Local groups reap £175,000 in grant awards
Friday, September 7 2007
Local groups and organisations have had their coffers boosted by more than £175,000 through the Council’s Community Grants Scheme (CGS) in the last financial year.
A total of 87 grants, ranging from £39 to £5,000 were awarded and the groups who benefited included sports organisations; Christmas lights committees; art groups; village halls; town twinning groups and local bands. The CGS contributed to total project costs of £693,000, reflecting the huge voluntary, community effort involved in improving the quality of life in the Borders.
The CGS was formed in 2005 and incorporates the former Community Support Fund and various other small grant schemes previously distributed by Council Departments such as Arts, Town Twinning and Christmas Lights.
Small grants are administered by the Council’s Head of Business Improvement but amounts more than £500 are decided upon by the Local Area Committees or the Council’s Grants to External Bodies Working Group.
The grants awarded cover everything from general running costs to refurbishment projects and major events.
Last year, for example, a grant of £495 was awarded to the Peebles International Jazz Festival; £341 to the Eyemouth Scouts’ minibus fund; £5,000 to the refurbishment of Galashiels Football Club’s facilities; £5,000 to the Peebles Retailers’ Association to help market the town and a support grant of £1,000 to the Melrose Amateur Operatic Society.
The local CGS is one of a number of small grants available to local communities. For example the National Lottery’s Awards for All Programme also brought some £550,503 in small grants to Borders groups.
Depute Council Leader Alex Nicol said: “It’s wonderful to see such a diverse range of Borders groups benefiting from small grants. I would urge all local groups who are looking for funding for specific projects or events or who just need help with their general running costs to contact us for funding advice. Small grants and the CGS in particular is a great resource for our local communities. I like the idea of local people being able to apply for funding for good local ideas.”
For more information on the grants scheme or to obtain an application form contact Linda Cornwall 01835 826659 or online
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