Lynsey Hadden

Help us shape our future funding in Scotland

Would you like to help shape our grant making in Scotland? Feed in your views and know they are being heard?

If it’s a yes, read on. Kate Still, Chair of our Scotland Committee  and Vice Chair of our UK Board talks plans for our new Scotland funding portfolio and how you can join the conversation.

Kate Still visiting Glasgow charity NG Homes to hear from members of the community.

“When I joined The National Lottery Community Fund in 2020, Scotland’s voluntary and community sector was fighting to survive through the toughest of times, more so than thrive. Then something extraordinary happened, everyday people, mostly volunteers, stepped in and, with support from National Lottery funding, delivered urgent and critical services that reminded us of the value and importance of community and social connections during a time of national crisis.

“It was the year we intended to review our Scottish portfolio. In response to the pandemic, we shifted our focus towards pro-actively supporting continuity of services and stability in the third sector.

“Now, two years later, communities are facing fresh challenges and opportunities and have new hopes and aspirations. I am optimistic about the future of the sector. It has shown its ability to adapt and innovate to meet the emerging needs of people and communities.

“So – with your help we’re ready to focus on a new Scotland portfolio that reflects the needs of Scottish communities for 2023 and beyond.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, last year we awarded £43 million to 1261 community projects helping to support people through challenging circumstances and bringing them together through a range of activities that reduce isolation and loneliness.

“Our aim of helping communities to thrive remains at the heart of what we fund – but how best do we do that? Well, we intend to listen, learn, and respond to your ideas and suggestions. After all, who knows better than you what’s needed to make your community thrive?

“We want to involve all communities in these conversations, not just those who have benefited from National Lottery funding in the past. Already, we have been speaking to a range of stakeholders to help us understand what matters most to people and communities and how we might support communities better – and we want to hear from as many diverse voices as possible. 

Visit with NG Homes.

“As a community funder we want to know how we can make the most difference in your community? With limited resources, what should we focus on?

“Our review of our grant making in Scotland is happening in tandem as our UK wide strategy renewal process, Putting Communities First, which means your insights, knowledge and experience will also feed into the wider direction of the Fund over the next ten years.”

How you can get involved?

We want to learn from our work we have done so far and take forward the best bits and build upon them.

And we want you to be involved every step of the way:

This is an exciting time to shape the future of the Fund! We want to hear how best to work with you and support communities into the future both in Scotland and across the UK.

4 comments

  1. Hi folks,
    We have benefited a few times from grant funding from the lottery.
    This has helped us to become one of the successful groups in our area.
    We run our neighbourhood watch group and integral with it we started and run the Beith Community Garden which last year was given an outstanding report and certificate of distinction by the RHS assessor.
    We also run the annual chainsaw carving event which last year attracted visitors from all over UK.
    We have the offer of purchasing the community garden but the constraints of both the purchase and making the adjacent walls safe (they have been in a bad state for years).
    By constraints, I mean the forming of yet another SCIO or similar group when folk simply want to turn out and help keep the place nice for the town and do not want to be holding talking shops.
    It would be great if there was a simpler means of obtaining the necessary assistance so that we could achieve our aims and ambitions which would leave a real legacy for the town.
    Is there any way this is possible without all the (as we see it) money wasting on all the current “Red Tape”?
    We do understand that control is essential and that all accounting needs to be open to scrutiny from any source, however we see many instances where good useable funds are used to “establish the facts” but achieve nothing towards the final target of helping make whatever project actually happen.
    It would be nice if we could have a chat about this aspect and in the process, possibly reach a working conclusion.
    We are and have been a properly constituted group for many years and are part of Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful

    Reply

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