Grants Strategy

Strathnairn Community Benefit Fund has been distributing community benefit payments to the communities located in Strathnairn since 2004. Over these years the funds managed have increased substantially and successive Boards sought to expand access to this funding by continually devising new grants covering an ever increasing wide range of requirements.

This strategy was well-meant but many of these grants had limited applicability to the majority of households in Strathnairn resulting in an unfair distribution of the funds. For years one of the most common comments voiced to SCBF was why the funds could not be divided equally between everyone. At the beginning of 2015, and working within the parameters of our Wind Farm agreements, our Energy Grant was piloted. For the first time, a grant became available that enabled potentially every residential household in Strathnairn to receive money towards their energy bills

Following on from the success of the energy grant, the Board felt that further improvements to the grant system could be made and a better and fairer way forward would be to adopt a simpler grant structure focusing on support for –

The most disadvantaged in our community through targeted hardship and respite support
Community based organisations such as Care in Strathnairn, the SCATA bus, the community halls and schools, together with other groups or projects aimed at providing community benefit for Strathnairn.
Energy and energy-efficiency grants for households
Large scale legacy projects for the future benefit of the community

As a result, and from January 2016, the grants available became –

Energy Efficiency Improvement Grant
Energy Grant
Renewable Energy Technology Grant
Respite or Relief of Hardship Grant
Supplementary Home Heating Grant
General Grant

SCBF introduced these changes in 2016, believing that the changes would broaden the distribution of funds for the whole community, and that there is widespread support for these changes. 

In September 2019, the Board once more reviewed its approach to grant making, as growing demand for funding, particularly from organisations receiving annual awards, limits SCBF’s ability to fund new initiatives and build reserves to support major capital projects in future and maintain funds in the long term.

The following changes to SCBF’s grant programme were approved:

• An Education Grant would be introduced to benefit children and young people in full time education, including primary school pupils who don’t currently benefit from awards made to Daviot or Farr Primary Schools.

• An Energy Grant of £200 will be available to every household in 2020 (reduced from £220), due to increased demand.

• Increases in regular annual General Grant awards would normally be limited to increases in inflation, in line with SCBF’s income from funders.

• Grants for new organisations/initiatives should be seen as ‘seed funding’ – applicants will have to demonstrate how they will become financially sustainable and not dependent on ongoing funding from SCBF

• Grants for one off refurbishments or improvements to facilities within halls will be judged on the basis of community demand/benefit and potential for generation of additional income.

In November 2021, the Board once more reviewed its approach to grant making, as an identification of the Energy Grant as not charitable following a Foundation Scotland report meant a revision of the grant was required. 

The following changes to SCBF’s grant programme were approved:

• The Energy Grant of £200 was removed. 

• A new Home Heating Grant of £500 was added for those who receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or for those who spend more than 10% of their net household income on fuel. 

It’s never too late to send us your feedback, if you do have ideas or suggestions please do let us know.