February 10, 2016
Good news badly delivered
The Climate Challenge Fund has been one of success stories in recent years – getting cash into the hands of local people who want to tackle the threat of climate change is an important part of the overall jigsaw. But announcing the fund is to re-open on a Friday (29th Jan) and giving communities a 7 day turnaround to get their ideas worked up and submitted (5th Feb) suggests a serious lack of planning on the part of someone. Some communities need much more time than others to get themselves organised.
Community groups across Scotland are being invited to apply for a share of over £10 million Scottish Government funding for action against climate change.
The hugely successful Climate Challenge Fund has supported 756 community-led schemes since 2008, including energy efficiency, sustainable travel and local food growing projects.
Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod has confirmed the fund will continue for another year, after it was allocated £10.3 million in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2016-17.
Dr McLeod said:
“Climate change affects us all, and the historic global agreement reached in Paris sets the stage for the effort and action that we will all need to take.
“Scotland is already three quarters of the way towards achieving our world-leading target of a 42 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. But further action is needed by all of us – not just the Government – to achieve further reductions.
“I welcome the efforts being made by hundreds of communities the length and breadth of Scotland to tackle the local impacts of a changing climate. I am pleased to confirm Scottish Government support for this action will continue with a further £10.3 million investment in the Climate Challenge Fund over the next year.”
We manage the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Derek Robertson, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:
“We welcome the new funding made available through the Climate Challenge Fund for community-led organisations across Scotland to tackle climate change at a grass roots level, and urge potential applicants to apply quickly.
“It has been a great privilege for us to have been involved with managing and developing the Climate Challenge Fund, on behalf of the Scottish Government, since the Fund was established in 2008.
“We look forward to supporting the latest community-led organisations with their applications and see this is part of our work to help make Scotland clean, green and more sustainable.”
Applications for grants of up to £150,000 per project are invited now:
-Community-led organisations currently in receipt of a CCF grant must have submitted a completed application by19/02/16
-All other community-led organisations must have submitted an Expression of Interest by 5/02/16 and a completed application by 19/02/16
More on the application process, deadlines and ideas for projects at www.climatechallengefund.org