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New online Aberdeenshire Disability Forum launched. Aberdeenshire Disability Action (ADA) has been hard at work developing a new forum for everyone to use. The new forum is being launched to enable and empower disabled people across the shire to have a platform to air their views, concerns and issues.Click here to access the site and take part in discussions - www.aberdeenshiredisabilityaction.org.

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Launch of the new Scotland National Rural Network website, which replaces the Rural Gateway website, has just been launched. It aims to connect rural Scotland in all its diversity to promote economic growth and community development.It provides news, information and networking opportunities for everyone living and working in rural Scotland, and helps them to keep in touch with similar communities in the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond. Through the use of interactive communication tools, it aims to facilitate the sharing of common issues and examples of good practice by rural development practitioners and stakeholders.

The site provides help with finding out about funding opportunities for a wide range of rural projects. It publicises events in Scotland and throughout the UK and Europe which will help promote sustainability and economic growth, and it disseminates information about innovative social, economic and environmental initiatives.

You can access the website and sign up to receive their email newsletter by clicking here.

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Attention all Charities - why not sign up for OSCR news. You can get all the uptodate news from OSCR if you sign up to receive their free two-monthly OSCR Recorder. Register to receive it by completing the simple online form at www.oscr.org.uk - it's quick and easy and keeps your charity up to speed.

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The Carnegie UK Trust UK has just published "Steps to successful Community-led Service Provision in Rural Areas". This is the result of a couple of years of research and features some interesting examples of community/sports centres that are being successfully run by communities.Click here to download the study. One of the aims of the research is "to advocate for a change in thinking and policy among government, statutory agencies, and funding bodies that allows them to enter into true, positive, forward thinking equal partnerships with community initiatives that between them have the ability, enthusiasm
and drive to create and sustain vibrant rural communities." It would be good if the results of this research contributed to that.

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Tourism - some new funding information for Tourism initiatives has been put on to the Toolbox so check them out if you are looking for funding for a project that will encourage more visitors to Scotland - VisitScotland Growth Fund and theTourism Innovation Fund. You might like to look at the Tourism Intelligence Scotland website which has a number of helpful publications on tourism that you can download.

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BDP’s Contribution to a major new Scottish Government Plan. On Monday the Scottish Govt launched its 'Community Empowerment Action Plan' in which the importance of strong local (anchor) organisations and asset ownership is clearly recognised. BDP was one of 12 groups selected from across Scotland to contribute to this document and Maud Village Trust features as one of the examples of excellent community development. You can have a look at the document here. Although there is no money set aside by the Government to specifically develop the actions identified in the plan the fact that Scottish Gov and COSLA have signed this joint statement of intent is in itself no small achievement.

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BTCV and BTCV Green Gym Activity Programme
BTCV Conservation volunteers work a full day on sites throughout Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. They aim to improve the local environment and access to it and increase biodiversity and encourage wildlife across our area. An excellent way to keep fit and do some good.
If you would like to find out more have a look at their activity programme for April to June 2009:

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Interested in Community Land issues and the Environment? Sign up to receive the Scottish Community Land Network e-bulletin which contains lots of interesting information. Go to their website to sign up.

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Help reduce your community’s carbon footprint and save money!

Does your community have any groups who want to work together to help improve the quality of life for present and future generations?

The Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) helps communities to realise their own projects for reduction of carbon emissions, and so bring about environmental, social and economic benefit.

Rural Partnerships in Aberdeenshire - including BDP - are looking for communities who want to be part of an Aberdeenshire-wide joint project which will also involve SCARF (Save Cash and Reduce Fuel) and the Macaulay Institute. It is intended to be a two-stage project. The first stage is to apply to CCF to fund a Project officer who will work with the communities who come forward, to develop their own projects and who will apply for funding for the second phase, to put these projects into fruition.

Some communities are developing projects of their own. However, one of the main benefits of participating in a joint application is that communities will have the potential to learn from, and support, each other and share expertise.

Examples of initiatives your community group could undertake:
• Help people in your village/town to save money with information on how to use less energy in their homes;
• Smart meters;
• Renewable energy projects;
• Improved insulation;
• Encourage people to walk and cycle more;
• Pilot low carbon food initiatives.

If you feel this is something groups in your community would like to be involved in, or if you just want to find out a bit more about the proposed Aberdeenshire application, please contact Dawn at BDP on 01771 613584 or by email

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New funding information is being added weekly to our Funding pages so keep checking them out. Latest information includes an update on the Voluntary Action Fund: Community Chest which provides up to £1,000 and free training. Click here for information. For bigger projects have a look at the Scottish Investment Fund recently launched by the Scottish Government.

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Make the most of YOUR right to know! The Scottish Information Commissioner has launched a new resource to support the voluntary sector in using the 'right to information' provided by Scotland's freedom of information laws. The new resource includes a web-portal with guidance on how to use freedom of information effectively and a telephone and email enquirey service. Visit their web-portal or call their enquiry service on 01334 464610 or email

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Do you want to see walking and cycling encouraged in Aberdeenshire? Then you might like to comment on a draft Walking and Cycling Action Plan which has been prepared by Aberdeenshire Council outlining the actions and policies that the Council will seek to implement to achieve its objectives for increased levels of walking and cycling, both or trips to work and leisure purposes.

The draft Action Plan is now subject to a six-week period of final public consultation and can be accessed from the Council's website www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/walkingandcycling

Written comments on the document are invited by email or by post to:
Mr Philip McKay, Strategy Manager, Walking and Cycling Action Plan,
Transportation and Infrastructure, Aberdeenshire Council, Woodhill House,
Aberdeen, AB16 5GB.
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Attention all Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises in Aberdeenshire! Have a look at the new Networks 1st web portal which is designed to reflect the collective identity of the Local Social Enterprise Networks (LSENs) across Scotland. It provides SENs with the opportunity to share information and resources online but it also takes the form of gatherings, both regional and national. It is a platform where issues of common interest to all SENs can be aired. It acts as a broker and exchange of practical help and support and can help with the establishment of a SEN in an area.

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Conservation of woodlands: you can sign up to the Woodland Trust to receive all their latest information

To keep up with all that is going on within Scottish Government including all the latest deadlines on consultations and funding information click here

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Attention all Hall Committees: Marr Area Partnership has produced an excellent publication called Your Hall : A manual showing how to run your hall according to
Public Entertainment Licence regulations and customise the information to meet your needs. This will be available in late Spring on the MAP website but contact Dawn at the BDP office for more information in the meantime.

Latest Community Planning matters - you can click here to get the latest Community Planning bulletin for Aberdeenshire