BIG Scotland is currently contacting its exisiting grantholders to offer additional support for those projects which have lost funding due to the current financial climate.

As the biggest funder of the voluntry and third sector in Scotland, we are  hoping to offer projects in difficulty some extra financial supprt in the first half of 2012.

BIG Scotland Director Jackie Killeen, says: “We have made £2million available for additional grants which we believe will help address the immediacy of current financial difficulties many of our existing grant-holders find themselves in.

“For us this kind of approach shows our intent as an intelligent funder and means that we are providing an option for our grantholders to continue to deliver their projects in spite of experiencing financial difficulty.”

This specific assistance will be available to all existing Investing in Communities grant-holders as long as they are meeting their agreed terms and conditions. The funding is aimed at helping organisations address difficulties caused by loss of match funding which is impacting on their ability to deliver their original project.

Ms Killeen added, “We are seeking to address both the immediate impact of the current financial climate and the need to support grant-holders to be better able to sustain themselves by reviewing their current practices and making changes to how they operate in light of the shifting landscape for the third sector in Scotland.”

Letter were sent out over the last two weeks to those who can apply and the timeline expects applications to be made  for up to £50,000 through completion of a simple bespoke form in February and funding decisions made in April after an assessment.