Our mission is to ensure that the Third Sector in Highlands is strong, developing and a valued community and regional asset. In addition to supporting our members across Highland, we also work together with six partners to deliver on volunteer development, social enterprise development, supporting and developing a strong Third Sector and building it’s relationship with community planning.
Business Stage: Idea
Volunteer Centre Western Isles is an independent local charity with offices and staff in Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra. We provide information, advice and support to individuals interested in volunteering, volunteer managers, voluntary groups, clubs and organisations, private and public sector organisations and companies.
Plunkett UK is a national charity that supports rural communities across the UK to tackle the issues they face through community-owned business. Community businesses are enterprises that are owned and run democratically by members of the community, on behalf of the community. From shops and pubs to farms and woodlands and everything in between, Plunkett’s small in-house team and network of advisers across the UK provide a helping hand to support groups from their first tentative steps, and continues to be there for them, year after year, as the business develops and grows.
Fife Historic Buildings Trust is a charitable trust working with Fife Council, community groups and others to find new users and funding to secure a long-term future for historic buildings at risk. We have helped deliver over £40m in historic environment regeneration projects in Fife, supporting town centres, businesses, tourism and local communities.
Our vision is for vibrant and connected rural and island communities which have control over their future, and which contribute to building a society that is inclusive, just and sustainable. We work with our members and partners at national, regional and community levels to build a grassroots-led rural movement in Scotland that connects rural communities with each other, politicians and decision makers, collaborate with seldom-heard groups to create platforms that enable their participation in the rural movement and collectively develop a cross-sectoral, locally informed understanding of rural Scotland’s economy, society and culture that shapes local practise and national policy.
The aim of the hub is to support community led climate action in the North Highlands & Northern Isles in all the stages it takes to design, develop and deliver a project. We can support existing community groups or help communities to form new groups. Connecting communities through new and existing networks and signposting to further support as needed. Even if you are not developing a specific climate action project we can help you with climate ready policies for your organisations and how to embed climate action in your work.
ACA CIC was created in late 2014 by Alison Stuart and Erik Dalhuisjen, arising out of the need to prompt our government to take action in the light of the then upcoming Paris COP21. We are a volunteer-run organisation that aims to inform and prompt action on climate change and sustainable practices in the North East of Scotland through awareness raising, education, partnerships and support.
North East Scotland Climate Action Network (NESCAN) is a newly formed network that supports climate action organisations in the North East of Scotland. NESCAN aims to be an information and collaboration network for organisations within North East Scotland, which have climate action and biodiversity projects.
Community Energy Scotland is a registered charity that provides practical help for communities, businesses and groups in green energy development and energy conservation. Our vision is of strong, well informed and capable communities across Scotland, able to take advantage of their renewable energy resources and address their energy issues in a way that builds a more localised, democratic and sustainable energy system.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Melting Pot develops initiatives that stimulate and support social innovation, harnessing the power to ignite and effect social change by connecting people and supporting their ideas, passions and expertise. In turn, we help Scotland fulfil its economic, social, cultural and environmental potential. Our doors first opened in October 2007, after several years of development by a grassroots group of like-minded folk in Edinburgh.
Good Ideas is a free incubation programme that helps people turn their good ideas into change, supporting them to realise their vision in the form of social enterprises, charities and campaigns. Making an idea happen can be a daunting prospect and exploring new ideas is challenging – we’re here to help people test their ideas and make change happen.
Consultancy Services & Products
We share our 18 years’ experience of supporting and stimulating social innovation via our consultancy services and products. Whether you’re setting up a new coworking space, building a community at your existing hub, or wanting to run a social business incubation programme like Good Ideas, we can help! Find out more about our coaching, training and Etools here.
Calton Road Coworking Hub & Venue Hire
After leaving our previous spot on Rose Street and using research from the Future of the Office report, we secured three floors of space (previously used by Foundation Scotland) right next to Edinburgh Waverley. As well as regular coworking memberships and one-off hotdesk facilities, we have meeting rooms and event space to hire. Find out more here.
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.
