Funding

There is a wide range of funding sources available for projects including UK Government, the European Union, charitable trusts and the national lottery. Eligibility for funding will depend on the nature of your organisation/group, activities that you are engaged in and the type and scale of the proposed project.

Charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations can search for themselves through the hundreds of Government, Lottery, charitable and other funds available on a European, national, regional and local basis.

External funding alert

South Ayrshire Council now produces a monthly external funding alert that provides details on available funding opportunities and deadlines for applications from businesses, organisations and community groups. Further information is available by clicking on the links provided throughout the alert or via email from externalfunding2@south-ayrshire.gov.uk.

Funding Alert - April 2025 (PDF, 670 KB)

External funding service

We can help your voluntary/community groups and organisations to discover new funding opportunities for your projects and ideas. We provide a funder search facility that helps you to find out which funder is likely to provide grants best suited to you. We can also assist you to develop and define your business plan and or constitution, and put you in touch with experience and support from a variety of sources. Funding for projects is available from a number of sources including the UK/SG Government, The EU, charitable trusts and the national lottery. Whether you are eligible will depend on the nature of your organisation/group, its activities and the type and scale of the proposed project.

In addition to traditional grant funding there are a number of crowdfunding platforms, such as:

To allow us to assess the level of support you require please complete the External Funding Enquiry

The external funding service cannot provide advice on accessing funding for individuals, un-constituted organisations or profit making businesses. However the following contacts will be able to provide further information:

Individuals - Citizens Advice
Unconstituted bodies - VASA
Businesses - Business Assistance - South Ayrshire Council

Community Empowerment Fund

Empowering communities is a national priority for the Scottish Government. It is an important part of public service reform, focusing attention on reducing disadvantage and inequality and improving outcomes for communities.

Community empowerment processes support people to do things for themselves and enable people to take control over the decisions and factors that affect their lives and communities. Community empowerment is a gradual process which involves continual learning and the constant building of a community's capacity to articulate and address their priorities.

South Ayrshire Council is committed to promoting and supporting the principles of community empowerment and encouraging interest in community asset transfer, as well as groups taking ownership of local land and assets and driving forward community led regeneration.

The main objective include fostering healthy, safe, and inclusive communities, enhancing community spaces, and supporting local economic development. It also reflects the increasing role of community groups in addressing issues such as active travel, cultural and heritage development, and local sports, which directly align with national priorities for creating thriving, resilient communities.

The definition used in respect of community-led regeneration by the Scottish Government, states that community-led regeneration is about "people identifying issues and opportunities in their local area; deciding what to do about them and making positive change in their communities."

Successful community-led regeneration:
increases the number and strength of locally controlled, enterprising community organisations
supports local organisations taking ownership of assets such as buildings or land
helps people to co-ordinate action and respond to challenges in areas where there are high levels of disadvantage
helps people identify and act on the priorities in their areas

Criteria

Constituted community groups/organisations can apply for either a grant of up to £4950 or a grant of up to £15,000.

There is a total of £100,000 available for this financial year.

For this year the funding will be split £20,000 for revenue costs and £80,000 for capital costs..

This fund opens on Friday 11^th April 2025 and will close on Thursday 1^st May 2025 at 5pm.

For full information on the fund please check the guidance notes which details the full criteria.

To apply - Your Area Your Voice Your Choice

South Ayrshire Grants Privacy Notice (Word doc, 25 KB)

Community Empowerment Fund. Guidance Notes (Word doc, 71 KB)