The Circle is a multi-award winning ‘More Than Profit’ social enterprise operating in Dundee and Glasgow, founded to create and contribute towards vibrant and sustainable communities and providing affordable consultancy, training and workspaces. We are a hub for charities, social enterprises, commercial organisations, creatives, community groups, individuals, and socially aware businesses. We provide advice, support and training in all areas, including accessing funding, developing an entrepreneurial mindset, governance, and strategic planning.
Workspaces
We can provide one off spaces for meetings and temporary projects as well as longer term spaces for start-ups or organisations looking for co-working environments. Spaces are available across Staffa Place, Dundee and Easterhouse, Glasgow.
Consultancy
Our consultancy services provide you with advice and support on a range of topics from determining the legal structure of your organisation to writing grant applications. Our experienced consultancy team bring a range of skills and practical knowledge to their roles.
The Circle Academy
The Circle Academy is a practical and educational training programme for people interested in running ‘More Than Profit’ businesses. The programme is open for applications all year round and available to anyone wanting to create positive, social or environmental change in a sustainable and commercially viable way. Find out more.
Highland Good Food Partnership is an initiative driven by local people who are passionate about creating a sustainable, local food system. Community food projects are one of our main areas of work; supporting projects with a social focus including allotments, food banks, community growing and community markets. When setting up a land based food initiative, access to land, access to funding and support with governance can be challenging and our Community Food group has the expertise to guide you through the process.
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is a registered charity, working since 1976 to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. The AHF exists to help communities and other not for private profit organisations find enterprising ways to revitalise the old buildings they love. We help with advice, grants and loans. Our support acts as a catalyst for putting sustainable heritage at the heart of vibrant local economies. For over 40 years, we’ve been the leading social investor in creating new futures for historic buildings.
Project Viability & Development Grants
With support from Historic Environment Scotland, Project Viability Grants are to fund initial studies to look at potential new uses for a building and at its current condition, usually resulting in a Viability Report produced to a standard template. Project Development Grants help add detail to outline plans, assisting in getting projects to the point that they can apply to larger capital funders. It can fund professional fees or capacity building for organisations.
Tailored Support Fund Grant
With support from the William Grant Foundation, projects in Scotland may be eligible for the TSF. Projects applying are generally characterised by a community-led ethos, a desire to give new purpose to a building valued locally for its architectural heritage and plans that demonstrate strong social, economic or environmental benefits that meet local need. Projects that don’t fit well in other funding streams are particularly welcome to enquire and apply.
Social Investment Programmes
We can also support projects through loan finance, offering flexible and competitive terms to provide greater assistance to projects that will deliver local economic and community impact, as well as providing sustainable use of a historic building for future generations.
What is eligible for the Social Investment Programme?
Loan finance can be used for building acquisition, plugging a short-term funding gap, for working capital during a project delivery phase or to support further growth of a social enterprise or other community business based in a historic building. Contact Asha Karbhari to discuss any queries.
Our purpose is to support community-led action in Scotland to address the climate and nature emergency, working for a just, thriving and resilient Scotland. We are a volunteer-led network with full free membership open to any community group across Scotland that is taking action on the climate crisis and to any organisation that is involved with or supports community-led climate action. Individual free membership is open to anyone who is involved with or supports local, community-led action to address the same issues.
Membership
SCCAN membership is free and allows member organisations and individuals to access exclusive funding, development and networking opportunities. It also provides access to peer to peer learning, increasing the impact of organising in communities all across Scotland, and to collaborate on specific SCCAN contracts and commissions.
Climate for Change
We’ve received support from the Scottish Government to train people to facilitate discussions around climate in people’s homes, with each session generating a lead for the next, eventually educating and empowering thousands of individuals to take action on climate. Read more about the programme and sign up for training here.
Community Learning Exchange (CLE)
CLE provides the solution to the financial barriers of site visits and networking, be it digital or face to face, an obstacle the Scottish Government has recognised as prohibitive to the potential of community groups. It is only available to groups who are members of the Scottish Community Alliance, of which SCCAN is one. It can cover travel, hosting, time for planning and other costs. Find out more here or contact us via email for more information.
Scotland’s Towns Partnership is Scotland’s national towns’ collective; representing and promoting the diversity of our towns and places, and supporting those organisations and groups that have an interest in or ownership of them. Our role is to act as a hub for relevant news & resources, knowledge and good practice, to support learning and community through our events, to influence and share policies that impact towns and to raise the profile of Scottish towns.
Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action is an independent charity that aims to ensure that charities, social enterprises, community and voluntary groups are able to remain robust and resilient, delivering high quality services for the people of Dundee. It is also a part of Dundee’s Third Sector Interface. We provide a wide range of support to third sector organisations and have expertise in a wide range of skills and topics including governance, funding, legislation, policy, planning and problem solving to name just a few key areas.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the national membership organisation for the voluntary sector. Our mission is to support, promote and develop a confident, sustainable voluntary sector in Scotland. We’re passionate about what the voluntary sector can achieve. Along with our community of 2,860 members and supporters, we believe that charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups make Scotland a better place.
Support & Learning
Our Information Service is an online knowledge bank and enquiry service delivered by experts. We provide information, free resources and guidance for charities and voluntary organisations in Scotland.
Services
Our experienced and knowledgeable Support Services teams can support you in delivering the core functions that keep your organisation running smoothly, including Managed I.T, Payroll, Office Space and HR.
Funding Scotland
Find funding for your charity, community group or social enterprise using our free online search engine. From small grants to funding for big capital projects, we can help you track down the funding you need to make a difference in your community.
Events and Training
Our programme of webinars, training and events focuses on the topical issues affecting Scotland’s voluntary sector. Sessions cover volunteering challenges, funding, social impact, leadership skills and our book club on the best non-fiction addressing the sector.
The Community Transport Association (CTA) is a national charity that represents and supports providers of community transport: thousands of local charities and community groups across the UK that all provide transport services that fulfil a social purpose and community benefit. We are for, and about, accessible and inclusive transport.
Our vision is of a world where people can shape and create their own accessible and inclusive transport solutions and our mission is to achieve this through championing accessible and inclusive transport, connecting people and ideas, and by strengthening our members and raising standards. We have 160+ members in Scotland and support them with advice, networking, policy work and anticipation of future challenges to the sector.
Foundation Scotland is Scotland’s largest independent grantmaking charity, distributing more than £130 million since the community foundation was established in 1996. The foundation’s social investment team (formerly known as Resilient Scotland) offer a unique type of funding designed to support social enterprises and charities and enable them to grow and deliver positive social impact. The investment provided is a unique form of blended finance, a combination of grants and loans. Get in touch to find out more!
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At GCVS, we’re here to support community groups, voluntary organisations, and social enterprises with the help and training they need to succeed. By strengthening the voluntary sector, both citizens and communities can benefit. We provide free support in Glasgow for the essentials like fundraising, governance, measuring impact and climate friendly practice. Our paid for services Scotland wide for Payroll, HR and Health & Safety provide in-depth expertise.
Circular Communities Scotland is a membership organisation dedicated to supporting the establishment of a circular economy in Scotland. We represent and support over 190 repair, reuse and recycling charities and social enterprises across the country. Our members prevent valuable products and materials from ending up in landfill, create local jobs, economic opportunities, and help promote and create social and environmental justice in
their communities.
PKAVS delivers the role of Third Sector Interface for Perth & Kinross, supporting, developing & representing community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprise & volunteering in P&K.
CVS Falkirk & District is recognised by Scottish Government and Falkirk Community Planning Partnership (CPP) as the third sector interface for the Falkirk area. We have a primary role in ensuring the continuation and development of a vibrant third sector (charities, social enterprises, community and voluntary groups etc) in Falkirk.
We work with existing social enterprises, and encourage individuals and organisations to be more socially enterprising, through a range of services, including but not limited to start up guidance, idea development, business planning, identifying funders, partnerships, legal and compliance issues, measuring social impact and tendering and procurement. We have a variety of local support options for social enterprises in Falkirk, who are familiar with the social enterprise model and can offer guidance on different subjects.
AVA is Aberdeenshire’s TSI, and our mission is to promote the growth of strong, resilient, communities in Aberdeenshire by connecting, supporting, and promoting volunteers, charities, community-led organisations, and social enterprises collectively referred to as the Third Sector. Funded by the Scottish Government, Aberdeenshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership, and our own Social Enterprise, Magpie (a reuse & recycling facility based in Banchory), the AVA team operates across the length & breadth of Aberdeenshire, supporting volunteers and organisations and social enterprises from Sandend and St Combs in the north, to Braemar in the west and Laurencekirk and St Cyrus in the south. AVA also runs the Aberdeenshire Social Enterprise Network
