Projects aiming to benefit local communities in Edinburgh and Midlothian have been awarded a total of over £70,000 in grants by the University. Image Community grants scheme funds local projects The aim of the Edinburgh Local Community Grants Scheme is to support local groups’ great ideas for projects which will benefit the communities they live in. The first round of grants awarded 16 community groups funding of up to £5,000 each to support them in providing activities in their local area. Successful applications include a programme of workshops to help reduce youth offending and anti-social behaviour in a community that is in the top 15% of Scotland’s most deprived. One successful application is for a community summer festival in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh while another will help children in Leith with emotional difficulties to get involved in growing food. A further award will support a drop-in facility in Midlothian’s Mayfield & Easthouses district, where young people will work alongside local police and fire services to build and enhance relationships. We’re delighted that the University of Edinburgh has awarded us a grant which will help our organisation deliver even more important programmes for local people. It will help us support women suffering from domestic abuse and poor mental health by offering them a programme of outdoor activities designed to improve their overall wellbeing. Fiona Morrison, Comas The grants scheme aims to strengthen communities and support collaborations and partnerships between the local community and the University. It is an important part of the wider University outreach initiative called Edinburgh Local. Other projects funded include the creation of a mural in Edinburgh’s Southside, facilities to support families with disabled children in the Northfield and Willowbrae area of Edinburgh and a digital training programme for unemployed individuals to give them qualifications, work experience and self-confidence, ultimately leading to work. Decisions on the second round of grant applications will be taken in July and the grants scheme will open again for further applications in the autumn. Find out more If you would like to receive an alert when the next round of funding opens, please sign up for our newsletter. More information on the funding rounds and criteria, as well as the full list of projects that received funding can be found on the Edinburgh Local website: https://www.ed.ac.uk/local/community-grants. This article was published on 2024-07-22
