Applications to the Community Council Local Grants Scheme (CCLGS)

The idea of a Local Grant Scheme is to allow your local community council to respond to a locally identified need from a community group for a project that will clearly demonstrate a community benefit. Allowing decisions to be made locally and appropriately by your community council to respond quickly to requests. Guidance on the scheme is available here: ANCBC Local Grant Guidelines 2023

Link to: list of the participating community council areas 

If your project requires less than £500 and is located in an area with an operational community council, you could apply directly to your community council in the first instance, either personally or by letter. If you seek more than £500, it may be more appropriate to apply to the ANCBC main fund.

Participating community councils have been awarded £4,000 each (from Autumn 2023, previously £2,000) and will have an opportunity to claim additional funds each autumn to recoup any spent funds and bring their balance back up to £4,000. Community councils are encouraged to use the funds for onward local grant-making but can also use them for their own projects. All local grants must demonstrate local community benefit and fit the criteria below.

Terms and Conditions of the Grant Scheme

ANCBC funds provided by ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) are linked to Harestanes Windfarm and, under the agreement with SPR, can be used to support a wide range of costs and activities, including equipment, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional worker costs, consultations, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities and capital costs to purchase or develop community assets.

Applications that address any of the following issues are particularly welcomed:

  • Community facilities, services, transport, open spaces, affordable housing, community development, reduction of poverty, and care of the elderly
  • Community or local events
  • Environmental projects – including climate change reduction and progress towards net-zero carbon emissions
  • Heritage
  • Enterprise to generate skills, employment, and tourism; reducing poverty, isolation, and disadvantage; improving rural business opportunities; building the capacity of community and voluntary organisations; supporting innovation and social enterprise
  • Sport, recreation, and improving the health and well-being of residents
  • Youth and education, providing training opportunities and support for vulnerable youngsters
  • Promoting care and support of vulnerable people; improving community safety; minimising isolation, and maximising well-being.

For the avoidance of doubt, ANCBC and SPR request that funds are not spent on the following:

  • Political, religious, entertainment, or hospitality purposes.
  • Any purpose that is adverse to SPR’s interest in the windfarm or business interests of SPR or its parent company or group of companies or other commercial windfarms.
  • Investment in windfarm sites unless agreed by SPR, its parent company, or a group of companies.
  • Activities that do not demonstrate a significant benefit to the local community.
  • Finance or replace a service that is the legal responsibility of the local authority.
  • The repayment of loans or payment of debts.
  • Individuals or private businesses, unless wider public benefit can be clearly demonstrated.

Should recipients not spend all grant funds allocated through the CCLGS, they will be required to repay unspent funds into ANCBC through their community council.

Publicising your award

All grants are acknowledged as ANCBC Community Council Local Grant Scheme.
All grant recipients must seek opportunities to publish their grant award in the local paper, acknowledging the grant as:
This project has been financed/part-financed by funds from Annandale and Nithsdale Community Benefit Company, disbursing funds on behalf of ScottishPower Renewables Harestanes Windfarm