Four Scottish Borders organisations have been successful in securing funding amounting to £392,821 from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was a central pillar of the previous UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and provided £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
Latest successful bids
A Heart for Duns has been awarded £112,200 towards design, survey and engagement work towards the creation of a multi-use path for walking, cycling and horse riding between Chirnside and Reston. This will provide a safe active travel route for rural communities in Berwickshire and will form part of a larger active travel route planned between Tweedbank and Reston rail stations.
The Hub Innerleithen CIC has been successful in securing £20,000 revenue funding to set up the management and future maintenance of a toilet, shower and bike wash facility following refurbishment of the disused toilets at Innerleithen. This will provide a community asset for the use of local residents and mountain biking visitors to the area. The project will also look at automated payment systems etc to effect sustainability of the facility for the future.
Borders Community Action has been awarded £186,000 to provide grant assistance to take forward net zero upgrades for 16 village halls, where decarbonisation plans have been developed as part of a former Community Renewal Fund project. The project will also provide funding for some digital infrastructure and energy audits at a further eight halls.
At Birkhill House CIC has secured £74,621 capital funding to create a green fibre hub using sustainable materials and energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint and extend workshop activities in traditional dyeing and spinning skills. This will extend the practical skills offer for individuals, community groups and schools across the area.
A full list of successful local applications is available online.
The Community and Place and Supporting Local Business strands of the Shared Prosperity Fund are now fully utilised in the Scottish Borders, but there is still some funding available for People and Skills projects.
Councillor Scott Hamilton, Executive Member for Community and Business Development
“The variety of projects that we’ve been able to support through the Shared Prosperity Fund locally has been fantastic, and is highlighted with these latest four successful bids.
“These projects will deliver really tangible benefits for local communities, local groups and visitors to the region and those organisations behind the bids are to be commended for the work they’ve done in developing the projects and I wish them well in taking them through the next stages.”
Project funding opportunities
Community groups interested in funding for new projects can find out more about some of the opportunities available and access a simple expression of interest form.